What ID do I need to vote?
Photographic identification is required at polling stations in most UK elections, an expired document is usually still acceptable, and there is a free certificate for anyone without one.
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Time
- 10 min
- Read
- 2 min
Short answer
You need an accepted form of photographic ID to vote in person at most UK elections. Expired documents are generally accepted provided the photograph still looks like you. If you have nothing on the list, apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate — but do it well before the deadline, which falls several working days before polling day.
The requirement was introduced for UK parliamentary elections and for local elections in England, and does not apply in the same way everywhere — Scottish and Welsh devolved and local elections operate under different rules, and Northern Ireland has required photographic ID for many years. The Electoral Commission maintains the definitive accepted-document list, which has been extended since introduction.
Step by step
- Check whether the election you are voting in requires it.UK parliamentary elections, and English local elections and police and crime commissioner elections, require it. Scottish Parliament, Senedd and Scottish and Welsh local elections currently do not. The Electoral Commission page for the specific poll is definitive.
- Check the accepted-document list rather than assuming.It includes passports, driving licences, certain older person's and disabled person's travel passes, some armed forces and government-issued identity documents, and equivalents from a defined set of countries. The list has been extended since introduction, so check the current one.
- Do not discard an expired document.Expired ID is generally accepted for voting provided the photograph is still a good likeness. This surprises people and is worth knowing before you buy a new passport for the purpose.
- Apply for a Voter Authority Certificate if you have nothing.It is free, applied for online or through your council, and requires a photograph and your National Insurance number. It exists specifically for people with no other accepted ID.
- Note the certificate deadline.Applications close several working days before polling day, and it is earlier than the registration deadline in practice because the certificate has to be produced and posted. Apply as soon as an election is called.
- Bring the document itself, not a copy.Staff check the original. A photograph of a passport on a phone is not accepted.
- Know what happens if you are turned away.You can return with acceptable ID before the poll closes at 10pm. Staff will tell you what is missing. Nobody is recorded as having voted, so a return visit is straightforward.
- Use a postal vote if ID is a barrier.Postal voting does not require photographic ID, though it does require your signature and date of birth to match the record held. See the guide on postal and proxy voting.
Questions people ask
Can I use an expired passport to vote?
Generally yes. Expired photographic ID from the accepted list is acceptable provided the photograph is still a good likeness of you.
What if I do not have any of the accepted ID?
Apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate through GOV.UK or your council. Apply early — the deadline is several working days before polling day.
Do I need ID for a postal vote?
No photographic ID is required. Postal votes are verified against the signature and date of birth held on your record, which you supply when you apply.