One in four Americans have permanently lost a driver's license
Core finding
Verasight surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults from September 25 to 30, 2026. 25.2% of Americans have permanently lost a driver's license, including through theft or disaster, and 18.7% have lost a birth certificate.
Other permanently lost documents include student IDs (10.8%), passports (5.9%), hunting, fishing or gun licenses (3.9%) and military IDs (2.2%). Some 63.2% have lost none of these, and respondents could name several.
Selected responses
One in four Americans have permanently lost a driver's license.
Which of the following documents have you ever permanently lost (including from theft or destruction in a disaster)?
n = 1,000 · Sep 25–30, 2026 · MoE ±3.5%
Methodology
Full methodology →| Mode | Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting |
|---|---|
| Population | US adults age 18+ |
| Field dates | Sep 25–30, 2026 |
| Base (unweighted) | 1,000 |
| Margin of error | ±3.5% |
| Module | Democracy, Politics, & Participation |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- reports.verasight.io/r/2026-153-apsa-omnibus-report
Which of the following documents have you ever permanently lost (including from theft or destruction in a disaster)?
Cite this question
APSA Omnibus Survey #2026-153, fielded September 25-30, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.5%.