> Source: https://instantdeedpoll.co.uk/lost-document-declaration/ — updated 30 September 2026. This Markdown mirror is generated at build time from the same content the page serves. # Statutory Declaration for Lost Documents Quick answer A lost-document statutory declaration is a sworn statement — made before a solicitor, Commissioner for Oaths, notary or JP under the 1835 Act — recording what you held, when it was lost, and that a thorough search failed. Our tailored PDF is £9.99, plus the applicable witnessing fee. InstantDeedPoll.co.uk is an independent document service and is not affiliated with HM Government. £9.99 One-time payment. Yours forever. No subscription, ever. - Personalised statutory declaration PDF with the exact 1835 Act wording and blank jurat - Exhibit cover pages for any supporting documents - Witnessing instruction card with the £5 + £2 statutory fee rules - Unlimited free re-downloads for 12 months - 60-day wording acceptance guarantee — see the refund policy for scope Not right for you if… [see who should skip this](#not-for) [Generate your declaration — £9.99](https://instantdeedpoll.co.uk/start/statutory-declaration/?use-case=lost-document) Free preview before you pay · No account needed · [Refund policy](https://instantdeedpoll.co.uk/refund-policy/) [See a document example](#document-example) Acceptance guarantee: if HM Passport Office, the DVLA, HMRC or any UK bank refuses to accept your document solely because of its wording, tell us within 60 days and we will refund you in full. Who should skip this For a lost deed poll, check whether you need a historical copy or a fresh document before choosing a declaration. Use the issuer's own replacement process where available, including GRO certificates and lost British passports. Court forms for challenging an unpaid penalty charge (PE3, PE2, TE9 and TE7) are free. Updated 30 September 2026 WARNING: In England and Wales, knowingly and wilfully making a statutory declaration false in a material particular is an offence under section 5 of the Perjury Act 1911, punishable by up to two years’ imprisonment or a fine, or both. Other jurisdictions have their own laws. Do not sign this document until you are in front of your witness. See what you receive ## A look inside your document [![Watermarked lost-document statutory declaration example with fictional details](https://instantdeedpoll.co.uk/images/v/sample-stat-dec-lost-document-1132.80e24980.webp) Open example image (opens in a new tab)](https://instantdeedpoll.co.uk/images/sample-stat-dec-lost-document.webp) Example pages from our templates. Fictional details; not a completed document. The example describes the document and circumstances of its loss, followed by the declaration and signature spaces. The preview watermark is removed from your paid PDF. Your details and the length of your answers may change the layout. You can also check a personalised preview before paying. Follow the instructions supplied with your final documents. [Open full-size example image (opens in a new tab)](https://instantdeedpoll.co.uk/images/sample-stat-dec-lost-document.webp) ## How it works 1. ### Fill in, in 3 minutes Answer a few plain-English questions about your declaration. No legal knowledge needed — and you can preview your document free before you pay. 2. ### Check your declaration Your declaration uses the prescribed opening and closing wording of the Statutory Declarations Act 1835. Check that your statement is accurate and that the receiving organisation accepts this form before paying. 3. ### Instant PDF by email Pay once — £9.99. Your personalised PDFs arrive by email within minutes, with instructions and free re-downloads for 12 months. 4. ### Sign in front of an authorised witness Do not pre-sign. Sign in front of a solicitor, Commissioner for Oaths, notary or JP, who watches you sign then signs, dates and stamps it. Ask for the fee for your jurisdiction and service; see our witness cost guide. ## Guarantee and support ### 60-day wording guarantee Acceptance guarantee: if HM Passport Office, the DVLA, HMRC or any UK bank refuses to accept your document solely because of its wording, tell us within 60 days and we will refund you in full. [Read the refund policy](https://instantdeedpoll.co.uk/refund-policy/) ### One-time payment Yours forever. No subscription, no hidden fees, and unlimited free re-downloads for 12 months. [See delivery and purchase terms](https://instantdeedpoll.co.uk/terms/) ### Clear document preparation Our templates draw on GOV.UK deed poll wording and the Statutory Declarations Act 1835. Your PDF is prepared automatically, with instructions for signing. Individual legal review is not included. [How our documents are prepared](https://instantdeedpoll.co.uk/method/) InstantDeedPoll.co.uk is an independent document service and is not affiliated with HM Government. Read our acceptance guarantee Acceptance guarantee: if HM Passport Office, the DVLA, HMRC or any UK bank refuses to accept your document solely because of its wording, tell us within 60 days and we will refund you in full. One-time payment. Yours forever. No subscription, ever. ## Why do organisations ask for a statutory declaration for a lost document? A statutory declaration formally records the facts you declare, and making a false declaration can be a criminal offence. The requesting organisation decides whether it needs