Living recipients:
- When medals have been damaged, lost or stolen while in possession of the eligible recipient (the serving or ex-serving member) they may be replaced.
- Replacement awards will not be provided until a period of two months has lapsed from the date of the loss to allow adequate time for recovery.
- Only awards that can be returned to the Directorate (eg broken or damaged) will be issued as Original. Medals that cannot be returned will be engraved with a 'D' for Duplicate.
Deceased Recipients:
- In certain circumstances people who are in possession of a deceased relatives’ medals (the ‘holder’), may also have those medals replaced if they are damaged, lost or stolen, and the occurrence took place after 1 December 1974.
- Defence will only replace service medals it has authority to issue from within the Imperial and Australian Honours systems.
- Replacement awards will not be provided until a period of two months has lapsed from the date of the loss to allow adequate time for recovery.
- Only awards that can be returned to the Directorate (eg broken or damaged) will be issued as Original. Medals that cannot be returned will be engraved with a 'D' for Duplicate.
To apply for replacement medals, please complete the Defence Medals Application Form.
Replica medals are available from a medals dealer or a commercial military memorabilia outlet. Many of these replicas are high quality and can be difficult to distinguish from the originals.
To request a list of your relatives entitled awards, please complete the Defence Medals Application Form.
If you are seeking replacement of the Australian Gallantry, Distinguished Service, Conspicuous Service, Bravery or Order of Australia decoration, visit the Government House website.