The replacement medals policy dates back to 1968, when the Goverment decided to issue replacement medals only to the service veteran who earned them. Some conditions apply to the replacement.
Medals will be replaced when the original award(s) has been lost, stolen or damaged beyond repair.
We do not normally issue replacement medals when the veteran who earned them has died. There are some exceptions which are explained below.
We do not replace medals which have been sold or given away.
Medals will be replaced when the original award(s) has been lost, stolen or damaged beyond repair.
Where satisfactory evidence of the loss, theft or damage of an original award is produced, a replacement award may only be issued once at public expense by direct application to the Directorate of Honours and Awards. Any subsequent claims will be considered on their merits by the Directorate.
Applications for replacement medals should not be made within the first two months of a loss or theft, as it is possible that your original medals will be recovered during that time.
If your medals haven't been found in that time, and replacement medals are approved, these will be engraved with a 'D' for duplicate, 10mm after the normal inscription of your name and service number.
If you are seeking replacement of your Australian Gallantry, Distinguished Service, Conspicuous Service, Bravery or Order of Australia decoration, please contact Government House in Canberra on 02 6283 3603.
Please complete the AD808 Application for the Issue of Replacement Medals and/or Clasps form and return it to us. When you apply for replacement awards, please ensure you include a statutory declaration detailing how, when and where the loss, theft or damage occurred.
The Directorate does not issue replacement medals to families of deceased members. We encourage you to purchase replica medals from a medals dealer or a commercial military memorabilia outlet. Many of these replicas are of a very high quality and can be difficult to distinguish from the originals.
Please note that for various legislative and practical reasons we cannot be paid to replace lost awards belonging to deceased veterans.
If you have lost your deceased relative's medals and wish to replace them, you can contact us to find out his or her entitlement so you may purchase the correct medals from a reputable medals dealer. Contact us via our toll-free telephone enquiry line of 1800 111 321, or write to us at:
Directorate of Honours & Awards
Department of Defence
T-4-013H
PO Box 7952
CANBERRA BC ACT 2610
We cannot replace awards bestowed by a foreign government, except in the case of a campaign award issued by the Australian Government acting on behalf of the foreign government. The only awards in this category are the United Nations Medal for Korea and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
Amid the devastation caused by natural disasters such as bushfires, floods or cyclones, items of great personal value such as service medals can be lost or damaged.
The disasters covered by this policy are:
The Australian Government recognises the importance of these awards to the members who earned them and the families who treasure them. Accordingly, the Government has relaxed the policy on the replacement of posthumous medals to enable those lost or damaged beyond repair during the above listed natural disasters to be replaced.
If your service medals or those of a deceased relative were lost, stolen or damaged beyond repair as a result of these disasters, you may apply to the Directorate of Honours and Awards for a replacement.
If your application is for the posthumous replacement of medals, please complete the AD809-1 Application for the Replacement of Posthumous Service Awards due to Natural Disasters form. Current serving members are advised to complete application form AD808 Application for the Issue of Replacement Medals and/or Clasps to enable their own medals to be replaced.
Applicants should be aware that Defence is only able to replace medals dating back to World War I. Medals for conflicts prior to this war are no longer in production.
Defence is only able to replace original medals. Replica medals purchased on a commercial basis cannot be replaced.
Web page last updated 8 December, 2011