How to replace a lost or stolen Canadian passport in Canada
Learn how to replace a lost or stolen Canadian passport in Canada in 2026, including how to report it, whether you can renew or need a new passport, form PPTC 203, required photos and documents, the $45 replacement fee and urgent travel options.
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If your Canadian passport is lost or stolen while you are in Canada, report it to the Passport Program as soon as possible by calling 1-800-567-6868. If the missing passport is still valid, submit form PPTC 203 with your replacement application and pay the regular passport fee plus an additional CAD $45 replacement fee. An adult who meets the simplified renewal requirements can renew the passport; otherwise, apply for a new adult passport. Current in-Canada adult passport fees are CAD $122.50 for 5 years or CAD $163.50 for 10 years. Regular processing is 10 business days at a passport office or eligible 10-day Service Canada location, or 20 business days at a regular Service Canada Centre, by mail or online, plus mailing time. Urgent and express services are available at eligible passport offices.
What you need
- Be a Canadian citizen applying to replace a Canadian passport that was lost or stolen.
- Report a lost or stolen passport to the Passport Program as soon as possible.
- If the missing passport is still valid, complete the Declaration concerning a lost, stolen, inaccessible, damaged or found Canadian travel document, form PPTC 203.
- If eligible for simplified adult renewal, provide the information from your most recent passport, including the passport number, date of issue and date of expiry.
- If you are not eligible for renewal, complete the new adult passport application, form PPTC 153, and provide proof of Canadian citizenship, acceptable supporting identification, 2 passport photos, a guarantor and 2 references.
- For an in-person or mail adult renewal, provide 2 identical passport photos that meet Canadian passport specifications and 2 eligible references.
- For a new adult passport application, have an eligible guarantor complete the required guarantor duties, including signing the application, 1 photo and photocopies of supporting identification where applicable.
- Pay the regular passport fee and, if the lost or stolen passport is still valid, the additional CAD $45 replacement fee.
- If urgent or express service is requested, apply at a location offering that service and provide proof of need when required.
Eligibility
This procedure applies to Canadian citizens whose Canadian passport has been lost or stolen while they are in Canada. The replacement route depends on whether the missing passport is still valid and whether an adult applicant qualifies for the simplified passport renewal process.
An adult can use simplified renewal if the most recent passport was issued when the applicant was at least 16 years old, was issued within the previous 15 years, was valid for 5 or 10 years and contains the same name, date of birth, place of birth and gender identifier requested for the new passport. The applicant must also have the passport number, date of issue and date of expiry. If these conditions are not met, a new adult passport application is required.
Child passports cannot be renewed. A lost or stolen child passport must be replaced through a new child passport application.
How to do it
- Report the passport as lost or stolen. If you are in Canada, contact the Passport Program at 1-800-567-6868 as soon as possible to report the loss or theft.
- Determine whether the passport is still valid. If the lost or stolen passport is still valid, form PPTC 203 and the additional CAD $45 replacement fee are required. If the passport has already expired, the special lost or stolen declaration and additional replacement fee are not required solely because the expired passport is missing.
- Check whether you can use adult simplified renewal. You may renew if your most recent passport was issued when you were at least 16, was issued within 15 years, was valid for 5 or 10 years, and the personal information requested on the new passport remains the same.
- Use the correct application form. Eligible adults applying in person or by mail use form PPTC 054. Adults who do not qualify for renewal use form PPTC 153. A child requires a new child passport application rather than a renewal.
- Complete form PPTC 203 when required. If the missing passport is still valid, complete the declaration concerning the lost or stolen Canadian travel document and include it with the passport application.
- Prepare passport photos. In-person and mail adult applications require 2 identical, unaltered photos that meet Canadian passport specifications and were taken no more than 6 months before the application.
- Prepare references and a guarantor where applicable. Adult renewals require 2 eligible references but no guarantor. A new adult passport application requires 2 references and an eligible guarantor.
- Prepare citizenship and identity evidence if applying for a new passport. A new adult passport application requires proof of Canadian citizenship and acceptable supporting identification. Simplified renewal does not normally require these documents.
- Choose the required processing speed. For standard service, apply at an appropriate passport office, Service Canada location or by mail. If you need the replacement urgently, use a passport office offering express or urgent service.
- Pay the applicable fees. Pay CAD $122.50 for a 5-year adult passport or CAD $163.50 for a 10-year adult passport. If the missing passport is still valid, add the CAD $45 lost or stolen passport replacement fee.
- Submit and track the application. Submit the complete application using the method appropriate to your circumstances and use the Government of Canada's passport status service to monitor processing.
