Quick answer

An Affidavit of Loss is a sworn statement explaining that your government ID was lost, when and how you discovered the loss, and what you did to find or report it. You generally prepare the affidavit, appear before a duly commissioned notary public with acceptable proof of identity, swear that its contents are true, and sign it in the notary’s presence. You then submit the notarized original—not to a court, but to the government agency that issued the lost ID—together with that agency’s replacement requirements.

There is no single replacement process for every Philippine government ID. An affidavit may be required for one ID, optional for another, or insufficient without additional documents such as a police report, appointment confirmation, civil-registry record, photograph, or replacement fee. Check the issuing agency’s current official checklist before having the affidavit notarized.

What an Affidavit of Loss does—and does not do

A properly notarized Affidavit of Loss creates a formal sworn record of your account. It commonly supports a request to:

Report an ID as lost or stolen;
Have the issuing agency invalidate or flag the missing credential;
Obtain a duplicate or replacement; and
Explain why you cannot surrender the original ID.

The affidavit does not automatically cancel the missing ID, replace it, prove that no one has misused it, or serve as a temporary government ID. Cancellation and replacement occur only through the issuing agency’s process.

A police report and an Affidavit of Loss are also different documents. The police record documents an incident reported to law enforcement; the affidavit contains your sworn account. Some agencies require both, particularly when a valid passport was lost or stolen. A police report is not a universal prerequisite for every lost ID.

Act promptly if the ID may be misused

Before working on the affidavit, contact the issuing agency through its official website, office, or hotline. Ask whether it can immediately flag, block, or deactivate the credential.

Take additional precautions when the missing item contains sensitive personal information or was lost with a phone, SIM, bank card, wallet, or account credentials:

Secure affected online accounts and change exposed passwords.
Notify banks, e-wallet providers, your mobile carrier, or your employer when relevant.
Preserve suspicious messages, transaction notices, account alerts, and CCTV or delivery records.
Report theft, fraud, or identity misuse to the police and the appropriate institution.
Keep reference numbers, screenshots, emails, receipts, and copies of every report.

An affidavit alone will not stop financial or identity fraud.

Confirm the issuing agency’s exact requirements

Check the agency’s current citizen’s charter or replacement page before drafting. Confirm:

Whether an Affidavit of Loss is required;
Whether the agency supplies its own form or required wording;
Whether it wants the original notarized copy;
Whether a police report is required;
Which alternative IDs or civil-registry documents it accepts;
Whether you must book an online appointment;
Where the application must be submitted;
Whether personal appearance or biometrics are required;
The current fee and accepted payment channels; and
Whether a representative may apply and, if so, whether an authorization letter or Special Power of Attorney is necessary.

Avoid relying on an old social-media post, unofficial template, or another agency’s checklist. Requirements differ and can change.

Information to put in the affidavit

A useful Affidavit of Loss ordinarily contains:

Your complete legal name;
Age or date of birth, civil status, citizenship, and address, when relevant;
The exact type of government ID;
The issuing agency;
The ID or license number, if known;
Its issue and expiry dates, if known;
When and where you last possessed it;
When, where, and how you discovered it was missing;
The circumstances of the loss or theft;
Reasonable efforts made to locate it;
Whether the incident was reported to the police, establishment, carrier, employer, or another authority;
A statement that the ID has not been recovered as of the affidavit’s execution;
The purpose of the affidavit, such as reporting the loss and applying for a replacement; and
A statement that the facts are true and based on your personal knowledge.

Use the details printed on a photograph, scan, photocopy, receipt, online account, or agency record if available.

If you do not know the precise ID number, date, place, or manner of loss, say so honestly. For example, identify a date range or state that the number is unavailable. Do not invent details merely to complete a downloaded form.

How to have the affidavit notarized

1. Prepare a truthful draft

Use the issuing agency’s prescribed form if it has one. Otherwise, a lawyer or notary can prepare or review the document.

Read every statement carefully. Correct misspellings, inconsistent dates, incorrect ID numbers, and blank factual fields before notarization. Do not sign yet unless the notary specifically directs you to do so.

