Voters in England need to show photo ID to vote at polling stations in some elections.

Photo ID is required for the following type of elections:

  • UK parliamentary elections, including general elections, by-elections and recall petitions
  • Local elections and by-elections
  • Police and Crime Commissioner elections

You are not required to provide photo ID for postal voting.

Please visit The Electoral Commission to see a full list of accepted forms of photo ID.

Voter Authority Certificate

If you do not have any of the accepted forms of photo ID and you want to vote at your polling station, you will need to apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate. This is a free photographic identification document specific for the purposes of voting.

The deadline for your Voter Authority Certificate application to be received by Electoral Services is 5pm, 6 working days before an election. You are strongly advised to submit your application early. Don't wait until the election date is known.

All applications – both online and paper – will require an identity check as part of the application process. If your identity cannot be verified against the Department for Work & Pensions' records, then the Electoral Services office will request some documentary evidence to prove your identity.

Apply for a Voter Authority Certificate

If you cannot apply online or do not have access to a printer, you can contact Electoral Services and they will send you a Voter Authority Certificate application form.

Paper Voter Authority Certificate application forms should be returned to Electoral Registration Officer, Charnwood Borough Council, Southfield Road, Loughborough, LE11 2TR or send a scanned copy of the completed form to Electoral Services.

Postal and Proxy Voters

Postal voters will not be affected and will be issued with their postal ballot papers as usual. If you choose to vote by proxy then the person who you have trusted to vote on your behalf will have to take their own photo ID to be issued with a ballot paper.

For more information about voter ID, please visit The Electoral Commission.

Last updated: Thu 11th July, 2024 @ 14:12