Lost My Number Card: How to Suspend, Report, and Replace It
If your My Number card is lost, suspend it immediately, report the loss to police, and keep the acceptance number. Then apply for replacement at your registered municipality.
Losing your My Number card (マイナンバーカード) does not mean you must wait until it is found before taking action. The most important step is to call immediately to suspend the card's functions, then report the loss or theft to the police, keep the acceptance number, and contact the municipality where your residence is registered to apply for reissuance.
You do not need to change your My Number merely because the card is missing. In principle, the 12-digit personal number stays the same; the physical card and its electronic functions are suspended and replaced. If you suspect that the number itself has been used unlawfully and may cause harm, ask your municipality about the separate procedure for changing the number.
Quick action checklist
Order | Action | Where | What to keep |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Suspend the card's functions | Call 0120-95-0178 and select 2 | Time of the call |
2 | Report the loss or theft | Police station or kōban | Acceptance number 受理番号 |
3 | Apply for reissuance | Municipality holding your 住民票 | Receipt and collection instructions |
4 | Update related services | Relevant agency after receiving the new card | PINs and related documents |
If you have just noticed the loss, do not spend hours retracing your steps before calling. Suspension requests are accepted 24 hours a day, 365 days a year; you can continue searching after the card has been protected.
Step 1: call immediately to suspend the card
Call the マイナンバー総合フリーダイヤル at 0120-95-0178 and select 2. Requests to suspend a card after loss or theft are accepted 24/7. This toll-free number supports Japanese, and the official contact page also lists numbers for foreign-language assistance.
Prepare enough information for the contact center to verify the correct cardholder. Never post your My Number or photographs of either side of the card on social media while asking others to search for it.
State clearly whether the card is lost or is suspected to have been stolen.
Give your full name, date of birth, address, and other information requested for verification.
Record the date and time of the call and the instructions you received.
If the 0120 number does not connect, check the alternative number on the official contact page.
If Japanese is difficult, use the official foreign-language number instead of asking a stranger to call and disclose all your personal information.
Suspension stops the card's electronic functions. It is an urgent protective measure, but it does not replace a police report and does not automatically create a replacement application.
Foreign-language telephone service
The official contact page lists 0120-0178-27 for My Number card inquiries and suspension after loss or theft. English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, and Portuguese are supported daily from 8:30 to 20:00; Thai, Nepali, Indonesian, Vietnamese, and Tagalog are supported daily from 9:00 to 18:00. Suspension itself is available 24 hours, but languages available outside those hours may be limited.
Step 2: report the loss or theft to the police
Go to a police station (警察署) or kōban (交番) near where the card was probably lost. File an 遺失届 for a lost item or a 盗難届 if it was stolen. Explain that you lost your マイナンバーカード and need the 受理番号, the report's acceptance number.
Describe when and where you last saw the card.
Describe the wallet, bag, or other items if they disappeared together.
Ask for and accurately record the acceptance number 受理番号.
Keep the paper or a photograph of the acceptance details for the municipal office.
If the loss happened on a train, at a station, in a shop, or in a taxi, also contact that operator's lost-property service.
The acceptance number matters because the municipality normally uses it to confirm the loss during reissuance. If the card was lost inside your home and the police do not accept an 遺失届, official guidance says to explain that situation to the municipality. Do not invent an acceptance number.
Step 3: apply for reissuance at your municipality
Apply at the 市区町村 where your residence is registered, not necessarily where the card was lost. Depending on the municipality, the desk may be called マイナンバーカード窓口, 戸籍住民課, or something else. Check the city or ward website or call ahead because identity-document requirements and appointment systems vary.
At the counter, you may need to cancel the lost card and apply for a new one. Telephone suspension is only an emergency protection status. When you decide to receive a replacement, the old card must be invalidated under the municipality's procedure.
Documents to prepare
Valid identification, such as a residence card or driver's license.
Police acceptance number 受理番号, if the police accepted a loss or theft report.
A portrait photo if the municipality requires one; some offices take the photo or give separate instructions.
Money for the fee, using a payment method accepted by the municipality.
Additional documents required locally if you have only one identity document.
A representative needs a power of attorney and separate documents specified by the municipality.
Do not assume that one document list applies to every city. If your residence card, driver's license, or entire wallet is also missing, call first and ask which alternative documents are acceptable. Identity verification may then take longer.
Choose expedited or standard issuance
Since December 2, 2024, people applying after loss or theft may qualify for the 特急発行・交付制度, the expedited issuance and delivery system. For a lost card, apply at the municipal counter within 30 days of discovering the loss. If unavoidable circumstances prevent an application within the deadline, consult the municipality directly.
Option | Application method | Expected timing | Fee when the loss is your responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|
Expedited 特急発行 | Apply at the counter within 30 days | In principle, about 1 week | 2,000 yen; 1,800 yen without an electronic certificate |
Standard | Follow municipal instructions | Usually longer; timing varies | Normally 1,000 yen including the electronic certificate |
“About 1 week” is a general rule, not a guarantee that every card will arrive exactly 7 days later. Some applications require further checks or cannot be delivered directly to the home. Under expedited issuance, the card is normally sent by 簡易書留 to the registered address and must be received in person; the municipality will explain cases that require counter collection.