2. Bring acceptable proof of identity

Under the Supreme Court’s 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice, an affiant must personally appear before the notary and be identified through personal knowledge or competent evidence of identity. Competent evidence ordinarily includes at least one current identification document issued by an official agency and bearing the holder’s photograph and signature.

Because the very ID you normally use may be missing, bring another current government-issued photo-and-signature ID if available. A photocopy of the lost ID can help identify its details, but it ordinarily does not establish that the person appearing before the notary is its owner.

If you have no acceptable ID, tell the notary in advance. The rules provide a credible-witness method subject to specific safeguards. It is not enough simply to bring any friend, present an expired card, or obtain a barangay certificate and assume it must be accepted. The notary must determine whether the rules are satisfied and may lawfully decline the notarization.

3. Appear and take the oath

An affidavit requires a jurat: you personally appear, sign in the notary’s presence, and swear or affirm that the document’s contents are true. The Supreme Court has repeatedly treated personal appearance and proper identification as essential safeguards, not optional formalities.

Do not use a notarized document obtained without appearing before the notary. Do not ask another person to sign for you.

Electronic notarization is governed by the Supreme Court’s Rules on Electronic Notarization, A.M. No. 24-10-14-SC. A generic video call, scanned signature, or online “notary” advertisement does not by itself satisfy those rules. Use only a properly commissioned electronic notary operating through the authorized system.

4. Check the completed notarial certificate

Before leaving, confirm that:

The document bears your correct name and signature;
The venue and date are correct;
The notary completed and signed the jurat;
The notary’s seal and commission details appear;
The document contains no unexplained blanks or alterations; and
Any attachments referred to in the affidavit are properly identified.

Ask for enough notarized originals only after confirming how many the agency requires. Keep a complete scan or photocopy for your records.

How to submit it for replacement

The affidavit is ordinarily submitted as a supporting document in the issuing agency’s duplicate-ID process:

Complete the agency’s application or online transaction.
Schedule an appointment if required.
Bring the original notarized affidavit and all supporting documents.
Present alternative proof of identity and civil-registry records when required.
Pay only through official payment channels and retain the official receipt.
Obtain a claim stub, transaction number, acknowledgment, or written confirmation.
Monitor the application through the agency’s official channel.

A notary does not “file” the affidavit with the government for you merely by notarizing it. Unless the agency expressly provides otherwise, you remain responsible for submitting it.

Important agency-specific exceptions

Lost Philippine passport

A passport is subject to special statutory rules. Section 15 of the New Philippine Passport Act, Republic Act No. 11983, requires the loss or destruction of a passport to be reported immediately to the Department of Foreign Affairs or, abroad, a Philippine Foreign Service Post through an affidavit detailing the circumstances.

Current DFA Passport Appointment System guidance states that:

All lost-passport cases require an appointment and the documents required of first-time applicants;
A lost or stolen valid passport requires both a police report and an Affidavit of Loss;
A 15-day clearing period applies before processing the replacement of a lost valid passport; and
For a lost expired passport, the listed additional requirement is an Affidavit of Loss, while the central FAQ says a police report is unnecessary.

Individual Philippine embassies and consulates may publish post-specific requirements, particularly for police reports, translations, appointments, and local notarization. Follow the post that will process your application.

If a passport reported lost is later found, do not use it. Republic Act No. 11983 requires it to be turned over to the DFA. If physical turnover is not feasible, the law requires an affidavit identifying its location and the person or entity possessing it.

Lost driver’s license

For a driver’s license, student-driver’s permit, or conductor’s license, use the Land Transportation Office’s current duplicate-credential procedure. Begin with the official LTO website or LTMS Portal, and verify the checklist with the processing office. The affidavit does not itself authorize you to drive and is not a substitute for a license.

Lost PRC Professional Identification Card

The Professional Regulation Commission’s current FAQ lists a system-generated action sheet and an Affidavit of Loss—or the damaged PIC, when applicable—as basic requirements for a duplicate Professional Identification Card. The online transaction is initiated through PRC Online Services, followed by personal submission at the selected appointment place. The PRC FAQ currently states a ₱250 application fee and within-the-day release, subject to complete requirements and the processing office’s operations.

