How to apply for a duplicate AME license on eGCA
Losing your Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) licence is stressful, but replacing it is a defined process rather than a fresh application. In India, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) handles licence services through the eGCA portal at https://egca.gov.in, and the duplicate AME licence service lets you request a replacement for a licence that has been lost, stolen, damaged, or mutilated. This guide walks through who the service is for, what to prepare, and the step-by-step flow on eGCA, with the fee and document specifics that the original application screens ask for.
This is a duplicate licence walkthrough, not a renewal walkthrough. The two are easy to confuse because both run through eGCA, so there is a short section further down that explains the difference and points you to the right place if what you actually need is renewal.
What the duplicate AME licence service is for
The duplicate AME licence service exists for one situation: your original licence document is no longer usable and you need an official replacement that carries the same privileges. That covers a licence that has been physically lost, stolen, destroyed, or damaged to the point where the printed details are no longer legible. It does not change the scope of your licence, its ratings, or its validity period. A duplicate is a like-for-like reissue of the licence you already hold, so the privileges and the expiry on the duplicate match the original.
Because it is a reissue rather than a new grant, the portal pre-fills most of your details from your existing DGCA record. Your job during the application is mainly to confirm those details, state why you need the duplicate, attach the supporting documents that match your reason, and pay the fee.
Before you start: prerequisites
Have these in place before you open the portal, because the application will ask for them as you go.
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eGCA registration. You need to be registered on eGCA with a valid eGCA ID and password. If you have not registered yet, our walkthrough on how to get your eGCA ID covers the account setup, and the pilot registration process with eGCA explains the wider onboarding flow. The same eGCA account is used by aviation personnel including AMEs, not only flight crew.
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A valid AME licence on record. The duplicate service applies to a licence that currently exists in your DGCA record. The portal reads your licence number and expiry from that record.
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An FIR, if the licence was lost or stolen. If your original licence has been lost or stolen rather than simply damaged, you are expected to have lodged a First Information Report (FIR) with the police and to upload a copy. [VERIFY] Keep the FIR number and date handy, because the upload step asks you to attach this document for the lost or stolen reason.
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Supporting documents for your reason. If the reason is a damaged or mutilated licence, you may be asked to surrender or upload an image of the damaged original instead of an FIR. [VERIFY] Prepare a clear scan or photo in the format the upload field accepts.
Step-by-step: applying for a duplicate AME licence on eGCA
Follow these steps with the eGCA portal open in another tab. The exact button labels can change as DGCA updates the interface, so the items tagged below are worth confirming against the current screens.
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Open the eGCA portal at https://egca.gov.in and select the login option. [VERIFY]
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Enter your eGCA ID, your password, and the captcha shown on screen to sign in to your account.
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From the main menu, open the Services area. This is where eGCA groups the personnel licensing actions you can take. [VERIFY]
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Select the Duplicate AME Licence service from the list of available services. [VERIFY]
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Review the applicant details. The form auto-populates your name, CEO computer number, AME licence number, the licence expiry date, and your contact details from your DGCA record. Check each field against your own records and correct your contact details if anything is out of date.
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Confirm your employment details. Indicate whether you are still working with the same organisation. If your employer has changed, enter your current employer details as prompted.
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Select the reason for the duplicate and upload documents. Choose the reason that matches your situation, such as lost, stolen, damaged, or mutilated. The required upload changes with the reason: a lost or stolen licence typically needs the FIR copy, while a damaged licence typically needs an image of the original. [VERIFY] Attach the documents the form requests.
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Read the declaration, tick the declaration checkbox to confirm the information is correct, and submit the application.
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Pay the fee on Bharatkosh. After submission, eGCA routes you to the Bharatkosh payment gateway, which is the Government of India non-tax receipt portal used for DGCA fees. Review the fee shown, add any remarks if prompted, and complete the payment. [VERIFY]
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Save the transaction receipt. Once payment succeeds, a transaction receipt is generated. Download or note it, because it is your proof of payment and reference if you need to follow up.