Reissuance fees: when you pay and when it may be free
Reissuance because you lost or damaged the card, or cannot return the old card, is normally subject to a fee. The published expedited fee is 2,000 yen with an electronic certificate or 1,800 yen without one. Standard reissuance normally costs 1,000 yen: 800 yen for the card and 200 yen for the electronic certificate.
Ask your municipality how to pay before visiting.
Do not assume that every replacement is chargeable.
Reissuance after expiry or for a recognized unavoidable reason may be free.
Fire, disaster, or another cause outside your responsibility may require supporting evidence.
Choosing a card without an electronic certificate removes important online functions.
When and how you receive the new card
With expedited issuance, the new card is normally sent to the address on your 住民票 by 簡易書留 and must be received in person. With standard issuance or cases not eligible for home delivery, you may receive a notice and then collect the card at the municipal office. Follow your municipality's instructions rather than another person's timeline.
Check that your name is displayed correctly on the mailbox and that you can receive registered mail.
Do not forward the card to an unregistered address unless the instructions expressly permit it.
Bring the required identification if collecting the card at the counter.
Set new PINs and never write them directly on the card or keep them in the same wallet.
Confirm that an electronic certificate was issued if you need online services.
If the card is found after suspension
If you only suspended the card and have not completed cancellation of the old card, take the recovered card to the municipality where your residence is registered and request 解除, removal of the suspension. According to the official FAQ, you do not need to call the contact center again.
Do not repeatedly test the PIN or use the card before suspension has been removed. If the old card has already been cancelled or a new card issued, the recovered card can no longer be used; return or dispose of it as instructed by the municipality.
What can you use while waiting for the new card?
Losing the card does not cancel your residence registration or My Number, but you temporarily cannot use that card to sign in or obtain documents at a convenience-store terminal. Depending on the purpose, another document or procedure may be available.
Request a 住民票 showing your My Number if an organization genuinely needs proof of the number.
Use a residence card, passport, or driver's license as identification if the organization accepts it.
Ask the medical facility how to confirm insurance eligibility when マイナ保険証 cannot be used.
Postpone an action requiring an electronic signature until a new certificate is issued, or ask about another submission channel.
Notify an organization holding an appointment if the missing card may delay the procedure.
Not every organization asking for “My Number” requires the physical My Number card. Ask whether it needs proof of the number, identity verification, or an electronic certificate; these needs may be met by different documents.
If the card is also used for insurance or a driver's license
If you registered the card as マイナ保険証, contact the medical facility or insurer before your visit and ask how to confirm eligibility while waiting. Do not delay emergency treatment merely because the card is missing.
If the card is a マイナ免許証, reissuing the My Number card does not automatically restore the driver's-license information. After receiving the new card, you may need to visit a driver's-license center to record the information again. If you must drive immediately, ask the police or licensing center about a lawful option; do not drive based only on a photograph of the old card.
Can someone easily misuse the card?
The card has a portrait photograph, anti-counterfeiting features, and a chip that does not contain all of your tax, pension, or medical records. Electronic functions require PINs and lock after a specified number of incorrect attempts. These protections reduce risk, but are not a reason to delay the suspension call.
Never publish photographs of both sides of the card.
Never disclose a PIN or マイナポータル password to an incoming caller.
A government agency will not demand a money transfer by telephone to “unlock” the card.
Monitor accounts and correspondence if your wallet, phone, or bank documents were lost together.
If you suspect fraud or unauthorized use, contact the police and relevant organization immediately.
Common mistakes
Searching all day before calling to suspend the card.
Reporting to the police but forgetting to suspend the electronic functions.
Calling only the contact center and assuming a replacement application was created automatically.
Forgetting to request, or later losing, the acceptance number 受理番号.
Visiting the municipality where the card was lost instead of the one holding your residence registration.
Missing the 30-day deadline when you want to use expedited issuance.
Assuming a recovered card can be used immediately while it is still suspended.
Posting a card photograph on social media to find its owner or ask others to search.
Frequently asked questions
Must I change my My Number?
Usually not. Losing the physical card does not automatically change the 12-digit personal number. A change is considered separately only when there are grounds to believe the number was unlawfully used and may cause harm; ask your municipality.
Can another person call to suspend it for me?
The official FAQ says that, in principle, the cardholder should make the request, but a representative may also request suspension. The contact center will verify information; applying for reissuance through a representative is subject to separate municipal requirements.
What if I lost it at home and the police will not accept a loss report?
Explain the facts truthfully when applying at the municipality. Official guidance specifically covers loss at home when the police do not issue an acceptance number.
Can I apply for reissuance online?
The municipality may issue an application containing an 申請書ID and QR code for a standard online application. However, expedited issuance after loss requires an in-person application within 30 days; confirm the appropriate method with your municipality.
How soon will I receive the card?
Expedited issuance aims, in principle, for approximately 1 week. Standard issuance takes longer and depends on the municipality, application volume, identity checks, and delivery method.
What should I do right now?
Call 0120-95-0178 and select 2 to suspend the card. Then report the loss to the police, record the 受理番号, and contact the municipality holding your 住民票 to confirm documents, make an appointment if needed, and choose expedited or standard issuance.
Information checked on August 29, 2026, using the マイナンバーカード総合サイト and デジタル庁. Documents, service counters, and collection methods vary by municipality; confirm with the city or ward where your residence is registered before visiting.