Voter ID requirements

All voters who vote in person or by proxy are required to show an accepted form of photographic identification (photo ID) before they are given a ballot paper to cast their vote in a polling station at:

UK Parliamentary general elections
Local elections in England
UK-wide national referendums
Recall petitions
Local referendums in England
Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales

You are not required to provide photo ID for postal voting. You can find out more about voter identification at polling stations by visiting theUK Government website (opens new window).

The majority of voters will already have an accepted form of photo ID

Photo ID you can use

Acceptable forms of photo ID to take to the polling station will include:

Passport issued by the UK, Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state or a Commonwealth country
Photographic driver's licence issued by the UK, Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or an EEA state (including provisional licences)
EEA photographic ID card
Biometric immigration document
Identity card bearing the proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (PASS card)
Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
A Blue Badge
Older Person's Bus Pass
Disabled Person's Bus Pass
Oyster 60+ Card
Freedom Pass
Scottish National Entitlement Card issued in Scotland
60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
Disabled Person's Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
Senior SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
Registered Blind SmartPass or Blind Person's SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
War Disablement SmartPass or War Disabled SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
60+ SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
Half Fare SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
Electoral Identity Card issued in Northern Ireland
Voter Authority Certificate or a temporary Voter Authority Certificate

See the full list of photo ID accepted by visiting theUK Government website (opens new window).

Only original documents are acceptable; scanned images or copies will not be accepted at a polling station. If your photo ID has expired, it will still be accepted as long as the photograph is still a good likeness of you allowing polling station staff to confirm your identity.

No suitable photo ID?

If you do not have an acceptable form of photo ID and you want to vote at the polling station, you will need to apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate. This is a free photographic identification document issued for the purposes of voting in polling stations.

You will be able to applyonline (opens new window), by post or in person. We recommend that you apply for a Voter Authority Certificate in good time.

Voters who do not produce acceptable photo ID or a Voter Authority Certificate will not be allowed to vote on polling day.

Postal/proxy postal voters

Postal voters will not be affected and will be issued with their postal ballot papers as usual.

Proxy voters

If you choose to vote by proxy, then your appointed proxy will be required to show their accepted form of photo ID at the polling station before they are issued with a ballot paper.

More information about applying for a Voter Authority Certificate can be found on theElectoral Commission (opens new window) website.