Affidavit For Lost Document

By shagun , 6 September 2025

Format/Affidavit

AFFIDAVIT

I, ___________________________, resident of _______________________________________, do hereby solemnly affirm and state as follows:

That I am residing at the above-mentioned address.
That I have lost ___________________________________.
That the said document was lost/misplaced at __________, within the jurisdiction of __________________________, on ___________________.
That despite diligent search, the said document could not be traced.
That I request the lodging of an FIR/DDR regarding the same.

Deponent

VERIFICATION

I, the above-named deponent, hereby verify that the statements made in this affidavit are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief and that nothing material has been concealed therein.

Deponent

Place:
Date:

Why & When is this Affidavit Used?

Used when someone loses an important document (like Aadhaar card, PAN card, Passport, Driving Licence, Marksheet, Sale Deed, Property Paper, etc.).
Filed before a Police Station, Notary, Court, or Government office to formally declare the loss and request issuance of a duplicate/replacement.
Helps in lodging an FIR/DDR (Daily Diary Report) with the police and also in applying for a duplicate copy from the concerned authority.

Purpose of this Affidavit

To legally declare that a specific document has been lost or misplaced.
To record the date, place, and circumstances of loss.
To state that the document could not be traced despite the search.
To request concerned authorities (Police/Department) for:
- lodging FIR/DDR,
- and/or issuing a duplicate document.

Importance

Acts as legal proof of loss of a document.
Protects the deponent in case of misuse of the lost document.
Required for issuing duplicate documents (e.g., duplicate marksheet, RC, share certificate, property papers).
Without it, many government departments won't process a replacement.

FAQs on Lost Document Affidavit

Q1. Which documents commonly require a "Lost Document Affidavit"?: Aadhaar, PAN, Passport, Driving Licence, RC of Vehicle, Educational Certificates, Property Documents, Share Certificates, etc.
Q2. Is this affidavit enough to get a duplicate document?: No. Usually, you also need to lodge an FIR/DDR and attach this affidavit to your duplicate application.
Q3. Who attests this affidavit?: A First Class Magistrate, Oath Commissioner, or Notary Public.
Q4. Is an FIR always mandatory for lost documents?: For sensitive IDs like Passport, Aadhaar, PAN, Driving Licence, Property Papers, yes. For smaller documents (like utility bills), sometimes DDR + affidavit is enough.
Q5. Can this affidavit protect me if my lost document is misused?: Yes. Once you declare the loss officially via affidavit + FIR, you are generally not liable for misuse, provided you reported promptly.
Q6. Can I use the same affidavit for multiple lost documents?: Ideally, prepare separate affidavits for each document. Some authorities allow clubbing minor documents (e.g., school certificates) but not critical IDs.
Q7. Is a newspaper publication also required?: For some documents (like property papers and share certificates), yes. Authorities may ask for an advertisement in a newspaper along with the affidavit.
Q8. What details must be mentioned in the affidavit?: (a) Name & address of deponent,
(b) Document lost (with details like number, date, issuing authority),
(c) Date/place of loss,
(d) Statement that despite search it cannot be found,
(e) Request for FIR/duplicate issue.
Q9. Where is this affidavit submitted?: Police Station (for FIR/DDR)
Government Department/Authority (for duplicate issue)
Courts/Legal proceedings (if property/legal document is lost).
Q10. Is stamp paper required?: Yes, generally on non-judicial stamp paper (value depends on State rules, usually ₹10/₹20).

Format Type

Affidavit

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