Changes to the way you can vote

The Elections Act 2022 requires voters to show photographic identification (photo ID) at the polling station, before being given ballot papers for the following elections:

• UK Parliamentary General Elections
• local elections and referendums in England
• Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales
• UK recall petitions (a process that allows voters to recall MPs)

Read about voter identification on GOV.UK

Examples of accepted photo ID

Photo ID you can use

• Passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, and EEA state or a Commonwealth country
• Driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or an EEA state
• Biometric immigration document
• Identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)
• Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
• Photocard parking permits issued as part of the Blue Badge scheme
• National identity card issued by an EEA state
• 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 issued in Wales
• Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card issued in Wales
• Senior SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• Registered Blind SmartPass or Blind Person’s SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• War Disablement SmartPass or Ward Disabled SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• 60+ SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• Half Fare SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• Voter Authority Certificate or a temporary Voter Authority Certificate

If your photo ID has expired, it will still be accepted as long as the photograph is still a good likeness to you.

Get free photo ID for voting

If you do not have any of the accepted forms of photo ID, you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate in person, by post or online.

This is a free photo ID document specific for the purposes of voting.

Apply for photo ID to vote (called a ‘Voter Authority Certificate’) – GOV.UK

ID when you vote in person

You can find information on what to expect when voting in person how photo ID will be checked on The Electoral Commission website or you can watch the video below.

ID when you vote by post

If you vote by post, you do not need to provide voter ID.

ID when you vote by Proxy

If your proxy votes on your behalf at the polling station, they will be asked to show their photo ID. They will not be asked to show any ID for you.