Gold Loan Receipt Lost? How to Get Your Gold Back

"I can't find the receipt the bank gave me when I pledged my gold. Will I lose my jewellery?" No. The pledge receipt is proof of the transaction, but the lender's own records, the loan agreement and the assay certificate tie your gold to your name. Inform the lender in writing today, ask for its lost-receipt procedure, and expect to give ID proof and usually an indemnity bond or affidavit; once the loan is repaid, the gold is released as normal.

This guide covers what the receipt actually does, the steps to get a duplicate or release without it, the documents lenders typically ask for, and how to protect yourself from misuse, as of October 2026. For the basics of how gold loans work, see our gold loan guide.

What the pledge receipt is, and what replaces it

Lenders call it different things: pledge receipt, gold loan card, loan receipt or pawn ticket. It usually shows your loan number, the items pledged, gross and net weight, purity, valuation, loan amount and interest rate.

Under the RBI (Lending Against Gold and Silver Collateral) Directions, 2025, which banks, co-operative banks and NBFCs had to apply by 1 April 2026:

• the loan agreement must describe the collateral, its value and the auction terms;
• the lender must prepare an assay certificate with purity, gross and net weight and an image of the collateral, and give one copy to the borrower under acknowledgement;
• documents must be in the regional language or a language the borrower chooses.

So even if the receipt is gone, your loan agreement copy, the assay certificate, SMS or email alerts, and the lender's system all identify your gold. Search your email, SMS and the lender's app before anything else; many lenders show the loan and its details online.

Step-by-step: getting your gold back without the receipt

Day 1: report the loss

1. Visit the branch where the gold is pledged, or call the lender's official customer care, and report the lost receipt. Take the same photo ID and address proof you gave at the time of the loan.
2. Give a written lost-receipt letter with your name, loan number (if known), date of pledge and a short description of the items. Ask for a signed or stamped acknowledgement.
3. Ask the branch to note the loss on the loan record so that no one else can use the receipt.

Days 1 to 7: complete the lender's formalities

4. Ask for the lender's written procedure and the list of documents. Common requirements are:
   • a lost-receipt application on the lender's format;
   • an indemnity bond on stamp paper (value as per your state's stamp law) or a notarised affidavit stating the receipt is lost;
   • sometimes a police complaint or lost-document report; many states allow a lost-article report online on the state police portal.
5. Collect the duplicate receipt or a letter confirming the loan details. Check that the items, gross weight, net weight and loan amount match your memory and the assay certificate.

At repayment and release

6. Repay or settle the loan in the usual way and get a closure receipt.
7. Collect the gold. RBI's directions require the gold to be released on the same day or within seven working days of full repayment. If the delay beyond that is the lender's fault, it must pay you ₹5,000 for each day of delay. A lost receipt is not a valid reason for an open-ended delay once the indemnity and ID checks are done. See gold not returned after gold loan repayment if the lender stalls.
8. Check every item at the counter against the duplicate receipt or assay certificate before signing the release.

Worked example (illustrative)

Savita pledged a chain and two bangles with an NBFC: net weight 40 grams of 22-carat gold, loan ₹1,60,000 at 12% a year, bullet repayment over 12 months. Eight months later she wants to repay and finds the receipt is missing.

• Interest due for 8 months (simple interest for this example): ₹1,60,000 × 12% × 8 ÷ 12 = ₹12,800.
• Total to repay: ₹1,60,000 + ₹12,800 = ₹1,72,800.
• Extra costs of the lost receipt: stamp paper for the indemnity and a notary fee, both of which vary by state. Assume ₹500 in all for this example. Some lenders also charge a fee for a duplicate; ask for it in writing.
• Timeline: reports the loss on Monday, submits the indemnity on Wednesday, repays ₹1,72,800 on Thursday. The gold must be returned within seven working days of Thursday. If it is not returned until three working days after that deadline and the delay is the lender's fault, compensation is 3 × ₹5,000 = ₹15,000.

Interest methods differ between lenders, so ask for the exact payoff figure. To compare a gold loan with an EMI-based option, use our EMI calculator.

Special situations

The borrower has died

The legal heir or nominee applies with the death certificate, proof of relationship, KYC and the lender's indemnity or heirship forms. The lost receipt is folded into the same process. RBI's directions refer to release of collateral and refund of any auction surplus to the borrower or legal heirs, but each lender's own policy sets the documents, so ask for it in writing.

The loan is near maturity or overdue

Do not let the lost receipt delay repayment or renewal. The lender can still send you an auction notice if the loan is overdue, and a lost receipt is not a defence. If you need more time, ask about gold loan renewal and top-up; auction rules are explained in gold loan auction rules.

You suspect the receipt was stolen

Report it to the police and to the lender immediately. Ask the lender to confirm in writing that release will happen only to you after identity verification.

Where to complain

Sample lost-receipt letter

To: The Branch Manager, [Lender, Branch]
Subject: Gold loan pledge receipt lost - Loan No. [number]

I, [name], had pledged gold ornaments ([description], gross weight
about [x] g) under gold loan No. [number] on [date] at your branch.

The original pledge receipt has been lost [and a police report has been
lodged on (date), No. (number)]. Please:
1. Record the loss on my loan account and do not release the gold to
   anyone other than me against the lost receipt.
2. Tell me in writing the documents required, and issue a duplicate
   receipt or a letter confirming the loan and collateral details.

I am enclosing a copy of my [ID proof] and am ready to execute an
indemnity as per your procedure.

Name, mobile, address, signature

What not to do

• Do not hand your ID, receipt copies or loan details to agents who offer to "get the gold released" or "transfer the loan" for a fee.
• Do not pay into personal accounts or UPI IDs for repayment; pay only into the loan account or at the branch, and get a receipt.
• Do not trust callers claiming your gold will be auctioned unless you pay immediately; verify on the lender's official number.
• Do not share OTPs or PINs with anyone helping with the duplicate receipt.
• Do not sign the release before checking each item and its weight.

Key takeaways

• A lost pledge receipt does not mean lost gold; the loan agreement, assay certificate and lender records prove the pledge.
• Report the loss in writing at once and get an acknowledgement so the receipt cannot be misused.
• Expect ID proof, a lost-receipt letter and usually an indemnity bond or affidavit; some lenders want a police report.
• After full repayment, the gold must be returned within seven working days, or the lender owes ₹5,000 a day for its delay.
• Escalate to the grievance officer and then the RBI Ombudsman if the lender stalls.