Driving Licence & Rules
What if I lose only the paper counterpart of my Northern Ireland driving licence?
You still need to apply for a replacement because the paper counterpart is part of the Northern Ireland driving licence.
Northern Ireland driving licences still have two parts: the plastic photocard and the paper counterpart. DVA says that if any part of the licence is lost, stolen or destroyed, you must apply for a replacement licence.
That means losing only the paper counterpart is still a replacement-licence issue rather than something you can simply ignore.
The paper counterpart remains part of the Northern Ireland licensing system, so losing it should be dealt with through the DVA replacement process rather than ignored.
Research & verification
Sources checked for this answer
We use official and primary sources wherever possible rather than relying on generic AI-generated information.
nidirect - Replace your driving licence online
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nidirect - Waiting and parking (238 to 252)
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Information checked:
25 September 2026
