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Lost Car Documents While Travelling: How to Apply and Replace
If you lose your car documents during your trip, report it immediately to the local police, apply for an emergency document, and contact your emergency centre for support. This step-by-step plan will prevent your holiday from being unnecessarily disrupted by stress and uncertainty.
Immediate Action for Loss or Theft Abroad
The moment you discover your documents are gone is pure stress. Nevertheless, remain calm and act immediately. The first and most important step is to report it to the local police. This is not just a formality; the police report (proces-verbaal) is official proof of loss or theft. You will need this document for applying for replacement papers and for your insurance. Request a copy of this report. In many European countries, you can call the general emergency number 112 for emergencies, which will redirect you to the correct police station.
After reporting, immediately contact the emergency centre of your travel or car insurance. Their staff are trained in such situations and will guide you through the process. They not only advise on the procedures to follow in the specific country you are in but also help with language barriers or relaying the correct information to Dutch authorities. Therefore, always keep their phone number in a safe and accessible place, separate from your other travel documents.
‘Authorities often tolerate driving with just a police report within the EU, but it offers no guarantees.’
What to Do If Your Driving Licence Is Stolen or Lost?
A lost driving licence is particularly problematic, as you cannot replace it directly from abroad. A new Dutch driving licence must be applied for in person in the municipality where you are registered. This means you will only receive a new one after your trip. To continue your journey, the local police report is essential. This report serves as temporary proof that you have reported the loss or theft.
While this report does not give you formal authority to drive, it demonstrates during a potential police check that you have handled the situation correctly. Register a declaration of loss online with the RDW (Dutch Vehicle Authority). This blocks the old driving licence and prevents misuse. Authorities often tolerate driving with just a police report within the EU, but it offers no guarantees. The emergency centre will inform you about the specific rules and common practice in the country where you are staying.
How Do You Apply for a New Vehicle Registration Certificate?
Losing your vehicle registration certificate (the ‘kentekencard’) is easier to resolve, even from abroad. You can apply for a new vehicle registration certificate online via the RDW website. For this, you will need a few things to hand:
- Your DigiD login details to start the application. Check if your app or two-factor authentication works abroad.
- The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), also known as the chassis number, which is engraved on your car (often by the door pillar or under the bonnet) and on the old registration certificate.
- The reporting code: these are the last four digits of the VIN.
The application costs money, and the RDW will send the new vehicle registration certificate by post to your home address in the Netherlands within a few working days. The corresponding registration code will follow a day later in a separate letter. This means you will not receive the documents directly at your holiday address. It is a solution to have legal papers again upon your return. For the return journey itself, you will again rely on the official police report. If you have only lost the registration code, you can apply for it much faster and cheaper digitally from the RDW; you will usually receive it by email within a day.
Arranging an Emergency Passport at the Embassy
Usually, when you lose or have your car documents stolen, you also lose your passport or identity card. Without a valid travel document, you cannot cross the border. In that case, you apply for an emergency passport or a laissez-passer. You do this at the Dutch embassy or consulate in the country where you are. Make an appointment for this as soon as possible.
For the application, you will need various documents, including the police report of the theft, any other identification you still have (such as a copy of your passport or driving licence), and recent passport photos that meet official requirements. An emergency document has limited validity, often only for the duration of your return journey to the Netherlands. The costs for this are considerable.
‘The costs for a new driving licence or vehicle registration certificate are usually not covered here.’
Does Insurance Cover the Costs of New Documents?
A frequently asked question is whether your insurance covers the costs of replacing documents. This depends entirely on your travel and car insurance. Most standard travel insurance policies cover the costs of applying for replacement travel documents, such as an emergency passport. The costs for a new driving licence or vehicle registration certificate are usually not covered here.
Check your insurance policy conditions to see exactly what is covered. Sometimes this is part of an additional coverage. The role of the emergency centre here is mainly supportive: they help you with the procedure and provide advice, but the financial reimbursement depends on your policy. Keep all receipts for costs incurred, as you will need them to submit a claim.
Prevention: Good Preparation Is Half the Battle
Prevention is better than cure. With a few simple preparations, you can avoid many problems or make handling them much easier.
- Scan all your important documents (passport, driving licence, vehicle registration certificate, insurance papers) and save them in the cloud (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox) or email them to yourself. Also, make several physical copies and keep them separate from the originals.
- Never leave your documents in the car, not even in the glove compartment. This is the most common place thieves look. Use a safe in your hotel room or carry them with you in a secure place.
- Write down your car’s chassis number (VIN), your driving licence and passport numbers, and the phone numbers of your bank and emergency centre. Keep this list in a safe, separate location.
Good preparation makes the difference between a minor setback and a ruined holiday. Traveler Tips offers many more practical guides and checklists for planning your road trip, from the best routes in Europe to the mandatory equipment per country. Discover how to travel smarter and with more certainty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Keep original car documents, such as the vehicle registration certificate, in a safe place at home or in a hotel safe, and never in the car. Make copies or digital scans of all important papers, including the chassis number and reporting code, and keep them separately (e.g., in your DigiD app or cloud). Ensure you have the chassis number and reporting code ready, as these are needed for a quick online application with the RDW. These preparations make it possible to quickly apply for a new vehicle registration certificate via the RDW, even if you are on the road.
If you lose car documents in a European country, you must immediately report it to the local police for a police report (proces-verbaal). Subsequently, in Belgium, you apply for a duplicate via the DIV; in Germany, via the Kfz-Zulassungsstelle; and in France, via ANTS.fr. Be aware of country-specific costs and delivery times, and always have the chassis number (VIN) to hand. Preparing with photos or scans of your documents can speed up the process.
Obtaining replacement car documents abroad typically takes 1 to 4 weeks, depending on the country and local procedure. This can significantly impact your travel planning, as you may not be allowed to continue driving without valid papers, and could lead to additional costs for accommodation and transport. Preparation, such as making copies and noting important codes, is essential to minimise delays and budget overruns. Always consult local authorities and the RDW for the most up-to-date information.
If you have lost your car documents, you must apply for a new vehicle registration certificate via the RDW (Dutch Vehicle Authority) using your DigiD, chassis number, and reporting code. In case of theft, you first report it to the police for a police report (proces-verbaal). With this report, you can buy temporary white licence plates. The cost for a new vehicle registration certificate is approximately €39.80.