Application flow at a glance
Fees and processing timelines
The fee for a duplicate AME licence is set out in DGCA’s schedule of charges and is collected through Bharatkosh at the payment step, so the exact amount payable is displayed on the gateway before you confirm. [VERIFY] Pay from the screen total rather than from a figure quoted elsewhere, since DGCA fee schedules are revised from time to time and the portal shows the current amount for your application.
Processing time depends on DGCA’s internal verification and the completeness of your application. A duplicate request with a valid FIR or damaged-licence image attached, correct auto-filled details, and a successful payment moves through review faster than one that has to be returned for missing documents. [VERIFY] You can monitor where your request sits rather than waiting blind, which the next section covers.
Tracking your application and getting the duplicate
After payment, your request appears in the Duplicate AME Licence worklist inside eGCA. You can open this worklist to see the current status as DGCA processes the application. [VERIFY] If the request is sent back for clarification or a clearer document, the worklist is where you will see that, so check it periodically rather than assuming silence means progress. Once DGCA approves the request, the duplicate licence is issued against your record and you are notified through the portal.
Duplicate is not the same as renewal
It is worth being precise here, because a lot of searches mix these up. A duplicate AME licence replaces a licence document you have lost or damaged, and it keeps the same validity as the original. A renewal extends the validity of a licence that is expiring or has expired, and it has its own service, requirements, and fee on eGCA. If your licence is still valid and you have just lost the physical document, the duplicate service on this page is the right one. If your licence is near or past its expiry date, you need the renewal route instead. We are publishing a dedicated AME licence renewal walkthrough to cover that flow end to end. [VERIFY] Until that link is live here, search the Services area of eGCA for the renewal service rather than the duplicate service, so you do not pay for and submit the wrong application.
Keeping your records straight once your licence is sorted
Replacing a licence is a reminder of how much of an aviation career lives in documents, and how much easier life is when those records are organised and recoverable. Reconstructing flight or maintenance records from scattered paper after a loss is painful, which is the whole argument for keeping them digital and backed up.
Wingman is a digital logbook used by 30,000+ pilots across 400+ airlines, with everything in one place across iOS, Android, and Web. It is a global product rather than an India-only tool, and it supports DGCA among regulators including the FAA, EASA, UK CAA, GCAA, GACA, NZCAA, HKCAD, CASA, and CAAS, with regulator-compliant exports for each. Rosters import automatically from systems such as AIMS eCrew, NavBlue RAIDO, CAE Crew Access, ARMS, CESAR, Sabre, FLICA, and PDC CrewConnex, so your hours stay current without manual copying. There is a free tier up to 250 logged hours. For the India context specifically, there is a focused walkthrough on keeping a DGCA pilot logbook in India.
Frequently asked questions
When should I apply for a duplicate AME licence instead of a renewal?
Apply for a duplicate when your licence is still valid but the physical document is lost, stolen, or damaged. The duplicate is a like-for-like reissue and keeps the original expiry date. If the licence itself is expiring or has expired, use the renewal service on eGCA instead, because that is what extends validity.
Do I need an FIR to apply for a duplicate AME licence?
If your licence was lost or stolen, you are expected to have lodged an FIR with the police and to upload a copy during the application. [VERIFY] If the licence is damaged or mutilated rather than lost, you are typically asked for an image of the original instead. [VERIFY] Have the relevant document ready before you start so you can attach it at the upload step.
How much does a duplicate AME licence cost on eGCA?
The fee is set in DGCA’s schedule of charges and is collected through the Bharatkosh payment gateway at the end of the application, so the exact amount is shown on screen before you confirm payment. [VERIFY] Pay from the displayed total, since the portal reflects the current fee for your application.
How will I know when my duplicate licence is ready?
Your application appears in the Duplicate AME Licence worklist in eGCA, where you can track its status as DGCA processes it. [VERIFY] If anything is missing, the worklist shows the request being returned for clarification. Once it is approved, the duplicate is issued against your record and you are notified through the portal.
Is eGCA the same portal as DGCA Pariksha?
No. eGCA handles licence and personnel services, including the duplicate AME licence flow described here. Pariksha is the separate DGCA portal for flight crew examinations and results. They are different systems with different logins, so use eGCA for licence actions and Pariksha for exams.
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