Carrying your driver's license is essential to driving a car. If you lose your license, not only will you not be able to drive a car, but you will also be at risk of being misused by a third party.

Some people may have concerns or doubts, such as, ``What will happen if I leave it as is?'' or ``I don't know how to go through the reissuance procedure.''

Here we will explain in detail what you should do first if you lose your driver's license, the risks that may occur if you leave it as is, as well as the steps for reissuing your driver's license and the necessary documents.

What to do first if you lose your driver's license

If you realize you've lost your driver's license, take action as soon as possible.

Contact the location where you think the item was lost

If you have any idea where you lost your license, first contact the place where you think you may have dropped or left it.

Please inquire directly at stores, transportation facilities such as trains and buses, or check to see if they are delivered to your nearest police box.

If the transportation you used was JR, you can contact the "Inquiry Center (Lost and Found)" by phone, or you can also check the lost item online by entering the date, time and location of the item in chat format.

In the case of police stations, you can also check for lost items by phone or by using the "Lost and Found Search Page" for each prefecture.

Reference: JR East Lost and Found Chat
Reference: Prefectural Police Lost Property Information Page

File a lost item report with the police

If you still can't find your driver's license after checking everywhere, file a lost property report at the nearest police box or police station.

By filing a lost property report, you will be contacted if your license is found, and it will also prevent a third party from misusing your license.

The following items should be included in the lost item report:

• Date and time of loss
• Lost location
• Characteristics of lost items
• Contact information if found

In some areas, it is possible to submit a lost item report online (electronically).

It's a good idea to search for ``prefecture name police station online application'' to see if your area is covered.

Report your identity at a credit information agency

In addition to reporting the lost property to the police, you can further reduce the risk of a third party misusing your license by filing a personal report with a credit information agency.

A credit information agency is an institution that collects and manages credit information from member financial institutions and credit card companies.

Personal reporting is a system in which you report the loss of your driver's license to a credit information agency and register the information. Although a fee is charged, reporting can be done online or by mail.

Credit information agencies include designated credit information agencies (credit company-affiliated), Japanese Bankers Association (banks and credit unions), and Japan Credit Information Organization (consumer finance-related).

By declaring your identity at each credit information agency, you can prevent third parties from opening bank accounts or credit cards.

[List of contacts]

Reference: Designated Credit Information Agency (CIC)
Reference: Japanese Bankers Association
Reference: Japan Credit Information Corporation (JICC)

What happens if you lose your driver's license?

If you lose your driver's license and leave it there, you will be exposed to various risks. Even if you don't usually drive much, you should not let your guard down.

can't drive a car

It is a legal requirement to carry a driver's license in order to drive a car.

Even in cases where there is no fault of your own, such as loss due to theft, driving without a license is subject to criminal penalties, so be careful.

Article 95, paragraph 1 of the Road Traffic Act also stipulates that "A licensed person must carry the license for that motor vehicle etc. when driving that motor vehicle etc."

Even if you are found not carrying your driver's license, there will be no penalty points added to your driving record, and it will not affect your gold license or car insurance coverage. However, you will be required to pay a fine of 3,000 yen at a later date.

If you drive a car on a daily basis or if your car is essential for work, please complete the reissue procedure as soon as possible.

May be misused by a third party

If you lose your driver's license, it may be misused by a third party.

Because a driver's license also serves as identification, there are cases where someone borrows money from a consumer finance company and receives bills or mobile phone contracts that they do not recognize.

There have also been cases of people using their driver's licenses for pranks, such as registering for dating sites or receiving large amounts of unsolicited takeaway food to the address listed on the driver's license.

In some cases, there is a possibility that a bank account will be opened and used for crimes such as wire transfer fraud.

To minimize damage, if you lose your driver's license, report the loss as soon as possible.

Once your license has expired, you will no longer be able to apply for a reissue.

There is no deadline for applying for a reissue, but you should be aware of the expiration date of your license. If the expiration date is reached, your license will lapse and you will no longer be able to apply for a reissue.

If you lose your card within the expiry date, please apply for a replacement as soon as possible. Please note that reissue application and renewal procedures can be done at the same time.

The license renewal period is two months, from one month before to one month after the expiration date of your birthday.

If you apply for a "driver's license renewal procedure with reissue," you will only be charged a fee for the renewal procedure; you will not have to pay a fee for the reissue.

If the renewal deadline has passed for no unavoidable reason, you will need to retake the course and exam.

[Procedure details when there is no unavoidable reason]

Reference: Metropolitan Police Department

Procedures for reissuing a lost driver's license

If you cannot find your license, go to the police station, driver's license testing center, or license center in your area to apply for a reissue of your license.

Facilities where procedures can be processed vary depending on the region, so please contact the police station in each prefecture or check their website in advance.

Reception hours are only weekdays, and closed on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, and the year-end and New Year holidays. As a general rule, the application must be completed by the applicant himself/herself, and applications cannot be submitted by a proxy.

The following is the general flow of the reissuance procedure at the driver's license examination center.

