You'll need to show photo identification in polling stations from May 2023 onwards. Find out how to make sure you have the right ID with you before coming to the polling station.
If you vote at the polling station, you will need to bring photo identification (ID) with you from May 2023. Your name on the electoral register should match the name on your ID. Expired ID will still be accepted if the photograph remains a good likeness of the voter.
Acceptable forms of ID include:
Find the full list of acceptable identity documents.
You do not need to bring your poll card with you to vote. Some poll cards occasionally go missing in the post, but you will still be able to vote so long as you are registered and meet the eligibility requirements for the election.
If you vote by post, you do not need to provide ID unless you have lost or spoilt your postal vote and need to be issued with a new one. Go to our Plan ahead page to find our more about postal voting.
If you vote at the polling station from May 2023 onwards, your name on the electoral register should match the name on your ID.
Your name on the electoral register may differ from the name on your ID because you:
Alternative spellings or shortened versions of names (for example, Mohammad and Muhammed, or Elizabeth and Liz) should be acceptable. This will be at the discretion of the Presiding Officer at the polling station, they must be satisfied that the ID you provide is acceptable.
If your name has changed, you’ll need to let us know so we can update the electoral register.
You can do this by:
If you name is incorrect on the electoral register for another reason, you should also let us know.
If you have recently changed your name, but haven’t updated your ID, you may be able to:
If you don’t want to change your name on the electoral register, you'll be able to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate or apply for a postal vote.
Most electors will already have one of the acceptable forms of identification. If you do not, you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate. You can take this to the polling station to serve as your identification for voting purposes only.
To apply for Voter Authority Certificate, you'll need to provide all of the following:
Apply for a Voter Authority Certificate
Due to the introduction of Voter ID, voters can expect:
In January and February, we'll write to all voters who are not currently expected to vote by post.
This will be a comprehensive letter or email.
We'll tell you:
Poll cards will be sent out from mid March onwards. They will also have information on the acceptable forms of ID.
The requirement to show photograph identity documents was included in the Elections Act 2022. The legislation requires polling station electors to show identification at all elections in England.
Use the links below to find more information about voter ID published by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Cabinet Office.