How to Replace Lost Documents

Birth and death certificates are filed permanently in a state or local vital records office. To get a certified copy of any of the certificates, write or go to the vital records office in the state or area where the event occurred. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a webpage that can direct you to the vital records office for your state or territory.  

The process may be easier if you give the following information when asking for birth or death records:

• Full name of the person whose record you need. 
• The person’s sex. 
• Parents’ names, including the mother’s birth name. 
• Month, day, and year of birth or death. 
• Place of birth or death, including the name of the hospital, if you know it. 
• Why you need the copy. 
• Your relationship to the person. 
• Daytime telephone number with area code so you can be reached to answer questions. 
• A mailing address where you can safely receive the documents.  

Visit your state or territory’s Department of Motor Vehicles website and follow the directions for requesting a new driver’s license or state identification card. 

To replace your green card, you’ll need to file Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card, with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). You can file your Form I-90 online; for more information, please click here. 

When you file online, you can:

• Apply using a computer, phone, or tablet. 
• See when USCIS receives your application. 
• Get online updates on your case. 
• Communicate with USCIS directly. 

Please note: You can’t file your Form I-90 online if you’re applying for a fee waiver. Obtaining a waiver means you don’t have to pay the filing fee. As of March 2023, the filing fee was $455. Updates on the fee amount can be found on the USCIS website. 

You can also print out the PDF form and send your paper application to USCIS at one of the addresses below: 

• Via the U.S. Postal Service –USCIS
  Attn: I-90
  P.O. Box 21262
  Phoenix, AZ 85036-1262

• Via FedEx, UPS, or DHL delivery –USCIS
  Attn: I-90 (Box 21262)
  1820 E. Sky Harbor Circle S.
  Suite 100
  Phoenix, AZ 85034-4850 

There are four ways to ask the Social Security Administration (SSA) for a new card: online, in person, by phone, or by mail. The SSA has an online tool that asks you to answer a few questions so you can find out the best way to apply for a new card. 

The SSA website also lists the documents you will need to provide with your request. Be sure to select the Replacement button in the Type of card category. Select whether the card is for an adult or a child. Also select whether it’s for a U.S.-born citizen, a foreign-born citizen, or a noncitizen. 

To order a new card online: 

• Answer a few questions to find out if you can order a card online. 
• Follow the prompts to sign in or to create a free “my Social Security” account. 
• Complete your application. 

To order a new card in person: 

• Contact your local Social Security office. You can find the office closest to you by using the SSA’s Social Security Office Locator. 

To order a new card by phone: 

• Call 800-772-1213. 
• If you are deaf or hard of hearing, or if you have a speech impairment, you can call 800-325-0778. This toll-free number has TTY. TTY is a device connected to a telephone line that allows people to send and receive text messages. 
• Call hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. 

To order a new card by mail: 

• Complete the application. Don’t forget to sign it. 
• Mail your application and the documents you need to provide with your request to the Social Security office that serves your area. 
• Any documents you submit with your application will be returned to you. 

Take these three steps right away to get a new credit or debit card and to prevent someone else from using your card:
 

1. Contact the company that issued your credit card or the bank that issued your debit card. 
2. Cancel your current card and ask for a new one. 
3. Get a copy of your credit report. 

You can get a free copy of your credit report every 12 months from each credit reporting company: TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. You can order it online at annualcreditreport.com. This report can help you get account and creditor information so that you can: 

• Report the loss of your card or cards. 
• Make sure the information in your credit report is correct. 
• Protect against someone stealing your identity.  

If your electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card is lost or damaged, your state or territory will replace it. To get a replacement EBT card, contact your local Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) office. You can find this office online through the SNAP State Directory of Resources. 

Visit FEMA’s website to learn more about proving that you own or rent a home. FEMA will accept other forms of proof if you’ve lost the deed for the home you bought or the lease for the place you’re renting. For example, you might be able to provide a property tax bill or receipt to show that you own your home. For a home you rent, you can prove you’ve been living there by providing a bank statement or utility bill that includes your name and address. 

To request a copy of the deed for your home, contact the recorder of deeds or register of deeds office for your county or area. A “deed” is the legal document that transferred the property to you when you bought it. 

