Replacing a lost, stolen or damaged Emirates ID costs AED 300, plus AED 40 if you apply through the ICP eForm or AED 70 if you use a typing center, with an optional express service at AED 150 extra. The standard card is issued within 48 hours of submitting the application and the express card within 24 hours. The step people skip is the first one: report the loss at an ICP customer happiness center so the missing card is deactivated immediately.
This guide covers the four-step ICP process, the exact fee combinations for each channel, what identification each category of applicant has to bring, the rule that decides how long the replacement card is valid, and the point where two official sources publish different contact numbers. It is written for residents, but the requirements for UAE nationals, GCC nationals and children are set out separately because they genuinely differ.
Report It First, Apply Second
The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security requires you to report the incident before applying. Approach the nearest ICP customer happiness center and report the loss or suspected theft so the card is deactivated immediately. For a damaged card, bring the old card with you.
Deactivation is the reason this step exists and the reason it should not wait. The Emirates ID is the identity credential behind bank onboarding, SIM registration, government portals and building access. A card that is reported and deactivated cannot be used by whoever holds it; a card that is merely misplaced in your mind remains live.
While reporting, ask ICP for confirmation of your ID number, or for a copy of the lost card, if you do not already have one. Applicants routinely arrive without knowing their own ID number, and it is required at several later points, including the passport and visa steps if the two documents were lost together. If that is your situation, the lost passport process in the UAE should be started in parallel, and this card replacement first, because you will need identification throughout it.
What each applicant has to bring
| Applicant | Identification required at the reporting stage |
|---|---|
| UAE nationals | Original valid passport and the family book |
| GCC nationals | A document proving their residency in the UAE |
| Expatriate residents | Original passport stamped with a valid residency permit |
| Child under 15 | The parent must provide the child’s original birth certificate and a color passport photo against a white background |
| Damaged card (any category) | The damaged card itself, in addition to the above |
The expatriate requirement is the one that traps people who lost a wallet containing both documents. ICP asks for the original passport bearing a valid residency permit, so if the passport is also gone, the card replacement stalls until you have at least an interim travel document or the passport process is underway. That is why the two should run together rather than one after the other.
The Fees, by Channel
The replacement fee is AED 300 regardless of who you are. What changes is the application fee: AED 40 through the eForm on the ICP website, or AED 70 through a typing center. Express issue adds AED 150 and is available at ICP’s main customer happiness center.
| Route | Total | Card issued within |
|---|---|---|
| Online eForm, standard | AED 340 (300 + 40) | 48 hours from submission |
| Typing center, standard | AED 370 (300 + 70) | 48 hours from submission |
| Online eForm, express | AED 490 (300 + 40 + 150) | 24 hours from submission |
| Typing center, express | AED 520 (300 + 70 + 150) | 24 hours from submission |
These fees apply identically to UAE nationals, GCC nationals and expatriate residents. The AED 30 difference between the eForm and a typing center is small in absolute terms but the eForm is also faster to complete, so there is little reason to use a typing center unless you need help with the form itself.
The express upgrade is worth buying only when 24 hours actually changes something. Halving a two-day wait rarely justifies AED 150 unless you have a bank appointment, a property transaction or a travel deadline inside that window. If you are simply without a card for a couple of days, the standard route is the rational choice.
Applying and Collecting
After reporting, complete the application at any ICP customer happiness center or through the ICP UAE app, available on the App Store and Google Play, and request replacement of the ID card. ICP sends a text message with the application status and expected delivery date, and the card is collected through Emirates Post.
The ICP app route requires a UAE PASS login, in common with most ICP services. If you have not set that up, do it before starting the application rather than midway through it, because the identity handoff is where sessions time out. Our guide to setting up UAE PASS and the government apps that use it covers the registration itself.
Collection runs through Emirates Post rather than through ICP. You will receive a message from ICP once the card is available, and you then contact Emirates Post to arrange receipt. That is a separate handoff, and cards do sit uncollected at post offices, so treat the ICP message as a prompt to act rather than as confirmation that the card is on its way to you.
How long is the replacement card valid?
ICP states that the replacement card is issued for the same validity period as the lost one. A replacement does not restart the clock. If your card had four months left, the new card expires on the original date, and you will be renewing it shortly afterward through the separate Emirates ID renewal process. Where a card is close to expiry, it is worth asking ICP whether renewing rather than replacing is the better route, since a renewal produces a full new validity period for a comparable outlay.
Where the Official Sources Disagree
One discrepancy worth flagging rather than papering over. The Government of the UAE’s replacement page directs applicants to the ICP call center on 600 530003. ICP’s own current service pages list the call center as 600 522222. We could not reconcile the two from a third official source, and the likelier explanation is that the u.ae figure predates a change, since that page was last updated in July 2024 while ICP’s own pages are more recent.
Use the number published on icp.gov.ae, and if it fails, try the other. The same caution applies to the fee figures in this article: they come from the Government of the UAE portal, and ICP’s own service card for the replacement sub-service does not restate them. They are the best published figures available, but confirm at the counter or in the app before budgeting a precise amount.
