Improper storage, an accident or plain negligence. In any case, what matters is that you have options for having it replaced.
Contact the Office of the Registrar at your alma mater.
As you may know, one of the responsibilities of any school registrar is maintaining student records and transcripts. This covers addressing requests for diploma replacement. But do keep in mind there is no other person who will be able to do that but you.
In 1974, lawmakers passed the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which protects the privacy of student records. Not even your spouse and immediate family members will be given access to your academic information. There are no other options really, except when the owner of the credential being requested has passed away and the requester is their next of kin or estate executor. In that case, although the exact requirements will vary from school to school, the requester will likely have to submit a written request, photocopies of the deceased’s death certificate and the requester’s driver’s license or passport, and a Power of Attorney.
Expect to pay a fee.
Again, while the rules are different for each school, a replacement diploma request will probably come with a fee of about $25 to $150.
You have to mail your request.
Considering that most schools are FERPA-compliant, you will need to mail your request for diploma replacement as per that law. Again, there will be no other options, and the purpose is to reduce the chances of identity theft and fraud in general. Request forms for replacement diplomas are usually downloadable from schools’ websites. It is usually a PDF that is printable from your computer, and you just fill it out manually, get it notarized and finally snail-mail it to the school’s registrar.
When Your Replacement Diploma Takes Too Long
You may have to wait five to seven weeks, even longer sometimes, to get your replacement diploma. If you need it urgently, as when you’re applying for a job, you may want to consider other options, such as getting a substitute diploma.
A substitute or temporary diploma apparently has no official use, but it can satisfy the purpose for which your original diploma is intended. There are several websites that offer this among many other options, but do ensure that you research the background of the service that you plan to use. Not having your official diploma on hand is trouble enough. Don’t make it worse by getting scammed.