that declaration and what wording or additional evidence it requires. It is not automatically the correct route for every lost document. This is not a replacement certificate. Birth, marriage and death certificates are reissued by the General Register Office or a local register office (National Records of Scotland and GRONI in Scotland and Northern Ireland), and a lost British passport is replaced by HM Passport Office. Use the declaration only where the receiving body has asked for one. ## Which lost documents have their own replacement process? Most official documents do. Use the issuer’s process first; a declaration is for when the recipient asks for one, or where the law provides for it, as with unregistered title deeds and pawn tickets. Official routes for common lost documents (fees checked 24 September 2026) | Lost document | Official route | Cost | Declaration involved? | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | British passport | [Cancel it online](https://www.gov.uk/report-a-lost-or-stolen-passport), then apply for a replacement | Adult standard passport [£102 online or £115.50 by paper form](https://www.gov.uk/passport-fees) | No, unless HM Passport Office asks | | Birth, marriage, death or civil partnership certificate (England and Wales) | [Order a copy from the General Register Office](https://www.gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate) or the local register office | GRO: £12.50; priority service £38.50. Ask a local register office for its fee | No | | Certificate registered in Scotland | [Order a copy from National Records of Scotland](https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/registration/order-a-copy-of-a-certificate/) | See NRS | No | | Certificate registered in Northern Ireland | [Order from GRONI through nidirect](https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/ordering-life-event-certificates) | £15 | No | | Driving licence (Great Britain) | [Replace it with DVLA](https://www.gov.uk/replace-a-driving-licence); report a theft to the police | £20 | No | | Driving licence (Northern Ireland) | [Apply to DVA](https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/replacing-your-driving-licence) | £30 | No | | Vehicle log book (V5C) | [Replace it with DVLA](https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-log-book) | Usually £25 | No | | Title deeds to unregistered land (England and Wales) | First registration with HM Land Registry, supported by [form ST3](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lost-or-destroyed-deeds-statement-of-truth-st3) | HM Land Registry fees | A statement of truth, or a statutory declaration if you prefer | | Pawn ticket | Redeem the goods under [Consumer Credit Act 1974, s.118](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1974/39/section/118) | Witnessing fee | Yes, in the prescribed form; or a signed statement for credit of £75 or less if the pawnbroker agrees | | Deed poll | See the [lost deed poll guide](https://instantdeedpoll.co.uk/replace-lost-deed-poll/) | Varies | Depends on what the recipient needs | For any other document, such as a degree certificate, ask the organisation that issued it what it needs before you prepare anything. ## I lost my deed poll — is this the right document? A lost-document declaration does not recreate your signed deed or certify a historical copy. Ask the receiving organisation whether it needs evidence of the earlier deed, a newly completed document or a declaration with particular wording. A fresh deed must use its actual signing date and may not solve a historical-evidence requirement. Follow the [lost deed poll replacement guide](https://instantdeedpoll.co.uk/replace-lost-deed-poll/) to compare archive records, unsigned downloads and fresh documents. Our PDFs can be re-downloaded free for 12 months, but do not contain signatures added after printing. If a suitable fresh deed is accepted, the [free deed poll template](https://instantdeedpoll.co.uk/free-deed-poll-template/) is an option. Do not backdate new signatures. ## What details should I gather before I start? Gather the recipient's instructions, document type, any reference number and the facts of the loss. Check its wording, supporting-evidence and date requirements before booking a witness. For a lost British passport, follow HM Passport Office's own reporting and replacement process; do not assume a separate declaration is required. Free official forms exist for some losses — see [free statutory declaration forms](https://instantdeedpoll.co.uk/free-statutory-declaration-forms/). For an unpaid penalty charge (forms PE3, PE2, TE9 and TE7), [use the free court forms](https://instantdeedpoll.co.uk/pcn-statutory-declaration/). ## What should a lost-document declaration include? A clear description of the document, how you came to hold it, when and how it was lost, what you did to find it and what you will do if it turns up. Keep each point to facts you can stand behind. 1. **The document:** its type, who issued it, the name shown on it, and any reference number and issue date you know. 2. **Your connection to it:** that it was issued to you or that you held it, and since when. 3. **The loss:** the date or approximate date, where you were and what happened. If it was stolen, give any police reference. 4. **The search:** where you looked and who you asked. 