How to replace a lost or stolen Canadian passport in Canada
If your Canadian passport is lost or stolen in Canada, report it to the Passport Program as soon as possible. For a passport that is still valid, you must also complete form PPTC 203 and pay an additional CAD $45 replacement fee when applying for the new passport.
An adult does not necessarily need to complete the full new-passport process. If the missing passport meets Canada's simplified renewal requirements and you have the necessary passport information, you can use the adult renewal procedure. If you do not meet those requirements, apply for a new adult passport.
How to report a lost or stolen Canadian passport
If you are in Canada, the Government of Canada instructs you to contact the Passport Program at 1-800-567-6868 as soon as possible after discovering that the passport is lost or stolen.
Reporting the passport is separate from applying for its replacement. You must still complete the appropriate passport application if you need a new passport.
Do you need a police report for a stolen Canadian passport?
The Government of Canada's standard in-Canada replacement instructions require you to report the loss or theft to the Passport Program. The published replacement procedure does not list a police report as a standard document required for every Canadian passport replacement application.
Depending on the circumstances of a theft or other criminal incident, you may still choose or be advised to report the incident to local police, but the Passport Program's required replacement steps should be followed separately.
What is form PPTC 203?
PPTC 203 is the Declaration concerning a lost, stolen, inaccessible, damaged or found Canadian travel document.
If your lost or stolen passport is still valid, you must submit PPTC 203 with your replacement application. You must also pay the additional CAD $45 administrative fee for replacing a valid lost or stolen passport.
What if the missing passport was already expired?
If the lost or stolen passport has expired, the Government of Canada states that you only need the main passport application form for the passport application. The special lost or stolen passport declaration is not required solely because the expired passport is missing.
If you are unsure whether the passport has expired, the Government of Canada instructs you to submit PPTC 203 with the application.
Can you renew a lost or stolen Canadian passport?
Yes, an adult may be able to use simplified renewal even though the previous passport has been lost or stolen, provided the applicant meets the adult renewal requirements and has the required information from the missing passport.
You need the passport number, date of issue and date of expiry from your most recent passport.
Adult passport renewal eligibility
You can use the simplified adult renewal process only if your most recent passport was issued when you were at least 16 years old, was issued within the 15 years before your application, and was valid for either 5 or 10 years.
The name, date of birth, place of birth and gender identifier requested on the new passport must also be the same as on the previous passport.
If any of these conditions are not met, you must submit a new adult passport application.
What if you do not know the lost passport number or expiry date?
The simplified renewal process requires information from your most recent passport, including the passport number, date of issue and date of expiry. If you do not have the information required for renewal, the Government of Canada's eligibility guidance directs you to use the new adult passport process instead.
Which forms do you need?
For an eligible adult simplified renewal submitted in person or by mail in Canada, use Adult Passport Renewal Application form PPTC 054.
If you are not eligible for simplified renewal, use Adult Passport Application form PPTC 153.
If the lost or stolen passport is still valid, also complete form PPTC 203.
Documents for an adult simplified renewal
Simplified renewal requires less documentation than a new adult passport application. You do not normally need a guarantor, proof of Canadian citizenship or supporting identification.
You need the required information from your most recent passport, 2 eligible references and passport photos that meet current Canadian requirements for an in-person or mail application.
Documents for a new adult passport after loss or theft
If you are not eligible for simplified renewal, the new adult passport procedure requires proof of Canadian citizenship, at least 1 acceptable document supporting your identity, 2 identical passport photos, an eligible guarantor and 2 eligible references.
Proof of citizenship can include an accepted Canadian birth certificate or Canadian citizenship certificate. Supporting identification must meet the Passport Program's current identity requirements.
If you provide photocopies of supporting identification, the guarantor or signing official must sign and date the required copies according to the official instructions.
Passport photo requirements for a replacement
For an adult replacement application submitted in person or by mail, provide 2 identical and unaltered passport photographs.
The photos must be taken in person by a commercial photographer or photo studio and must reflect your current appearance. Current Passport Program specifications require photos to be taken no more than 6 months before the application.
Printed Canadian passport photos measure 50 mm wide by 70 mm high. The photographer must write or stamp the studio or company name, complete address and date the photographs were taken on the back of 1 photograph.
If you are using simplified adult renewal, a guarantor does not sign the photo. If you are submitting a new adult passport application, your guarantor must certify and sign 1 photograph.
References for a replacement Canadian passport
Adult passport renewals and new adult passport applications require 2 references. Each reference must be at least 18 years old, must have known you for at least 2 years and must agree to provide their name and contact information.
