Lost a Receipt? Six Ways to Recover It, From Reprints to Written Statements
2026-08-17 · Claim Tips · Blog
"I lost the receipt" is probably the most common mishap in expense claims. It went through the wash in your trouser pocket, faded in the boot of the car, or you simply never noticed whether the waiter handed one over. For small amounts you might let it go, but when it's a hotel night or a flight, it really stings.
The good news is that a lost receipt doesn't mean the claim is dead. The six methods below run from easiest to hardest, and the second or third one usually does the job.
1. Search your email first
Plenty of spending now comes with an electronic confirmation: online ticket bookings, food delivery platforms, hotel reservations, subscriptions, and even some chain stores email you a receipt. Search your inbox by amount or merchant name and it often turns up straight away. Remember to check spam and the "Promotions" tab too — automated merchant confirmations frequently end up there.
Once you find it, don't just leave it sitting in your inbox. Forward it or save it as a PDF and file it immediately, or you'll be hunting for it all over again next time.
2. Go back and ask the merchant for a reprint
The point-of-sale systems at restaurants, retail shops and petrol stations usually keep transaction records for a while. Bring the date, rough time and amount, and many shops can print you another copy. Chains have the highest success rate because their systems are centralised; with a small neighbourhood shop it's the luck of the draw.
Tip: the sooner the better. Some POS systems only keep records for a few days to a month, and after that it really is gone. So deal with it the moment you notice the receipt is missing — don't wait until month end.
3. Use your credit card or Octopus record as supporting evidence
If you paid by card, your credit card statement or online banking transaction record shows the date, merchant name and amount — already fairly solid supporting evidence. Octopus transactions can also be checked at a service machine or in the app.
Bear in mind that this kind of record only proves you paid the money; it doesn't show what you bought. So it usually has to be submitted together with a line explaining the purpose, such as "Lunch with client, two people".
4. Get a colleague who was there to vouch for you
If a colleague was at that meal or in that taxi with you, the simplest fix is to ask them to confirm it on your written statement. With a second person confirming, approval usually goes far more smoothly — especially for entertainment and travel, where there's nothing physical to back you up.
5. Write a lost-receipt statement
If everything above has failed, it's time to write a statement. A statement that does the job should include: the date of the spend, the merchant name, the amount, the purpose and who was involved, the payment method, and one line explaining why there's no receipt. Being specific and honest is enough — it doesn't need to be long.
What not to do: guess at a rough amount, or substitute someone else's receipt. An amount that doesn't match the statement is spotted instantly, and once that happens, every receipt you submit afterwards gets extra scrutiny.
6. For small amounts, weigh the effort first
Spending half an hour chasing a twenty-dollar fare receipt may simply not be worth it. Some companies already have a simplified approach for small expenses (for example, a trip log instead of a receipt for transport). Check your company's policy first — not every receipt needs to be treated as a crisis.
How to stop losing them for good
None of these fixes beats never losing the receipt in the first place. Only one habit really works: photograph it the moment you're handed it. Not "when I get home tonight" — right there, before you settle up and leave the table. It takes three seconds, and after that it doesn't matter what happens to the paper, because you already have a digital copy.
Electronic receipts are even easier: give the merchant a fixed receipt address and they file themselves — you don't even have to take a photo. Every ThatReceipt account comes with its own forwarding address; forward the confirmation email there and the date, merchant and amount are pulled out automatically.
In short: if it goes missing, start with your email, then try a reprint, and if that fails use the card record plus a written statement. In the long run, snapping it and filing it on the spot is the only thing that really solves the problem.
From now on, snap it and file it right away
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