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How to Replace a Lost NIC in Sri Lanka

Verified · 1 Nov 2026In person only

Report the loss at your nearest police station straight away and keep the original complaint. Then fill in form D.R.P/1,7,8, attach the police complaint, your birth certificate, an ICAO-standard photo and the Rs. 1,000 fee receipt, and have it certified by your Grama Niladhari (or Estate Superintendent). The new card is posted to you for an extra Rs. 120. If you need it urgently, the One-Day Service in Battaramulla or Galle issues it in about 3 hours for an extra Rs. 2,000.

At a glance

Fee
Rs. 1,000
See all 4 fees
Time
About 3 months by post, or 3 hours with the One-Day Service
Where
Your Grama Niladhari (then the Divisional Secretary for the countersignature), or the Estate Superintendent if you live on an estate
+ 2 more places
Online?
In person only
Form
D.R.P/1,7,8

Do you need this?

When you need it

  • Your NIC has been lost or stolen.
  • If your card is damaged, unreadable or has wrong details, you need an amendment instead, not a lost-card replacement.

Who can apply

  • You must have been issued an NIC before.
  • The Department asks you to report the loss to the police immediately and apply for a new card without delay.

Documents you need

Documents to bring

0 of 12 ready

  • The same form used for a first NIC. Get it from your Grama Niladhari, or download it from the Department.

  • Taken at a studio registered with the Department, which gives you a Photo Reference Slip. The studio can charge at most Rs. 400.

  • You can pay through the officer who certifies your application.

Only if…

  • Accepted proof includes a child's birth certificate, school or estate leaving certificate, certified horoscope, marriage certificate, citizenship certificate, or a letter from a principal confirming your date of birth.

  • Accepted written proof includes a child's birth certificate, school or estate leaving certificate, your Elders' Identity Card, or your baptism certificate.

Process at a glance

  1. Step 1
    Report the loss to the police

    Go to your nearest police station as soon as you notice the card is missing and make a complaint. Keep the original copy of the complaint; you must attach it to your application.

  2. Step 2
    Get the application form

    Collect form D.R.P/1,7,8 from your Grama Niladhari, or download it from the DRP website and print it.

  3. Step 3
    Collect your documents

    Get your birth certificate and have an ICAO-standard photo taken at a studio registered with the Department.

  4. Step 4
    Fill in the form and pay the fees

    Complete the form and pay the Rs. 1,000 replacement fee, plus Rs. 120 for registered post, through the officer who will certify it. Attach the receipt.

  5. Step 5
    Get it certified

    Every application must go through the correct certifying officer.

  6. Step 6
    Receive your new NIC

    The ID card division of the District Secretariat enters your application into the Department's system, and the new card is posted to you, usually within 3 months.

  7. Step 7
    Urgent? Use the One-Day Service

    Have your application certified by your Grama Niladhari as usual, then take it with the original documents to the Head Office in Battaramulla (Terminal D, 9th floor, 7.30 am to 12.30 pm) or the Galle Provincial Office. Pay the fees to the cashier there. Bring the originals of all your documents. The card is usually ready within about 3 hours.

  8. You're done

Step by step

  1. Step 01

    Report the loss to the police

    Go to your nearest police station as soon as you notice the card is missing and make a complaint. Keep the original copy of the complaint; you must attach it to your application.

  2. Step 02

    Get the application form

    Collect form D.R.P/1,7,8 from your Grama Niladhari, or download it from the DRP website and print it.

  3. Step 03

    Collect your documents

    Get your birth certificate and have an ICAO-standard photo taken at a studio registered with the Department. Hand in the following documents.

    • The completed form D.R.P/1,7,8
    • The original copy of the police complaint
    • Your birth certificate, or an extract of the birth register certified by the Additional District Registrar
    • The Photo Reference Slip for an ICAO-standard photograph taken within the last 6 months at a studio registered with the Department (the studio can charge at most Rs. 400)
    • The receipt for the application fee
    • Any other documents that apply to you

  4. Step 04

    Fill in the form and pay the fees

    Complete the form and pay the Rs. 1,000 replacement fee, plus Rs. 120 for registered post, through the officer who will certify it. Attach the receipt.

  5. Step 05

    Get it certified

    Every application must go through the correct certifying officer.

    • Estate residents: the Estate Superintendent
    • Everyone else: the Grama Niladhari of the area where you live, with the Divisional Secretary's countersignature

  6. Step 06

    Receive your new NIC

    The ID card division of the District Secretariat enters your application into the Department's system, and the new card is posted to you, usually within 3 months.

  7. Step 07

    Urgent? Use the One-Day Service

    Have your application certified by your Grama Niladhari as usual, then take it with the original documents to the Head Office in Battaramulla (Terminal D, 9th floor, 7.30 am to 12.30 pm) or the Galle Provincial Office. Pay the fees to the cashier there. Bring the originals of all your documents. The card is usually ready within about 3 hours.

Fees

Fees

New NIC in place of a lost NIC
Rs. 1,000

Set by the Department's fee notice, in force since 1 November 2022.

Registered post (normal service)
Rs. 120

Only for cards posted under the normal service, not the One-Day Service.

One-Day Service (extra charge)
Rs. 2,000

Paid on top of the Rs. 1,000 fee, to the cashier at the One-Day Service.

ICAO photo at a registered studio (maximum)
Rs. 400

Paid to the studio. The maximum set by the gazette of 18 December 2023.

Where to go

Forms

More detail

Contact the Department

  • Phone: (011) 5226100 / (011) 5226126 (call centre, weekdays 8.30 am to 4.15 pm)
  • Email: info@drp.lk
  • Address: Department for Registration of Persons, Suhurupaya, Subuthipura Road, Battaramulla

Common problems

I found my old card after applying for a new one.
The Department's pages checked do not say what to do in this case. Call the Department on (011) 5226100 before using the old card.
My card is damaged, not lost.
Apply for an amended NIC instead - see the guide on changing details on your NIC. The fee is Rs. 500 and you hand in the old card.
I do not have a birth certificate.
Ask the registration officer at your Divisional Secretariat about a probable age certificate or a register search. If you are over 50 and have neither, you also need a formal affidavit and one written proof of your name and date of birth.
Someone outside the office says they can speed it up for a fee.
Do not pay. The only faster route is the Department's own One-Day Service, with fees paid to its cashier.

FAQ

How much does it cost to replace a lost NIC?
Rs. 1,000, plus Rs. 120 for registered post under the normal service. The One-Day Service adds Rs. 2,000.
Do I need a police report for a lost NIC?
Yes. The Department asks you to report the loss to the nearest police station immediately, and the original copy of the complaint must go with your application.
How long does it take to replace a lost NIC?
Under the normal service the Department says cards are posted within 3 months, unless there is a problem with your documents. The One-Day Service issues it within about 3 hours.
Will my NIC number change?
The Department says new cards are smart cards with a 12-digit number based on your old one, and the old number is printed on the back of the card.
Can my school principal certify a lost NIC application?
No. For a lost card the Department lists only the Grama Niladhari (with the Divisional Secretary's countersignature) or, for estate residents, the Estate Superintendent.

Official sources

Checked against these official pages1 Nov 2026

Independent, not official

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