Your references cannot be disqualified family members under the Passport Program's relationship rules. For a new adult application, your guarantor cannot also serve as one of your references.
Do you need a guarantor?
If you qualify for simplified adult renewal, you do not need a guarantor.
If you must apply for a new adult passport, you need an eligible guarantor unless you qualify to use the Passport Program's statutory declaration procedure for applicants who cannot find a guarantor.
For a regular passport application submitted in Canada, the standard guarantor requirements include being at least 18, being a Canadian citizen, having known you for at least 2 years and holding an eligible Canadian passport meeting the Passport Program's validity requirements.
How much does it cost to replace a lost or stolen Canadian passport in 2026?
Passport fees increased on March 31, 2026. For applications submitted in Canada, a regular adult 5-year passport costs CAD $122.50 and a regular adult 10-year passport costs CAD $163.50.
If the lost or stolen passport is still valid, you must pay an additional CAD $45 administrative replacement fee. This $45 charge is in addition to the regular passport fee.
If the missing passport has already expired, the additional lost or stolen passport replacement fee does not apply solely because the expired passport cannot be located.
Where can you apply for the replacement?
You can submit standard passport applications at participating Service Canada locations or passport offices, or use the mail process when the application type permits it.
If you need the passport quickly, apply in person at a passport office that offers express or urgent processing. Use the official Service Canada passport location finder to identify which services are available at a particular office.
Can you replace a lost or stolen passport online?
Online adult passport renewal is available in Canada for applicants who meet all online renewal requirements. The requirements are more restrictive than the general in-person or mail renewal rules.
Among other conditions, your home and mailing address must be in Canada, you must be in Canada to receive the passport, your passport must expire within the next 6 months or already be expired, you must not be travelling within the next 20 business days, and the passport must otherwise meet the online eligibility requirements.
The online service specifically addresses passports previously reported lost or stolen. If you later found a passport that was reported lost or stolen and it has not already been returned to the Passport Program, you are not eligible to renew online and must return it.
If your circumstances do not meet every online condition, use the in-person or mail process that applies to your replacement.
How long does a replacement Canadian passport take?
For a regular application submitted in person at a passport office or Service Canada Centre that offers 10-day processing, the service standard is 10 business days.
For an application submitted in person at a regular Service Canada Centre, a Service Canada Scheduled Outreach Site offering passport services, by mail or online, the service standard is 20 business days.
Mailing time is not included. Processing can take longer if the Passport Program needs corrections, new photos, additional documents or information, or if routine verification and security checks take additional time.
Urgent replacement for upcoming travel
If you need your replacement passport faster than regular service allows, urgent or express service may be available when you apply in person at an eligible passport office.
Urgent pickup has a service standard of by the end of the next business day. Express pickup takes 2 to 9 business days, although some offices require at least 3 or 4 business days for express processing.
You may need proof showing why you require faster service. Additional service fees apply.
The Passport Program does not guarantee that a passport will be issued within your required travel timeline, particularly if an application is incomplete or requires additional verification.
What if you already applied and now need the passport urgently?
If you already submitted the passport application and now need it within the next 9 business days or less, the Government of Canada instructs you to contact the Passport Program for help arranging urgent service. Additional fees may apply.
What if the passport is lost or stolen outside Canada?
If your Canadian passport is lost or stolen while you are outside Canada, contact the nearest Government of Canada office abroad as soon as possible instead of following only the in-Canada procedure.
The mission will determine the appropriate replacement or urgent travel process. Additional fees can apply for emergency or temporary travel documents.
What if a child's passport is lost or stolen?
Canadian child passports cannot be renewed. If a child's valid passport is lost or stolen in Canada, report it to the Passport Program and apply for a new child passport.
If the child's missing passport is still valid, include form PPTC 203 and pay the additional CAD $45 replacement fee in addition to the regular child passport fee.
What happens if you find the passport after reporting it lost or stolen?
Do not assume that a passport remains usable after it has been reported lost or stolen. Follow Passport Program instructions for returning a found passport that was previously reported missing.
The online renewal rules specifically state that a passport reported lost or stolen and later found must be returned if it has not already been returned to the Passport Program.
What happens after you submit the replacement application?
The Passport Program reviews your application, photographs and supporting information and may contact your references or guarantor where applicable. Routine verification and security checks may also be completed.
You can check the status of the passport application using the Government of Canada's passport application status service. Once issued, the replacement passport is mailed or made available for pickup according to the service selected.
