How to Replace a Lost, Stolen or Damaged Ontario Driver's Licence in 2026

What to do if your Ontario driver's licence is lost, stolen or damaged

If you are currently in Ontario, a lost, stolen or damaged Ontario driver's licence must be replaced in person at a ServiceOntario centre. The replacement fee is $35.75, and you must bring identification that verifies your name, date of birth and signature.

When the transaction is completed, ServiceOntario gives you a temporary driver's licence. The permanent replacement card is mailed and should arrive within 4 to 6 weeks.

If the licence was lost or stolen, the Government of Ontario instructs you to immediately contact your local police department and file a police report.

How much does an Ontario driver's licence replacement cost?

The current government fee to replace a lost, stolen or damaged Ontario driver's licence is $35.75. Ontario states that there is no additional charge for postage or mailing.

This is a replacement fee, not the regular driver's licence renewal fee. Ontario's official driver and vehicle fee schedule separately lists the replacement driver's licence service at $35.75.

What identification do you need to replace your licence?

You must bring a personal identification document that verifies your name, date of birth and signature. Ontario's replacement guidance gives a valid passport as one example. It also gives the example of a valid photo health card together with a birth certificate issued by a Canadian province or territory.

Bring identification that satisfies all three required identity elements before travelling to ServiceOntario. The province maintains an official acceptable identity documents guide for transactions requiring proof of identity.

Where do you replace a lost driver's licence in Ontario?

If you are in Ontario, go to a ServiceOntario centre. Use the official ServiceOntario location finder before travelling because services and appointment availability can differ by location.

The regular in-Ontario lost, stolen or damaged licence replacement is not completed online. The online replacement route described by Ontario is for eligible drivers who are outside Ontario.

Will ServiceOntario give you a temporary driver's licence?

Yes. When you complete the in-person replacement transaction in Ontario, you are given a temporary driver's licence. Your physical replacement card is then mailed to you within 4 to 6 weeks.

Do you need to report a lost or stolen driver's licence to police?

Yes. Ontario's official replacement instructions say that when your driver's licence is lost or stolen, you should immediately contact your local police department and file a police report. This is separate from the ServiceOntario replacement transaction.

Ontario also warns licence holders not to share driver's licence information with unauthorized people and not to post images of the licence online, helping reduce the risk of fraud and identity theft.

Can you replace an Ontario driver's licence online?

Only in certain out-of-province circumstances. If you are physically in Ontario, the lost, stolen or damaged driver's licence replacement must be done in person at ServiceOntario. If you are outside Ontario, the Ministry of Transportation accepts eligible replacement requests online, by mail or by fax.

The out-of-province procedure depends on whether you will be away for less than 6 months or for more than 6 months.

If you will be outside Ontario for less than 6 months

If you will be outside Ontario for less than 6 months and your driver's licence is valid and not cancelled or suspended, Ontario allows you to request a one-time temporary driver's licence mailed to your out-of-province address.

For an online request, a Signature Authorization Form is made available during the application. You can sign and upload the form during the online process, or send the completed form or a signed letter by mail or fax.

The required signature authorization must be received within 15 business days. If Ontario does not receive it within that period, the request is cancelled.

After the request is processed, the temporary driver's licence is mailed to your out-of-province address within 1 to 2 weeks. When you return to Ontario, you must visit a ServiceOntario centre to replace that temporary licence with a new driver's licence.

If you will be outside Ontario for more than 6 months

If you will be outside Ontario for more than 6 months, you can be eligible for a replacement using your current photograph and expiry date when your driver's licence remains valid and is not cancelled or suspended.

For an online request, Ontario requires a signed Signature Authorization Form or signed letter. You must also submit the required payment documentation. If paying by credit card, the process requires a Credit Card Authorization Form. A cheque or money order may be used instead under Ontario's stated payment rules.

The completed authorization documents and payment must be received within 15 business days or the request will be cancelled. Once processed, the permanent replacement driver's licence is mailed to the out-of-province address provided in your request within 4 to 6 weeks.

How to replace your licence by mail or fax from outside Ontario

If you are outside Ontario, you can also make the replacement request by mail or fax. Ontario requires a signed letter containing your driver's licence number. If you do not know the licence number, provide your full name as it appears on the licence and your date of birth.

The letter must also state how long you will be away and include your out-of-province mailing address and contact information.

Ontario directs these requests to Ministry of Transportation, Information Services Office, Special Enquiry Unit, 87 Sir William Hearst Avenue, Room 178, Toronto, Ontario M3M 0B4. The official fax number listed for this procedure is 416-235-4414.

How to pay the replacement fee from outside Ontario

The replacement fee is $35.75. For the out-of-province process, Ontario accepts a cheque or money order payable to the Minister of Finance (MTO) from a Canadian bank account, or payment using Visa or Mastercard through the required authorization process.

Ontario's replacement page states that American Express, Visa Debit and Mastercard Debit are not accepted for these mail or fax payment procedures.

Steps to replace a lost driver's licence in Ontario

1. If the licence was lost or stolen, immediately contact your local police department and file a police report.
2. Find a ServiceOntario centre that provides driver's licence services.
3. Bring identification verifying your name, date of birth and signature.
4. Request replacement of the lost, stolen or damaged driver's licence.
5. Pay the $35.75 replacement fee.
6. Receive your temporary driver's licence.
7. Watch for the permanent replacement card by mail within 4 to 6 weeks.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Do not go to ServiceOntario without identification that satisfies the name, date-of-birth and signature requirements.
• Do not assume the normal in-Ontario replacement can be completed online; it is an in-person ServiceOntario transaction.
• If the licence was lost or stolen, do not skip Ontario's instruction to contact local police and file a report.
• If applying from outside Ontario, submit the required signature authorization and, when applicable, payment documentation within the stated 15-business-day deadline.
• Check that the ServiceOntario location you plan to visit offers the driver's licence service you need before travelling.

What happens after you apply?

For an in-person replacement in Ontario, you receive a temporary driver's licence once the ServiceOntario transaction is completed. Your permanent card is then mailed within 4 to 6 weeks.

For an eligible out-of-province request, delivery depends on the type of replacement. A temporary licence for an absence of less than 6 months is mailed within 1 to 2 weeks after processing, while a qualifying permanent replacement for an absence of more than 6 months is mailed within 4 to 6 weeks after processing.

Is driver's licence replacement the same everywhere in Canada?

No. This procedure is specifically for an Ontario driver's licence. Driver licensing and replacement procedures are administered provincially and territorially, so a licence issued by another Canadian jurisdiction must be replaced through that jurisdiction's licensing authority.