What the Card Actually Unlocks, and Why the Gap Matters
Being without an Emirates ID is not a fine-generating event in itself, but it is a functional problem. The card is the identity anchor for opening or operating a bank account under UAE bank KYC requirements, for registering a SIM, for most government portals, and for signing a tenancy contract or registering it. Several of those processes have their own deadlines that do not pause while you wait for a card.
Two practical consequences follow. First, if you have a time-bound obligation in the next 48 hours, such as a police clearance certificate application that requires a valid Emirates ID, the express service is the cheaper option overall. Second, keep the ICP application reference and the text message, because they are the closest thing to proof of pending status if a counter asks why you have no card.
One limitation we cannot resolve: no official source we could reach states a deadline for reporting a lost Emirates ID, or a penalty for reporting it late. The government guidance says to request a replacement soon, without attaching a number. Treat prompt reporting as protective against misuse rather than as a legal deadline, and do not rely on secondary sites that quote a specific fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to replace a lost Emirates ID?
AED 300 for the replacement, plus AED 40 if you apply through the ICP eForm or AED 70 through a typing center, giving a standard total of AED 340 or AED 370. Express issue adds AED 150 at ICP’s main customer happiness center, taking the total to AED 490 or AED 520. The same fees apply to UAE nationals, GCC nationals and expatriate residents.
How long does an Emirates ID replacement take?
The card is issued within 48 hours of submitting the replacement application, or within 24 hours if you pay for the express service. ICP sends a text message with the status and expected delivery date, and the card is then collected through Emirates Post, which adds its own handling time.
What is the first step if my Emirates ID is lost or stolen?
Report it at the nearest ICP customer happiness center so the card is deactivated immediately. Bring identification: an original valid passport and family book for UAE nationals, proof of UAE residency for GCC nationals, or an original passport stamped with a valid residency permit for expatriate residents. Ask ICP to confirm your ID number if you do not know it.
Is the replacement Emirates ID valid for a new full term?
No. ICP issues the replacement card for the same validity period as the lost or damaged one, so the expiry date does not move. If your card was close to expiry anyway, ask whether renewing rather than replacing makes more sense, since a renewal produces a fresh validity period.
Can I replace my Emirates ID online?
You must report the loss in person at an ICP customer happiness center first so the card is deactivated. The application itself can then be completed at a center or through the ICP UAE app, and applying through the eForm rather than a typing center saves AED 30. A UAE PASS login is required for the app route.
What if I lost my Emirates ID and my passport together?
Start both processes in parallel, and start the ID replacement first if you can, because you need identification throughout the passport process. Be aware that ICP asks expatriate residents for an original passport stamped with a valid residency permit, so the card replacement may stall until you have at least an interim travel document from your embassy.
How do I replace a damaged Emirates ID?
The same process applies, with one addition: bring the damaged card with you when you report at the ICP customer happiness center. The fees and timelines are identical to a lost card, and the replacement is issued for the same validity period as the damaged one.
How do I replace a lost Emirates ID for a child under 15?
The parent must attend and provide the child’s original birth certificate together with a color passport photograph against a white background, in addition to reporting the loss. The rest of the process follows the standard route.
Is there a fine for losing an Emirates ID in the UAE?
We could not find any official UAE source imposing a fine or a reporting deadline for a lost Emirates ID card. The guidance says to request a replacement soon, without giving a number. The costs are the replacement and application fees. Late-renewal fines are a separate matter and apply to expired cards, not lost ones.
Where do I collect the new Emirates ID card?
Through Emirates Post. ICP sends a text message once the card is available, and you contact Emirates Post to receive it. The card is not delivered automatically on issue, so treat the ICP message as a prompt to arrange collection.
Official Sources
- The Official Portal of the UAE Government – Replacing a lost, stolen or damaged Emirates ID card
- ICP – Identity Card Services, including replacement for a lost or damaged ID card
- Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP)
- Emirates Post – card collection and delivery
- UAE PASS – the digital identity required for ICP smart services
Information is current as of August 2026. Limitations are stated rather than smoothed over. The fees, the four-step process, the identification requirements by applicant category and the 48-hour and 24-hour issuing times come from the Government of the UAE portal’s replacement page, which was last updated in July 2024 and was read through an archived copy because the live page renders client-side and returned no content to us. ICP’s own service pages confirm that the replacement is issued for the same validity period as the lost card, that the service requires a UAE PASS login, and that the service sits under Identity Card Services, but they do not restate the replacement fee, so the AED 300, AED 40, AED 70 and AED 150 figures rest on the government portal alone and should be confirmed in the app or at the counter before budgeting. The two portals publish different ICP call center numbers, 600 530003 on u.ae and 600 522222 on icp.gov.ae, and we report that rather than resolving it. We found no official source stating a reporting deadline or a fine for a lost Emirates ID card. This article explains published rules and is not legal advice.
