ID to vote

You now need to bring photo ID to vote.

Video - Photo ID

Voter Authority Certificate

The Voter Authority Certificate has been introduced for those who don't have another form of eligible ID.

You only need to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate if:

  • you do not have accepted photo ID
  • you no longer look like the photo on your ID
  • the name on your photo ID is different to your name on the electoral register

Acceptable ID

Common types of ID

96% of people in Great Britain hold some form of recognisable photo ID, with passports and driving licences being the most commonly-held forms - bring yours along on polling day so that you can vote.

IDNotes
United Kingdom passportnot applicable
Passport issued by an EEA state or a Commonwealth countrynot applicable
Licence to drive a motor vehicle granted under (i) Part 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, or (ii) the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (SI 1981/154 (N.I. 1))This includes provisional driving licences
Driving licence issued by any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or an EEA statenot applicable
Biometric immigration document issued in accordance with regulations under section 5 of the UK Borders Act 2007not applicable
An identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)

A wide range of identity documents are PASS accredited including:

  • CitizenCard 
  • Bracknell Forest Council e-card 
  • My ID Card 
  • Milton Keynes all in 1 MK Card 
  • NUS Totum ID Card 
  • Validate UK Card 
  • Young Scot Card 
  • Southwark Proof of Age London Card 
  • One ID 4 U Card
A Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)Commonly known as a MOD90

The following concessionary travel passes can be used:

Funded by the UK Government

  • Older Person’s Bus Pass 
  • Disabled Person’s Bus Pass 
  • Oyster 60+ Card 
  • Freedom Pass 

Funded by the Scottish Government

  • National Entitlement Card 

Funded by the Welsh Government

  • 60 and over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card 
  • Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card 

Issued under the Northern Ireland Concessionary Fares Scheme

  • Senior SmartPass 
  • Registered Blind SmartPass or Blind Person’s SmartPass 
  • War Disablement SmartPass or War Disabled SmartPass 
  • 60+ SmartPass 
  • Half Fare SmartPass
This list exhaustively sets out all concessionary travel cards that will be accepted, to avoid any confusion amongst electors
Badge of a form prescribed under section 21 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 or section 14 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons (Northern Ireland) Act 1978 (blue badge scheme)not applicable
Electoral identity document issued under section 13BD (electoral identity document: Great Britain)Referred to as the Voter Card
Anonymous elector’s document issued under section 13BE (anonymous elector’s document: Great Britain) the holder of which has an anonymous entry at the time of the application for a ballot papernot applicable
Electoral identity card issued under section 13C (electoral identity card: Northern Ireland)not applicable
National identity card issued by an EEA statenot applicable

Last updated 13 June 2024