Lost Important Documents? Police Report, Affidavit and Getting Duplicates
Lost your certificates, RC, passport, PAN, or property papers? The universal sequence: lodge a police lost-report (online in most states, free), swear a lost-document affidavit (₹199 drafted), publish a newspaper notice where required (property papers, share certificates), and apply for the duplicate at the issuing authority with those proofs. Passports need the police report compulsorily.
Statutory deadlines
- Immediately — Police lost-report / e-FIR (protects against misuse claims)
- Same day — Lost-document affidavit (notarised, per issuer format)
- Days — Newspaper notice (where needed) (property/share documents typically)
- Issuer timelines — Duplicate application (1 week (PAN) to months (property))
Step-by-step: what to do
- 1
Report the loss to the police — always
The lost report is your defence if the document is misused.
See details
File a lost-article report at the local station or (in most states) the police citizen portal e-lost-report — takes minutes and is free. This report timestamps the loss, which is what protects you if the lost cheque-book, RC, or ID surfaces in a fraud later. For a lost passport, the police report is a statutory requirement for reissue; for genuinely stolen (not just lost) documents, insist on an FIR for theft.
- 2
Swear the lost-document affidavit
The issuing authority's standard demand — get the recital right.
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We do this for you — ₹199A notarised affidavit stating what was lost, where/when approximately, the police report number, that it hasn't been pledged/transferred, and an indemnity undertaking is demanded by most issuers — universities, RTOs, registrars, banks. Formats vary by issuer; our ₹199 service drafts to the specific office's requirements, same day.
- 3
Newspaper notice for title-type documents
Property papers and share certificates need public notice.
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Where the document embodies ownership — original sale deeds, share certificates, some university degrees — the issuer requires a newspaper advertisement inviting objections before issuing duplicates (₹300–1,500). For lost property originals, also alert your bank (if mortgaged) and consider a public notice through an advocate: lost title deeds are prime raw material for fraud, and your notice record defeats later "bona fide purchaser" claims.
- 4
Apply for the duplicate at each issuer
Each authority has its own route — the proofs above unlock all.
See details
With report + affidavit (+ notice where needed): PAN — reprint via NSDL/UTIITSL (~₹50–110, a week); RC — Form 26 duplicate at the RTO; driving licence — LLD form online; passport — reissue application with the police report on passportindia.gov.in; marksheets/degrees — university duplicate cell (fees + months, start early); property deed — certified copy from the sub-registrar (the registry copy always exists) plus your loss trail for title continuity; Aadhaar — reprint free/nominal from UIDAI. Certified registry copies are legally sufficient for most property purposes.
Costs & what to expect
- Free
Police lost report
Online in most states, instant PDF
- ₹199 + notary
Affidavit drafted + notarised
WakilBhai, issuer-specific format
- ₹300–1,500
Newspaper notice (if required)
Title-type documents
- Issuer-wise
Duplicate fees
PAN ~₹100; RC ~₹300; degrees vary
Digitise everything once recovered: DigiLocker holds Aadhaar, PAN, RC, DL, and many board certificates as legally valid originals under the IT Act — the lost-document problem mostly disappears once your records live there.
Free formats for this problem
Frequently asked questions
Is a police FIR compulsory for lost documents?
A lost-article report (not a full FIR) suffices for most duplicates and takes minutes online; a theft FIR is appropriate when documents were stolen. Passports specifically require the police report for reissue. Either way, report first — it is your misuse shield.
I lost the original sale deed of my property. Is my ownership at risk?
Ownership survives — the registered deed exists in the sub-registrar's records, and certified copies are obtainable and legally usable. Do the full trail though: police report, affidavit, newspaper notice, and inform any mortgagee bank — because lost originals are what property fraudsters use, your documented loss record is the antidote.
How do I get duplicate school/college marksheets?
Each board/university has a duplicate cell: application form, lost-document affidavit, police report copy, fee (₹100–1,000 typically), and often a newspaper ad for degrees. Timelines run weeks to months — start before you need them for a job or visa. Many boards now issue digitally via DigiLocker, which is faster.
Someone found and is misusing my lost ID. What do I do?
Your lost report already timestamps that the document left your control. Additionally: for financial misuse file on cybercrime.gov.in/1930 (see our identity-fraud guides), inform the issuer to flag/reissue the ID, and file an FIR for cheating by personation — Section 419 IPC (now Section 319 BNS).
Are DigiLocker documents legally valid replacements?
Yes — documents issued into DigiLocker by the issuing authority are deemed equivalent to originals under IT Act rules, and police, RTOs and airlines accept them. Pull your Aadhaar, PAN, RC, DL and available certificates into it now; the next loss then costs you nothing.
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This page explains the typical legal process for general information only. It is not legal advice. For advice on your specific situation, consult a qualified advocate.