[Flow of reissue procedure]

1. Creation of application form
2. reception
3. PIN setting (2 sets of 4-digit PIN)
4. Taking photos for application
5. Issue

First, fill out the necessary information on the application form at the counter and set two sets of four-digit PIN numbers. After that, your photo will be taken for the application and your license will be issued.

Your license will be reissued on the same day at the license center and driver's license testing center, but will take two to three weeks at the police station.

What you need to reissue your driver's license

Here we will introduce what you need to reissue your driver's license. Prepare it in advance to make the process go smoothly.

• application form
• photograph
• Identification
• Fees and PIN

application form

There are two types of application forms: a "Driver's License Reissue Application Form" for having your license reissued, and a "Driver's License Lost or Stolen Report" for notifying the police that your license has been lost or stolen.

Application forms are available at the counter, so there is no need to prepare them in advance.

There are differences in the order of items to be filled out depending on each prefecture, so please follow the instructions of the person in charge when filling out the required information.

photograph

You will also need one photo for your application, which will be used for identification purposes only and will not be used for your driver's license.

The size is 3.0 cm in height and 2.4 cm in width. If the photo was taken with a speed camera or a photo studio, it can be submitted as is without cutting it.

A clear photograph of your face, with no hat, no background, frontal view, and upper thirds of your body, must be taken within 6 months prior to application.

You can bring your own driver's license with you, but you can also take photos on the day using the speed cameras (800 yen) installed at driver's license centers and driver's license exam centers.

Depending on where you apply, there may not be photo machines installed, so be sure to check in advance.

Identification

Please also prepare a form of identification that has the applicant's name written on it, such as a My Number card or a health insurance card.

Submit one item, such as a passport or My Number card with a photo, and two or more different types of documents, such as a residence card or insurance card.

If you have filed a lost property report, please bring a copy of the report with the receipt number, a photo, or a memo.

[Identification card required for reissue]

Fees and PIN

A fee of 2,250 yen will be charged for the reissue procedure.

If you perform reissue and renewal procedures at the same time, you will not need to pay the reissue fee, and only the renewal fee will be paid.

Also, the PIN number is used to issue your IC driver's license and requires two sets of four-digit numbers.

The IC chip built into the driver's license records personal information and a photograph, helping to prevent misuse through forgery.

Instead of using something easy to understand like your birthday or phone number, choose a number that is difficult for a third party to guess.

Points to note when reissuing your driver's license

Finally, we will introduce some points to note when applying for a reissue of your driver's license, such as the acceptance times for reissues, whether or not you can apply through a proxy, and what to do if you find your old license.

Check reception hours

Please check the reception hours for reissuance procedures in advance.

There are three facilities where you can have your license reissued: police stations, driver's license testing centers, and license centers, but the locations where you can apply and the opening hours vary depending on the region.

It is best to contact the police station in each prefecture in advance, or check the location and reception hours on the website.

In principle, procedures can be completed at all three facilities on weekdays from Monday to Friday, and are closed on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays, and the year-end and New Year holidays.

Applications cannot be made by proxy.

Regardless of the circumstances, you must apply for a reissue of your driver's license yourself. Please note that applications cannot be made by a proxy.

You may appoint a representative to complete the "Notification of Change of Driver's License Information" procedure, which is necessary for address changes, etc., but you must apply for reissue and renewal in person.

In order to proceed smoothly with the procedure, it is recommended to secure a convenient date and time in advance to match the reception hours of the facility where you will be applying.

If you are in a hurry, please complete the procedure at the driver's license examination center or license center.

If you are in a hurry to receive your license, we recommend that you complete the procedure at a driver's license examination center or driver's license center.

In the case of a police station, reissuance will be at a later date, but at driver's license exam centers and driver's license centers, reissuance can be done on the same day as long as there are no defects in the documents.

The time it takes to process and reissue a license is 1 to 2 hours at driving license exam centers and license centers, and 2 to 3 weeks at police stations.

[Facilities that can reissue and the time it takes to issue]

If you find your license, return it.

If you find your lost old license after it has been reissued, you must return it to the driver's license testing center, license center, or police station.

Please note that you should return your old driver's license, not the reissued one, so be careful not to return your new driver's license by mistake.

By the way, the last digit of the PIN indicates the number of times the driver's license has been lost. When the driver's license is reissued, the 0 becomes a 1, and when the driver's license is reissued again, the 1 becomes a 2.

Before returning your driver's license, make sure that the last digit of the license is a small one.

If you lose your driver's license, it's important to act quickly.

If you leave your driver's license lost, not only will you not be able to drive a car, but you will also be exposed to various risks, such as it being used fraudulently by third parties.

If you lose your item, first contact the place where you think you lost it. If you cannot find it, file a lost property report with the police station.

When applying for a reissue of your driver's license, please check the facilities where the procedure can be completed and the reception hours, and make sure to apply in person rather than through a representative.

Once your license has expired it cannot be reissued, so if you realize you have lost it, it is important to act as soon as possible.