Quick answer
- Form: Form 8, option 3 "Issue of replacement EPIC without correction"
- Lost or stolen card: attach a copy of the FIR / police report
- Torn, faded or damaged card: return the old card to the election office
- Fee: none for the card
- Time: card sent by post within 15 days of approval (ECI rule, June 2025), SMS at each stage
- Do not fill Form 6 again: Form 6 is only for new voters
Step 1: First check that your name is still on the voter list
After SIR, some names were removed (shifted, absent, duplicate). A replacement card is only possible if your entry is still on the list. Search your name first (how to check your name after SIR).
- Name found: go on with the steps below.
- Name not found: a replacement will not work. You need a new registration with Form 6 (and the SIR declaration where it applies). See name missing after SIR.
You will also need your EPIC number (the 10-character number on the card). If you don't remember it, the voter list search shows it, or look at an old photocopy or voter slip.
Step 2: Which situation are you in?
| Your situation | What to choose in Form 8 | What to give |
|---|---|---|
| Card lost or stolen | Replacement EPIC, reason "Lost" | Copy of FIR / police report |
| Card torn, faded or damaged | Replacement EPIC, reason "Mutilated" | Return the old card |
| Card destroyed in flood, fire or other disaster | Replacement EPIC, reason "Destroyed" | As asked by the election office |
| Card also has a wrong name, age or photo | "Correction of entries" instead | Proof for the correction; a new card comes after approval (Form 8 correction guide) |
| You moved house | "Shifting of residence" instead | Address proof (shift voter ID guide) |
Step 3: Lost card? Get a police report first
Go to your police station and report the loss of your voter ID card, with your EPIC number. Keep the FIR or police report copy: the official Form 8 guidelines ask for it when the card is lost. Scan or photograph it clearly for the upload.
Step 4: Fill Form 8 online
- Open the official ECI voters' portal and log in with your mobile number and OTP.
- Choose Form 8 and enter your EPIC number. Your details from the voter list appear.
- Tick "Issue of replacement EPIC without correction".
- Pick the reason: lost, destroyed (flood, fire, other disaster) or mutilated.
- Upload the FIR copy (for a lost card).
- Check the details, read the declaration and submit. A false declaration is a punishable offence under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
- Note the reference number: you need it to track the application.
Form 8 can also be given on paper at the Electoral Registration Officer's (ERO) office.
Step 5: After you apply
- The application is checked by the election office (sometimes with a BLO visit).
- After approval, the new card is printed and sent by India Post. Under the Election Commission's standard procedure of June 2025, cards are to reach voters within 15 days of the update, with an SMS at each stage.
- If your old card turns up, or you had a damaged card, return it to the ERO: the guidelines say the old EPIC must be returned once a replacement is issued.
Need to vote before the new card comes?
- Name on the list = you can vote. The Election Commission allows voters whose names are on the roll to show one of 12 other photo IDs, such as Aadhaar, passport, driving licence, PAN card, MGNREGA job card or a bank / post office passbook with photo.
- If your mobile number is linked to your voter entry, you can also download the digital card, e-EPIC (how to download e-EPIC).
The old "₹25 duplicate card" rule
Older articles talk about a separate form (EPIC-002) and a ₹25 fee for a duplicate card. Today the replacement option is part of Form 8, and the Chief Electoral Officer of Manipur's RTI disclosure says replacement cards are issued free of cost.
Questions people ask
Can I get a duplicate voter ID without an FIR? For a lost card, the official Form 8 guidelines ask for a copy of the FIR or police report. If the card is only damaged, you return the old card instead, and no police report is needed.
Is there a fee for a replacement voter ID card? No fee is charged for the card itself.
How long does a replacement voter ID take? Under the Election Commission's 2025 procedure, the card is to be delivered within 15 days after the voter list is updated, with SMS updates. The time before approval depends on the election office.
Will my EPIC number change? A replacement is issued for your existing voter-list entry; it is not a new registration. The Election Commission's duplicate-card rules described in Parliament kept the same EPIC number.
Should I fill Form 6 because my card is lost? No. Form 6 is for new voters. If your name is already on the list, use Form 8. Use Form 6 only if your name was removed (for example in SIR).
My name was removed in SIR. Can I get a replacement card? No. A replacement needs a live entry on the voter list. You first have to register again with Form 6.
Can I vote without my voter ID card? Yes, if your name is on the voter list of your polling station: show one of the 12 photo IDs allowed by the Election Commission.
Want us to do it with you?
Send your details on WhatsApp. Our team checks your voter record and tells you exactly what to do next.
Sources
- Election Commission of India: guidelines for Form 8 (PDF)
- Election Commission of India: Form 8, copy published by the Chief Electoral Officer, Telangana (PDF)
- Akashvani News: ECI new system will enable electors to get EPICs in a fortnight (18 June 2025)
- Business Standard: ECI allows 12 alternative IDs for voting (notification of 7 October 2025)
- Chief Electoral Officer, Manipur: RTI Section 4(1)(b)(iv) disclosure, replacement EPIC issued free of cost (PDF)
- Lok Sabha answer on duplicate EPICs, same EPIC number (PDF)
SIR Mitra is a private help service, not the Election Commission of India. Rules and dates can change, so always confirm on eci.gov.in or with your Booth Level Officer.