How to Replace a Lost Driver’s License in Utah

To replace a lost driver’s license in Utah, you need to schedule an in-person appointment at a Driver License Division (DLD) office, bring documents proving your identity, and pay a $23 fee. There is no online replacement option. You’ll leave the office with a temporary paper license, and your permanent card arrives by mail in six to eight weeks.¹

Book the Appointment Before You Go

The DLD does not accept walk-ins for replacements. Start on the DLD website by filling out the online application, then pick an appointment time at whichever office works for you.¹ Slots fill fast, so check as soon as you realize the card is gone.

Moved recently? Change your address online before the appointment. That one step removes the need to bring separate residency documents to the counter.¹

What to Bring

Utah law requires proof of your legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, lawful presence in the United States, and Utah residency.² Everything must be an original or a certified copy with a raised seal, stamp, or signature. Photocopies, faxes, and laminated documents are rejected.

Typical documents include:

Identity: certified birth certificate, unexpired U.S. passport, or naturalization certificate.
Social Security: your Social Security card or another document showing the full nine-digit number.
Residency (only if your address changed and you didn’t update it online): two documents showing your current Utah address, such as utility bills, bank statements, or mortgage records.¹

If you still have the old card, damaged or expired, bring it along.

If Your Name Has Changed

When the name on your birth certificate or passport doesn’t match the name you want on the new license, bring legal documents that connect the two: a certified marriage certificate, divorce decree, court-ordered name change, adoption records, or an updated passport.¹

Fee and Payment

A replacement Class D license costs $23, whether the original was lost, stolen, or damaged. The same fee applies to limited-term licenses and driving privilege cards.³ Offices accept cash, checks, money orders, and credit cards. The fee is non-refundable and due when you apply.

At the Counter

An examiner reviews your documents, takes a new photograph, and captures your signature. No written or driving test is required for a straightforward replacement.¹ You’ll also confirm or update personal details the statute requires on the application, including your physical description, organ donor status, and whether you qualify for a veteran designation.²

Pay the fee and you receive a temporary paper license on the spot. That paper is your legal authorization to drive until the plastic card arrives.

When the Permanent Card Arrives

The DLD mails the permanent license to the residential address on file. Processing and mailing currently takes six to eight weeks.⁴ Keep the paper temporary somewhere safe and watch your mail so the card isn’t tossed with junk. If nothing shows up after eight weeks, contact the DLD to check the status.

One limit to be aware of: the TSA does not accept temporary driver’s licenses as valid identification for domestic flights.⁵ If you need to fly in the next couple of months, plan to use a passport, passport card, or another federally accepted ID.

If the License Was Stolen, Not Just Lost

A stolen license carries identity theft risk a lost one usually doesn’t. Someone now has your full legal name, date of birth, address, and photo. The DLD recommends filing a police report and bringing it with you to the replacement appointment.¹

Protect your credit too. Contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion and ask them to place fraud alerts and a credit freeze on your file; a freeze blocks anyone from opening new accounts in your name.⁶ Watch your bank and credit card statements for the next several months, and report anything suspicious at IdentityTheft.gov.

Upgrade to REAL ID While You’re There

Since May 2025, a REAL ID-compliant license (or another acceptable document such as a passport) is required to board domestic flights and enter certain federal facilities.⁷ If your lost card already carried the REAL ID designation and your documents remain on file, the replacement will too.

If the lost card was not REAL ID-compliant, a replacement visit is a convenient time to upgrade. The documents REAL ID requires are the same identity, Social Security, and residency documents already described. Tell the examiner you want the upgrade. The fee stays at $23.³

Driving in the Meantime

Utah law requires you to carry your license whenever you drive. Pulled over without any license documentation before your DLD visit, you may be issued a citation. In most jurisdictions this is a correctable offense, meaning the ticket can be dismissed once you show proof of a valid license within the set timeframe. Easier to avoid the stop entirely: book the appointment quickly and keep the temporary paper on you once you have it.

The distinction worth holding onto is between losing the card and losing the license. Misplacing the plastic does not touch your driving privileges. You remain a licensed driver throughout. Driving on a suspended or revoked license is a separate and much more serious matter.

1
Utah Driver License Division. Regular Driver License Replacement
2
Utah Legislature. Utah Code 53-3-205 – Application for License or Endorsement
3
Utah Driver License Division. Fees
4
Utah Driver License Division. Where’s My License / ID Card
5
Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint
6
USAGov. Identity Theft
7
Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID