# Setting Permit State for a Lost or Stolen Permit
This article describes the process for managing a lost or stolen permit. This involves switching the user to a new permit and then setting the state of the original permit to **Lost** or **Stolen** to remove it from circulation.
### Understanding the Lost or Stolen State
Setting a permit's state to **Lost** or **Stolen** will immediately remove it from active circulation. The permit will no longer be available for:
- Purchase or assignment from the Admin Portal
- Purchase from the User Portal
- Selection within the Permit Switching tool
### Using this Feature
You **must** switch the user to a new permit *before* setting the old permit's state to **Lost** or **Stolen**. Failing to do so will make the old permit unavailable for the switch process. No specific system configuration is required for this process. It utilizes the standard **Quick Search** and permit management tools.
This process is divided into **two distinct parts**: first switching the user to a new permit, and then deactivating the old one.
##### Section 1: Switching the User to a New Permit
- Use the **Quick Search** bar to find the permit number that has been reported lost (e.g. PW21).
- From the search results, click the **Switch** button.
- On the permit switch screen, the user's current permit will appear on the left. On the right, use the drop-down menu to select a new, available permit for the user (e.g., PW19).
- Click the **Switch Permits** button to complete the change. A pop-up notice will confirm the switch is complete.
##### Setting the Old Permit State to Lost
- Use the **Quick Search** bar again to find the original permit number (PW21).
- From the search results, click the permit number link to open the permit details page.
- Click the **Permit States** drop-down menu and select **Lost** or **Stolen**.
- The system will confirm the update. The old permit is now officially out of circulation and will no longer appear in available permit lists.
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### Best Practices & Considerations
- During busy sales periods, **consider temporarily hiding the new permit** you plan to switch the user into. This prevents another user from purchasing it during the brief moment it is being processed.
- The **Lost** or **Stolen** state is reversible. If a permit is found, you can navigate back to its details page and change its state back to an active one.