Replacing a driving licence that was stolen, lost, damaged or confiscated abroad
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The holder of a driving licence must apply for a duplicate:
- if they have lost, accidentally damaged or destroyed their licence; or
- if their licence and documents were stolen; or
- if their driving licence was confiscated by the police authorities abroad.
The application for the duplicate must be submitted as soon as possible.
Indeed, driving a motor vehicle without being able to produce a valid driving licence when required to do so is prohibited by law.
It is only possible to have one driving licence from one Member State at a time. The driving licence is issued by the country of residence.
Who is concerned?
Any person residing in Luxembourg whose driving licence has been stolen, lost, damaged or confiscated abroad and who is:
- the holder of a Luxembourg driving licence; or
- the holder of a driving licence issued by a Member State of the European Economic Area (EEA), and which has been registered in Luxembourg.
However, individuals residing in Luxembourg who are nationals of a Member State of the EEA and who do not have a national Luxembourgish driving licence, must contact the authority that issued the permit in their country of origin in order to receive a certificate of authenticity before they can begin the replacement process with the National Society of Automotive Traffic (Société nationale de circulation automobile - SNCA).
If the holder of the driving licence has moved to another EEA Member State, they will have to replace or exchange the stolen, lost, damaged or confiscated driving licence in their new country of residence. They will then receive a new driving licence from the country of residence.
On receipt of the driving licence issued by the country of residence, the licence holder becomes subject to the rules in said country with respect to the validity of the licence, the medical examinations, etc.
How to proceed
Loss or theft of a driving licence
If a driving licence is lost or stolen, the holder must send the SCNA Licence Office (Service permis de conduire) a duly completed duplicate-driving-licence application form (by ticking the appropriate box), along with the following documents:
- a recent 45x35 mm ID photograph (taken from the front);
- a tax stamp of EUR 30:
- which can be obtained from the Registration Duties, Estates and VAT Authority (Administration de l’enregistrement, des domaines et de la TVA - AED); or
- which can be directly purchased and paid at the premises of the SNCA or at the Guichet.lu reception desk.
The holder will be sent their new licence by post within a few days.
Please note that consulates abroad do not issue duplicate driving licences. If a driving licence is lost or stolen abroad, the holder is advised to go to a police station as soon as possible to report the loss or theft. Depending on the regulations in force in the country where the licence holder is staying, the police report may authorise the holder to continue to drive in the country in question, or to repatriate the vehicle to Luxembourg, without being exposed to legal proceedings.
The form and supporting documents can be sent by post or be delivered by hand:
- directly at the counter of the SNCA in Sandweiler, Esch-sur-Alzette or Fridhaff; or
- at the reception desk of Guichet.lu at the following address: 11, rue Notre-Dame / L-2240 Luxembourg-Ville (opposite the Knuedler).
Holders wishing to submit their application in person at the 'Guichet.lu Reception Desk' or at the SNCA Driving Licence Office in Sandweiler or Fridhaff, will not need to bring a photo since it can be taken on the premises (only for Luxembourgish driving licences or foreign EEA driving licences registered in Luxembourg).
Damaged licence
If the driving licence is damaged, the holder must fill in the duplicate-driving-licence application form (by ticking the appropriate box) and return it to the SNCA, along with the following documents:
- a recent 45x35 mm ID photograph (taken from the front);
- a tax stamp of EUR 30:
- which can be obtained at the AED; or
- which can be directly purchased and paid in the premises of the SNCA or at the Guichet.lu reception desk;
- which can be obtained at the AED; or
- a legible photocopy of both sides of the national or foreign driving licence.
The holder will be sent their new licence in exchange for the damaged one within a few days.
The SNCA does not issue any documents that can be used as a temporary licence.
The form and supporting documents can be sent by post or be delivered by hand:
- directly at the counter of the SNCA in Sandweiler, Esch-sur-Alzette or Fridhaff; or
- at the reception desk of Guichet.lu at the following address: 11, rue Notre-Dame / L-2240 Luxembourg-Ville (opposite the Knuedler).
Holders wishing to submit their application in person at the 'Guichet.lu Reception Desk' or at the SNCA Driving Licence Office in Sandweiler or Fridhaff, will not need to bring a photo since it can be taken on the premises (only for Luxembourgish driving licences or foreign EEA driving licences registered in Luxembourg).
Confiscation of a Luxembourg resident's driving licence by the police authorities abroad
In the case of certain offences committed abroad, the local police can seize the licence and thus withdraw the right to drive on their territory.
The restitution of the licence (depending on the seriousness of the offences committed) is possible under certain conditions. However, the person will be prohibited from driving in the foreign country for a defined period of time.
When the driver surrenders his or her driving licence to the police after a roadside check, they receive a copy of the notice of seizure/confiscation, which contains the information needed to recover the driving licence.
A request for a duplicate can be made to the SNCA via the application form for a duplicate document/driving licence indicating the reason "the seizure/confiscation of my driving licence abroad" ("le retrait/la rétention de mon permis de conduire à l’étranger").
The copy of the notice of seizure/confiscation must be attached to the application.
The Ministry of Mobility and Public Works reserves the right to wait for the report from the foreign authorities, if necessary, and to decide on the issue of a duplicate driving licence based on the applicant's existing driving licence record.
Online services and forms
Who to contact
Driving Licence Office
-
National Society of Automotive Traffic Driving Licence Office
- Address:
-
11, rue de Luxembourg
L-5230
Sandweiler
Luxembourg
B.P. 23 - L-5201 Sandweiler
- Phone:
- (+352) 26626 - 400
- Fax:
- (+352) 8002 3666
- Email address:
- pdc@snca.lu
- Website:
- http://www.snca.lu
Related procedures and links
Procedures
Links
Further information
-
Permis de conduire
sur le Portail Transports
-
Timbres fiscaux
sur le Portail de la fiscalité indirecte
-
Driving licence renewal in another EU country
on the Your Europe portal
-
Permis à points : barème en vigueur au 1er juin 2015 / Punkteführerschein: neue Punktetabelle ab dem 1. Juni 2015
Pdf • 347 Kb
-
Sécurité routière
Site web
Legal references
Publications
Pdf • 388 Ko
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