Lost your driving licence – how to order a new one

If you have lost your driving licence or had it stolen, you can order a new card without retaking either the theory test or the practical driving test. Your driving entitlement remains intact – it is only the physical plastic card you need to replace. Below we go through how to order a new driving licence, what it costs, how long it takes and what you can actually drive with in the meantime.

Table of contents

• Your driving entitlement remains
• How to order a new card
• Cost and how long it takes
• What you can drive in the meantime
• Stolen card and misuse

Your driving entitlement remains

It is important to distinguish two things: the driving entitlement and the driving licence card. The driving entitlement is the legal right to drive, which you gained when you passed your practical test. The licence card is just a plastic card that documents this right. So when you lose the card, you do not lose your right to drive – you simply lack the proof.

That means you do not have to retake the theory test or the practical test. You also do not need a new medical check or a new driving examination. You simply order a replacement card with the same licence categories you already hold. To refresh which categories your card covers, you can read more about the different licence categories and what they entitle you to .

How to order a new card

You order a new driving licence from the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (Statens vegvesen). The easiest way is digitally via Your page on vegvesen.no, but you can also visit a traffic station.

1. Log in to Your page at Statens vegvesen with BankID or another electronic ID.
2. Choose the service to order a new driving licence (loss or damage).
3. Confirm or upload a passport photo that meets the requirements, if a new photo is needed.
4. Pay the fee directly in the service.
5. The card is produced and sent by post to your registered address.

If you would rather visit a traffic station, they can help you with the order and take a new photo on the spot. It is wise to check opening hours and whether you need to book an appointment in advance. You will find more about this in the overview of the services offered by Statens vegvesen .

Remember that the driving licence, the vehicle registration document and insurance are three different documents – if you lose several at once, each must be replaced separately. Read more about the difference in the article on driving licence, registration document and insurance .

Cost and how long it takes

There is a fee for getting a new driving licence, and the price may be adjusted from year to year. You will always find the up-to-date amount in the ordering service before you pay. The card itself is produced centrally and sent to you by post, so expect a few working days before it lands in your mailbox.

Note that a replacement card generally inherits the expiry date of the original card. If the card is close to expiry, it may make more sense to renew instead. This differs from an ordinary renewal, where you can be given a new validity period – take a closer look at the rules for how to renew a class B driving licence .

What you can drive in the meantime

Since the driving entitlement remains, you are still allowed to drive even while waiting for the new card. In practice, however, you may be asked to show valid identification during a roadside check. Two good solutions exist:

• Digital driving licence: Many people have already activated the app and can show the licence on their phone during a check in Norway. If you lose the plastic card but have the digital one, you are largely covered domestically. Read more about how to use the digital driving licence .
• Valid identification: A passport, national ID card or other approved identification can prove who you are while you wait for the replacement card.

Be aware that the digital driving licence mainly applies in Norway. If you are going to drive abroad, or rent a car abroad, you normally need the physical card. In that case you should wait until the new plastic card is in place before travelling.

Stolen card and misuse

If the card has been stolen and you fear it could be misused as identification, you should report the theft to the police. A police report documents what happened and can be useful if the card is used for ID theft. The order for a new card is made at Statens vegvesen in the same way as for a loss.

A couple of practical tips:

• Search thoroughly at home and in the car before ordering a new one – the card often turns up again.
• Activate the digital driving licence in advance, so you always have a backup if the plastic card disappears.
• Update your address in the National Registry if you have moved, so the card arrives.

If you are soon taking the theory test and want to be confident about the rules around driving licences and driving, you can practise for free with our free theory test . In the Eteo app you get realistic questions and explanations that prepare you for the class B theory test.