Certificate of loss online: how it works

Consular servicesPublished on October 03, 20264 min read

Certificate of loss online: the procedure and what to do if you lose your papers in Belgium

Applying for a certificate of loss online is now the only option in Benin: since 1 October 2026, this document (« certificat de perte ») can only be requested on the official platform certificatdeperte.bj. Police stations no longer issue it. Here is the procedure, followed by the right steps if you lose your papers in Belgium.

What changed on 1 October

The reform follows a service note from the Directorate General of the Republican Police. Issuance has been entrusted to the Public Security Documentation Centre (CDSP), which runs the platform. The government publicised the change on 3 October 2026.

Three rules follow from it. First, police stations may no longer issue the certificate or collect fees for it. Second, no payment or « gratuity » may be handed over at a police station: only electronic payment on the platform is allowed. Finally, station chiefs must inform the public and, where needed, help them complete their online request.

What is the certificate of loss for?

This document certifies that an official document has been lost. It then allows you to obtain a duplicate or renewal. According to the government, it covers in particular:

the identity card;
the passport;
diplomas;
the driving licence;
civil status records.

According to Le Matinal, each declaration is also recorded in a national database consulted by the police. The goal is to limit fraudulent use of lost documents.

Requesting a certificate of loss online: the four steps

Log in to the certificatdeperte.bj platform.
Form: describe the lost document and the circumstances.
Payment online, by Mobile Money or bank card, through the national TrésorPay gateway.
Receipt of the certificate by e-mail, a few minutes after payment is confirmed.

The Republican Police mentions issuance in as little as three minutes. The fee charged is the « official rate in force », shown on the platform at payment. Each certificate also carries a QR code that allows its authenticity to be checked.

A false declaration of loss is punishable under the Beninese Criminal Code (Article 312). Only declare a document that is genuinely lost.

From abroad: what we know

Le Matinal reports that the service is available 24 hours a day, « from the national territory as well as from abroad ». The platform does not, however, detail situations specific to the diaspora. If you run into difficulties, a support unit can be reached at +229 01 51 53 30 81.

Papers lost in Belgium: the right steps

If you lose your documents in Belgium, the first step happens locally. Only then do the Beninese procedures follow.

1. Report the loss to the Belgian police

Go to the nearest police station and ask for a copy of the report. If your Belgian residence card is also lost, have it blocked through the DOC STOP service, then report the loss to the police. You will receive a certificate (Annex 12), valid in Belgium but not for travel. Your municipality then replaces the card.

2. Obtain the Beninese certificate of loss

For a Beninese passport or identity card, request the certificate of loss online on certificatdeperte.bj. Keep it together with the Belgian report: both will be requested for the replacement.

3. Replace the passport

See our biometric passport page. The ePASS platform is used for online passport renewal; check on ePASS whether your loss situation is accepted. For the identity card, read our article on the biometric identity card online.

4. If you need to leave urgently

Do you need to travel to Cotonou without a valid passport? The consulate issues a laissez-passer, a one-way travel document. Allow three working days, or 24 working hours with a surcharge. It is not issued more than ten days before departure. Fees, depending on your situation, are listed on the page.

What this means for Beninese citizens in Belgium

You no longer need someone in Benin to go to a police station for you. In addition, online payment avoids unofficial charges. For any question about a replacement file, contact the consulate.