A land certificate that goes missing during a house move, gets misplaced somewhere, or is damaged by flooding and the humid conditions common in Banjarmasin’s low-lying, swamp-adjacent neighborhoods, happens more often than most people expect. Fortunately, losing or damaging a certificate does not mean losing your rights to the land, since your ownership data remains on file at the Land Office. There is, however, an official process to go through to obtain a replacement. This article walks through the general stages.

Step One: Report the Loss to the Police

If a certificate is genuinely lost, not just physically damaged, the first step is filing a loss report at the nearest police station (Polsek or Polres) to obtain a Surat Tanda Penerimaan Laporan (STPL), or loss report receipt. This document is one of the basic requirements before you can apply for a replacement certificate at BPN.

It is best to file this report as soon as you realize the certificate is missing, rather than putting it off, since the report date becomes a reference point in the later replacement process.

When filing the report, describe as precisely as you can when and where the certificate was last seen, along with the certificate number and land location if you remember them. These details help with the data-matching stage later on, particularly when BPN cross-checks your report against its own archive.

How the Process Differs for Lost Versus Damaged Certificates

It is important to distinguish these two situations, since the process is not identical. If a certificate is lost entirely, the process involves proving the document genuinely no longer exists in your possession, including a police report, a sworn statement, and generally a public announcement as an added precaution.

If a certificate is damaged, for example by water, tearing, or fading text, but the physical document still exists and at least some of the data is still legible, the process tends to be simpler, since you can hand the damaged certificate itself to BPN as physical evidence, without needing to go through the sworn statement and announcement stages required for a loss. It is best to confirm with your local Land Office which procedure applies to your certificate’s condition, since technical practice can differ slightly between land offices.

For example, a certificate that was submerged in floodwater but is still partly legible, a fairly common situation for homes near riverbanks in Banjarmasin, would typically fall under the damage category rather than a loss. But if the damage is severe enough that key data can no longer be read, BPN may treat it closer to a loss procedure. It is worth checking your certificate’s physical condition directly with BPN staff at the counter to confirm which route applies.

The Sworn Statement and Public Announcement

For a lost certificate, the owner is generally required to prepare a sworn statement declaring that the certificate is truly lost, not transferred, pledged, or used by another party without the owner’s knowledge. This statement is prepared according to the procedure set by the local Land Office, and stands as the owner’s legal accountability for the loss claim.

As an added precaution, BPN generally also requires a public announcement of the planned reissuance, either through mass media or another official channel, giving anyone who might have an interest in the land a chance to raise an objection within a certain window. The exact format and duration of this announcement is best confirmed directly with the Land Office, since it can be adjusted to the specifics of each case.

Documents You Will Need to File with BPN

In general, the documents needed to apply for a replacement certificate include:

  • The Surat Tanda Penerimaan Laporan (STPL) from the police, for a loss
  • The original damaged certificate, for a case of damage
  • A sworn statement regarding the loss of the certificate
  • A copy of the old certificate if one still exists, or any other data that can help BPN reference its own archive (warkah) on file at the Land Office
  • The owner’s ID card and Family Card
  • Proof of current-year PBB (land and building tax) payment
  • A power of attorney, if the process is being handled by someone else or by a PPAT

Because land data is fundamentally still kept on file at BPN even when the physical certificate is lost, officers can refer to that archive to verify ownership before issuing a replacement.

Protecting Yourself from Misuse During the Process

During the window between losing a certificate and the replacement being issued, it is worth staying alert. Report the loss to your local Land Office promptly so it is logged in their system, making it easier to detect if anyone tries to misuse the lost certificate, for example in a transaction you never authorized.

You can also use the Sentuh Tanahku app from the Ministry of ATR/BPN to check on your land data periodically. If you plan to sell the land before the replacement certificate is issued, be upfront about the situation with a prospective buyer and involve a PPAT from the start, since a sale involving land whose certificate is still being replaced calls for extra care from both sides.

It is also worth keeping a copy or photo of the old certificate, if you happened to make one before it was lost or damaged, somewhere safe but easy to access, for instance saved digitally on more than one device. A copy like this does not replace the original certificate, but it can speed up data verification when you file for a replacement.

Rough Timeline and Costs to Expect

How long a replacement takes, whether for a lost or damaged certificate, varies depending on how complete your file is, whether any objection arises during the announcement period, and the state of the land records at your local Land Office. It can move relatively quickly for a damage case with complete data, but can take considerably longer for a loss case that involves the sworn statement and announcement stages. Because of this, it is best not to rely on a fixed timeline before confirming directly with your local Land Office.

The same goes for cost: fees follow official rates and can differ depending on the type and value of the land. Ask for a detailed breakdown directly from BPN staff or the PPAT assisting you, so you can budget realistically. If you live out of town or cannot handle every step yourself, entrusting the process to a trusted PPAT or legal proxy is also a reasonable option, though it naturally comes with an added service fee on top of the official BPN charges.

Final Thoughts

Losing or damaging a land certificate is undeniably a hassle, but it is not the end of the road, since your ownership data remains on record at BPN. What matters most is acting quickly: report a loss to the police, prepare the supporting documents, follow the sworn statement and announcement procedure where required, and stay alert to potential misuse while the process is underway. This article is general education, and because every case can differ, it is best to consult your local Land Office (BPN) or a trusted PPAT directly.

If you are dealing with this situation in Banjarmasin or elsewhere in South Kalimantan and need guidance on the next step, the Vorneo Property team is happy to help on WhatsApp at no charge.