If you need a copy of your lease, you should be able to get it from your landlord. 

You can get exact copies of your income tax returns (with attachments, including your W-2 form) from the IRS. The IRS will not charge you for this service. It will also process your request faster if you are or were living in a federally declared disaster area.  

You’ll need to mail Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return, to the address of the IRS office for the state or territory you lived in when you filed your return. These addresses are listed on Page 2 of the form. 

Note that: 

• If you’re not living in a federally declared disaster area, you’ll have to pay $50 for each tax return you request. The IRS can take as long as 75 business days to process and send you the return. Business days for the IRS are Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. 
• On tax returns filed jointly with your spouse, both spouses may request a copy. Only one signature is needed. 

Another option is to get a tax return transcript. It will satisfy most requests for tax income information and it’s free. The transcript has most line items on your original tax return. The IRS can produce different types of transcripts depending on what you need the transcript for. 

• To order a transcript online, use the IRS online ordering service. This is the fastest method. 
• To order a transcript by phone, call 800-908-9946 and follow the prompts.  

Contact the insurance company that provides your home, renter’s, auto, or private health insurance. The company can send an insurance policy document and a new auto or health insurance card to you. Some insurers can email you a card to print out. 

See the Medicaid Benefits Card and Medicare Card sections below for instructions on how to replace cards for these government health care programs. 

Marriage licenses and divorce decrees are filed permanently in a state or local vital records office. To get a certified copy of your marriage license or divorce decree, write or go to the vital records office in the state or area where you were married or divorced. This CDC webpage can direct you to the vital records office for your state or territory.  

When asking for marriage records, the process may be easier if you provide: 

• Full name of each person (including birth name, if applicable). 
• Month, day, and year of marriage. 
• Place of marriage. 
• Why you need the copy. 
• Your relationship to the people whose record you need. 
• Daytime telephone number with area code so you can be reached to answer questions. 
• A mailing address where you can safely receive the documents. 

When asking for divorce records, the process may be easier if you provide: 

• Full name of each person.  
• Date of divorce or annulment. 
• Place of divorce or annulment. 
• Type of final decree. 
• Why you need the copy. 
• Your relationship to the people whose record you need. 
• Daytime telephone number with area code so you can be reached to answer questions. 
• A mailing address where you can safely receive the documents. 

Your state or territory’s Medicaid program will be able to help you replace your Medicaid card or prove that you’re eligible for Medicaid. Contact the office where you originally applied. The Medicaid program provides Medicaid office links and phone numbers by state and territory. 

You can order a new card by phone or online: 

• To order a new card by phone, call 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227). You’ll receive the replacement card by mail. 
• To order a new card online, sign in to your account if you already have one, or create an account and sign in. After you have signed in, follow the instructions for printing or ordering a new card. 

You can replace military service records, including DD214 forms or other separation documents, personnel records, and medical records. You can request your replacements in two ways: 

• Online – send your request through eVetRecs. 
• By mail – complete Standard Form 180 (SF-180) and mail it to the address shown on the form. 

You should report a lost or stolen passport right away. You can do this online; by phone at 877-487-2778; or by mail. To report it by mail, use form DS-64 and send it to the address provided on the form. 

To replace a lost or stolen passport, you must submit form DS-11 in person at a passport acceptance facility. Use this passport acceptance facility finder and make an appointment, if needed. These facilities include post offices, clerks of court, public libraries, and other local government offices that accept passport applications on behalf of the U.S. Department of State. 

If you need your passport for travel within five weeks, you may be able to make an appointment to apply in person at a passport agency or center.  

If the paper copy of your savings bond is lost, stolen, damaged, or destroyed, the U.S. Department of the Treasury gives you two options: 

• Get an electronic version of the bond as a replacement. The Treasury Department does not provide paper replacements. 
• Accept payment for the lost bond.  

Normally, you must hold the bond for a year before cashing it. But if the problem occurred because you were in a disaster, the Treasury Department may waive that requirement.  

The Treasury Department provides step-by-step instructions to disaster survivors for requesting replacements or cashing in.  

Visit the Department of Motor Vehicles website for your state, territory, or Washington, D.C. Then follow the directions for requesting a new title.