Lost National ID

Do not assume that a generic replacement procedure circulating online is operational. The Philippine Statistics Authority’s National ID FAQ currently advises the public to await an official announcement regarding the process for replacing a lost or stolen National ID. Check the official National ID website or contact the PSA through its published channels before paying anyone or having documents prepared specifically for replacement.

Evidence worth preserving

Keep copies of:

The front and back of the ID, if previously scanned;
The ID number, issue date, and expiry date;
The notarized affidavit and all attachments;
Police, barangay, establishment, or security reports;
Emails or messages reporting the loss;
Agency acknowledgment and transaction numbers;
Appointment confirmation;
Official receipts and claim stubs;
Courier records;
Screenshots of suspicious activity; and
The replacement ID’s release record.

Store copies securely. Government IDs contain personal information that should not be posted publicly or sent to unverified “assistance” accounts.

Common mistakes to avoid

Using a one-size-fits-all affidavit without checking agency requirements;
Describing uncertain facts as definite;
Copying an ID number or date incorrectly;
Signing before appearing before the notary;
Allowing someone else to appear or sign;
Using an expired or unacceptable ID without first consulting the notary;
Treating a photocopy as automatically sufficient proof of identity;
Assuming notarization cancels the lost ID;
Submitting only the affidavit when a police report or other documents are required;
Paying a fixer for an appointment or replacement;
Using a recovered passport or other credential after it has been reported lost; and
Failing to retain proof that the loss was reported.

A knowingly false affidavit may expose the affiant to criminal liability. Republic Act No. 11983 also specifically penalizes knowingly making a false statement in an affidavit declaring a passport or travel document lost or destroyed.

When legal or official help is urgent

Contact the issuing agency and consider obtaining legal advice promptly if:

Someone is using the ID to open accounts, borrow money, obtain a SIM, access benefits, or impersonate you;
You receive a demand, subpoena, warrant, collection notice, or adverse agency record linked to the missing ID;
The ID was taken through robbery, coercion, trafficking, illegal recruitment, or employer confiscation;
A passport is missing while you are abroad or you have urgent travel;
The agency rejects the affidavit because of inconsistent identity or civil-registry records;
The document was not merely lost but altered, surrendered, confiscated, or retained by another person;
You are being asked to swear to facts you do not know; or
A fixer, notary, or intermediary proposes false details, backdating, or notarization without personal appearance.

If you are abroad, contact the nearest Philippine embassy or consulate. A police report or affidavit is not itself a travel document; ask the post about the appropriate emergency travel option.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a government-issued universal Affidavit of Loss form?

No universal form applies to all IDs. An agency may issue its own form or require particular statements. Use that form when available.

Must every Affidavit of Loss be notarized?

If an agency requires an “Affidavit of Loss,” it ordinarily expects a sworn, notarized document unless its official instructions expressly provide another method.

Do I file the affidavit in court?

Usually, no. You submit it to the government agency processing the loss report or replacement. Notarization is not court filing.

Is a police report always required?

No. It depends on the credential and the agency’s rules. Theft, fraud, or loss of a valid passport may make a police report necessary or especially important.

What if I do not remember exactly where the ID was lost?

State what you genuinely know: when you last saw it, when you noticed it missing, where you had been, and what search you made. Clearly label estimates and unknown details.

Can I notarize the affidavit with only a photocopy of the lost ID?

Do not assume so. The notary must establish your identity under the notarial rules. Bring another current official photo-and-signature ID or ask the notary whether the rule’s credible-witness procedure can lawfully be used.

Does an Affidavit of Loss expire?

Philippine law does not prescribe one universal expiration period for all Affidavits of Loss. The receiving agency may require a recently executed original or updated facts, so confirm its policy before submission.

What happens if I find the ID later?

Notify the issuing agency before using it. A credential flagged or cancelled as lost may no longer be valid. A passport reported lost must be turned over to the DFA under Republic Act No. 11983.

Can a representative submit the replacement application?

Only if the issuing agency permits it. Personal appearance may still be required for identity verification or biometrics, and a representative may need an original authorization letter or Special Power of Attorney.

This article provides general legal information, not legal advice for a particular case. Agency requirements and office operations may change, and additional documents may be required based on the applicant’s records. Official sources and procedures were checked on September 3, 2026.