Replacing a lost driver's license costs between $5 and $42.50 in the eight big states checked here, and most of them let you order it online if nothing on the card has to change. There is no federal price: each state's motor vehicle agency sets its own fee, its own online rules and what you can carry meanwhile. USAGov's advice is the same: contact your state motor vehicle agency.
If the license was stolen rather than lost, file a police report first. In some states it saves you the fee or protects you if the ID turns up in the wrong hands.
Fees and online options in eight states
- Illinoisfree if stolen with a police report, or age 60+
- $5
- Georgiaonly with 150+ days left; otherwise you renew
- $5
- Texas$1 admin fee included
- $11
- New Yorkfree if lost to a crime, with form MV-78B
- $17.50
- Florida+ $2 online processing fee
- $25
- Ohioduplicate operator license
- $29
- CaliforniaClass C
- $37
- Pennsylvaniaduplicate or replacement
- $42.50
Stand: October 2026 · Sources: each state's DMV fee page. Fees change; confirm on your state's site.
These are examples, not a national table. Each row comes from the state's own DMV page.
| State | Fee | Online? | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $5 | Yes | Mailed in 15 business days; free if stolen (police report) or age 60+ |
| Georgia | $5 | Yes, plus app | Only if the license has 150+ days left; otherwise you pay the renewal fee |
| Texas | $11 | Yes | Needs license number, birth date, last four of SSN and the audit number from the card |
| New York | $17.50 | Yes | Online for REAL ID or Enhanced documents, or to keep a Standard one; free if lost to a crime |
| Florida | $25 | Yes | $2 extra online; card arrives in 2–3 weeks |
| Ohio | $29 (duplicate) | Reprint online | Duplicate at a deputy registrar if details change; check the BMV fee page for the reprint price |
| California | $37 | Yes (MyDMV) | Wait 3 days after an address change |
| Pennsylvania | $42.50 | If photo is on file | In person: 15-day interim license |
Add-ons vary. Florida charges its $2 processing fee on online replacements, and North Carolina's online service adds a $3 payment fee plus a card processing percentage. The fee on the card page is the one to trust.
Online or in person
- Look once, properlyA card in a coat pocket costs nothing.
- If it was stolen, report itA police report can waive the fee or protect you if the ID is misused.
- Try your state's online serviceMost states allow it if nothing on the card needs to change.
- Or book the DMV officeBring proof of identity; some states want more documents.
- Plan for the gapCarry a passport or other ID until the new card arrives.
Online is usually the quicker route, but states restrict it. Illinois, for example, won't do it online if your license expires within 30 days, if you made changes, or if you already got three replacements in 12 months. Texas needs the audit number printed on your most recent card, which DPS says it cannot provide, and sends you to an office appointment if you don't have it. North Carolina requires your license or ID number; without it you visit an office.
Georgia's rule is the one people trip over: a $5 replacement works only if you have at least 150 days left, and under that you pay the renewal fee instead. New York lets you replace online if you already hold a REAL ID or Enhanced document, or if you want to keep a Standard one, without a new eye test.
In person, expect to bring proof of identity. Georgia asks for one original Category A document and two from Category B; check what yours wants before going.
Temporary proof while you wait
States differ a lot here. Pennsylvania gives an interim license valid for 15 days when you apply for a duplicate at a driver license center or messenger service. Illinois says its online system doesn't provide a temporary license, and once you complete the online transaction you can't get one at a facility, so if you need one, go in person instead. Michigan lets you print a temporary credential at its self-service stations. For other states the pages checked don't say.
Meanwhile your options are a passport, passport card or another government photo ID. For flying, the REAL ID page lists what TSA accepts and what TSA ConfirmID costs. Don't count on a photo of your old license being accepted in place of the card.
Stolen licenses and identity
Source: Texas DPS, North Carolina DMV, California DMV, Georgia DDS.
If your license was stolen and used fraudulently, a police report can matter. Texas says it will evaluate whether to issue a new license number when you bring a report. New York gives a free replacement for a license lost due to a crime, with form MV-78B from the police. Illinois waives its fee for a stolen license with a police report.
Beyond the card, check what else was in the wallet. The Social Security card page and the birth certificate page cover two documents DMVs commonly ask for.
Don't wait for the next loss
Photograph the front and back of your license now and store the photo somewhere you can reach from a new phone. It gives you the license number, which several states ask for online, and the expiration date. The license expiration guide shows where it's printed and how early states let you renew.
Paperlock reads the license number and expiry off a photo, keeps it in a Face-ID-locked vault, and, once reminders are on, reminds you 6 months, 30 days and 7 days before an ID expires. A photo won't replace the card, but it makes the replacement form quick. Your state DMV has the final word on fees and documents.