5. **If it turns up:** what you will do. DVLA, for example, says you must [return an old driving licence](https://www.gov.uk/replace-a-driving-licence) if you find it after applying for a replacement. 6. **Supporting evidence:** copies you still have, marked as exhibits. For lost title deeds, HM Land Registry asks for evidence of possession, such as a recent utility or council tax bill. Knowingly making a false statement in a statutory declaration is an offence under [section 5 of the Perjury Act 1911](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo5/1-2/6/section/5) in England and Wales, punishable by up to two years’ imprisonment. [HM Land Registry](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statements-of-truth/practice-guide-73-statements-of-truth) also warns that a dishonest statement made for gain or to cause loss may be fraud, with a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment. ## How do I sign it? Book a witnessing appointment with a solicitor, Commissioner for Oaths, notary or JP. Bring photo ID and proof of address. Sign in front of the witness — never beforehand — and the witness completes the jurat. In England and Wales the Commissioners for Oaths fee is £5 plus £2 per exhibit; drafting or advice is charged separately. The fee comes from the [Commissioners for Oaths (Fees) Order 1993](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1993/2297/made) and includes VAT where payable. In Scotland, sign before a notary public or Justice of the Peace; the [Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service](https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/courts-and-tribunals/sheriff-and-justice-of-the-peace-courts/justice-of-the-peace-courts/signing-documents/) lists statutory declarations “for when a pawn ticket has been lost” among the documents JPs sign, currently free by appointment, and notes that JPs do not compose or supply forms. See [who can witness a statutory declaration](https://instantdeedpoll.co.uk/who-can-witness-a-statutory-declaration/) and the [full statutory declaration guide](https://instantdeedpoll.co.uk/statutory-declaration/). What a statutory declaration really costs | Route | Price or quote | What you get | | --- | --- | --- | | Required official form | Usually free to obtain | Use the prescribed form where the receiving organisation requires one; witnessing is separate | | InstantDeedPoll.co.uk Personalised PDF | From £9.99 once | Personalised PDF and instructions. Single status £14.99. Authorised witnessing is separate | | Commissioner for Oaths | £5 + £2 per exhibit | England and Wales schedule: £5 per declarant and £2 per required exhibit, inclusive of VAT where payable | | Drafting, advice or notary | Individual quote | Confirm the jurisdiction, professional service, VAT and any legalisation costs | One-time payment. Yours forever. No subscription, ever. Good to know ## Frequently asked questions ### Which lost documents does this cover? The form lets you describe the document, its reference if known, and the circumstances of loss. Use it only where the recipient asks for a declaration and accepts the proposed wording. Official replacement processes or prescribed forms may apply instead. ### What does the declaration commit me to? You declare that you held the document, that it was lost on or about a date in circumstances you describe, that a thorough search has not found it, and what you will do if it turns up — typically returning it to the issuing authority or notifying the relevant body. ### Who can witness it and what does it cost? A solicitor, Commissioner for Oaths, notary public or JP — independent of you and the matter. In England and Wales the Commissioners for Oaths fee is £5 per declarant, plus £2 for each exhibit that must be marked, inclusive of VAT where payable. In Scotland, Justices of the Peace currently sign documents free, by appointment. Drafting, advice and certified copies are separate services. ### Will the receiving body accept it? Ask the recipient before ordering. It may require its own form, specific wording, supporting evidence or a declaration made within a stated period. Our PDF preparation service cannot guarantee that a generic declaration meets a particular replacement process. ### Do I need a statutory declaration to replace a lost passport? Not as a rule. GOV.UK says to cancel a lost or stolen passport as soon as possible, online, and then apply for a replacement; an adult standard passport costs £102 online or £115.50 by paper form. Follow HM Passport Office’s own process and only add a declaration if it asks for one. ### I have lost the title deeds to land that is not registered. What do I use? In England and Wales, HM Land Registry accepts an application for first registration based on lost or destroyed deeds supported by its form ST3, a statement of truth, or by a statutory declaration if you prefer. Include evidence that you are in possession, such as a recent utility or council tax bill for a property. ### I have lost a pawn ticket. How do I get my goods back? Under section 118 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, you can redeem the goods by giving the pawnbroker a statutory declaration in the prescribed form and with the prescribed contents. If the credit is £75 or less and the pawnbroker agrees, a signed written statement in the prescribed form can be used instead. Ask the pawnbroker for the form it uses.