Before travelling with the replacement passport
Check the new passport immediately after receiving it to make sure the information is correct. Sign the passport according to the Government of Canada's instructions and check the entry requirements of your destination before travelling.
The Government of Canada recommends that travellers not finalize travel plans until they have received their passport because passport delivery by a specific travel date cannot be guaranteed.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do first if my Canadian passport is lost or stolen in Canada?
Contact the Passport Program at 1-800-567-6868 as soon as possible to report the loss or theft, then complete the appropriate replacement passport application.
What form do I need for a lost or stolen Canadian passport?
If the missing passport is still valid, complete form PPTC 203 and include it with your passport application. Eligible adult renewals submitted in person or by mail use PPTC 054, while adults who need a new passport use PPTC 153.
How much does it cost to replace a lost Canadian passport in 2026?
In Canada, the regular adult passport fee is CAD $122.50 for 5 years or CAD $163.50 for 10 years. If the lost or stolen passport is still valid, an additional CAD $45 replacement fee applies.
Is the $45 lost passport fee the full replacement cost?
No. The CAD $45 charge is an additional administrative fee. You must also pay the regular fee for the new passport.
Do I pay the $45 replacement fee if the lost passport was already expired?
The Government of Canada's replacement instructions apply the additional fee when the lost or stolen passport is still valid. If the passport has expired, you follow the normal passport application process.
Do I need a police report for a stolen Canadian passport?
The Passport Program's standard in-Canada replacement instructions require you to report the theft to the Passport Program. A police report is not listed as a standard document required for every replacement application.
Can I renew a Canadian passport that was lost or stolen?
Yes, if you meet the adult simplified renewal requirements and have the passport number, issue date and expiry date from the missing passport. Otherwise, you must apply for a new passport.
What are the eligibility rules for simplified passport renewal?
Your most recent passport must have been issued when you were at least 16, issued within the previous 15 years, valid for 5 or 10 years and contain the same name, date of birth, place of birth and gender identifier you want on the new passport.
What if I do not know my lost passport number?
The simplified renewal process requires the passport number, date of issue and date of expiry. If you cannot provide the required information, use the new adult passport application process.
Do I need a guarantor to replace a lost passport?
Not if you qualify for simplified adult renewal. If you must submit a new adult passport application, an eligible guarantor is normally required.
How many references do I need?
Adult passport applications require 2 eligible references who are at least 18 years old, have known you for at least 2 years and meet the Passport Program's relationship restrictions.
How many photos do I need for a replacement passport?
For an adult passport application submitted in person or by mail, you need 2 identical, unaltered photos that meet Canadian passport specifications.
Can I replace a lost Canadian passport online?
Some eligible adults in Canada can use online passport renewal, but the online eligibility rules are stricter than the in-person or mail rules. Your home and mailing address must be in Canada and you must meet all current online renewal conditions.
How long does a replacement Canadian passport take?
Regular service is 10 business days at a passport office or Service Canada Centre offering 10-day processing, or 20 business days at a regular Service Canada Centre, by mail or online. Mailing time is additional.
How quickly can I replace a passport for urgent travel?
At eligible passport offices, urgent pickup is available by the end of the next business day and express pickup takes 2 to 9 business days. You may need proof of the urgent need and additional fees apply.
What if I already applied but now need my passport urgently?
If you already applied and now need the passport within the next 9 business days or less, contact the Passport Program. It may be possible to arrange faster processing, and extra fees can apply.
What happens if I find my passport after reporting it lost or stolen?
Follow the Passport Program's instructions and do not assume it can still be used. A passport reported lost or stolen and later found may need to be returned to the Passport Program.
Can a lost child passport be renewed?
No. Canadian child passports cannot be renewed. A new child passport application is required. If the missing child passport is still valid, PPTC 203 and the additional CAD $45 replacement fee also apply.
What if my Canadian passport is stolen outside Canada?
Contact the nearest Government of Canada office abroad as soon as possible. The mission will tell you how to apply for a replacement or obtain urgent travel documentation if required.
Official sources
Lost, stolen, inaccessible, damaged or found passports and other travel documentsCheck if you can renew your passport in CanadaRenew a passport in CanadaGet the form and renew a passport in person in CanadaGet the form and renew a passport by mail in CanadaRenew a passport online in CanadaApply for a new adult passport in CanadaWhat you need to apply for a new adult passport in CanadaFind a passport or travel document formPassport photo requirementsReferences and guarantors for Canadian passport applicationsPay your passport fee in CanadaPassport and travel document fees increase soonCanadian passport service standardsGet urgent, express or emergency weekend passport servicesRelated procedures
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