To vote at a UK general election, you need to be on the electoral register. If you vote in person, you also need an accepted form of photo ID.
Registration and voter ID are separate steps. Applying for a free voter ID document does not register you to vote.
Registering or updating your details
You can register online through GOV.UK or use a paper form. The application normally asks for your National Insurance number, though there is a process for applicants who cannot provide one.
You do not need to register again for every election. You do need to update your registration after moving home or changing your name.
Being on the council tax register does not automatically put you on the electoral register. If you are unsure whether your application was accepted, your local electoral registration office can check.
The registration deadline is published for each election. Applying early leaves time to resolve any problem with your details.
Which photo ID can you use?
Accepted documents for parliamentary polling stations include specified passports, photocard driving licences and several other cards. A UK provisional photocard driving licence is accepted.
The Electoral Commission’s full list includes the eligible documents and any digital options. A photograph on a work pass or student card does not automatically make it valid voter ID.
In Great Britain, an expired accepted document can still be used if the photograph remains a good likeness. The address on the ID does not have to match your current address.
If your name differs from the register, you may need supporting evidence, such as a marriage certificate. The Commission’s guidance explains the arrangements.
What if you have no suitable ID?
Voters in Great Britain can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate. You must be registered first.
The certificate application has its own deadline, normally 5pm six working days before polling day. It is worth applying well before that if a new photograph or further information may be needed.
Northern Ireland has separate voter-ID arrangements, including the Electoral Identity Card.
On polling day
Your poll card tells you which polling station to use. You can vote without taking the card, but you still need the required ID.
A proxy attending on your behalf uses their own photo ID. Postal voters complete the identity checks in their postal voting pack instead of showing ID at a polling station.
Our eligibility guide explains who can vote in a Westminster election.
Reviewed 19 October 2026.