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There are changes to voting by post. You can apply online to vote by post and need to prove your identity when applying. You also need to reapply for a postal vote every three years. 

The changes apply to:

  • UK Parliament general elections, by-elections and recall petitions in England, Scotland and Wales
  • Local elections in England
  • Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales

Find out more

There are changes to voting by post. You can apply online to vote by post and need to prove your identity when applying. You also need to reapply for a postal vote every three years. 

The changes apply to UK Parliament general elections, by-elections and recall petitions.

The changes do not apply to Scottish Parliament or council elections in Scotland.

Find out more

There are changes to voting by post. You can apply online to vote by post and need to prove your identity when applying. You also need to reapply for a postal vote every three years. 

The changes apply to: 

  • UK Parliament general elections, by-elections and recall petitions in England, Scotland and Wales
  • Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales

The changes do not apply to Senedd and local council elections in Wales. 

Find out more

Make sure you're registered to vote

To vote in any election in the UK, you must be registered to vote. Find out if you're eligible to register and how to apply.

If you're not sure if you already have a postal vote, contact the electoral services team at your local council to find out.

Make sure you're registered to vote

To vote in any election in the UK, you must be registered to vote.

Find out if you're eligible to register and how to apply.

Make sure you're registered to vote

To vote in any election in the UK, you must be registered to vote. Find out if you're eligible to register and how to apply.

If you're not sure if you already have a postal vote, contact your local electoral registration office to find out.

Voting by post

If you know that you won’t be able to get to the polling station on polling day, you can vote by post.

You can apply for a postal vote if you’re away on holiday or because your work schedule means you can't get to polling station. You can also choose to vote by post simply because it would be more convenient for you.

You will be sent a postal vote ballot pack before the election. Find out more about how to vote by post.

Voting by post

In Northern Ireland, you can vote by post if you can't get to the polling station on polling day because of:

  • illness
  • disability
  • holiday
  • work arrangements

In certain circumstances, you can also apply for an indefinite postal vote. You can do this at any time of year.

You will be a sent a postal vote ballot pack before the election. Find out more about how to vote by post.

If you’re outside the UK, you can’t apply to vote by post as postal votes in Northern Ireland can’t be sent outside the UK. Instead, you'll need to apply for a proxy vote.

If you registered to vote online, you'll need to provide your Digital Registration Number (DRN) on your application for a postal vote.

If you’ve forgotten your Digital Registration Number (DRN) you can request to be notified of it by completing the Digital Registration Number (DRN) form.
 

Complete an application form

There are two ways to apply to vote by post:

You can choose to apply for a postal vote for a particular election, a particular type of election, or all elections you are eligible to vote in.

If you only want to apply for a postal vote for a particular type of election, you need to contact the electoral services team at your local council. 

You need to complete a new postal vote application if you have moved house or changed your name.

Long-term postal votes

You can apply for a postal vote for a specific time period or for a maximum of three years.

Complete an application form

The process for applying for a postal vote in Scotland depends on the type of election:

You can choose to apply for a postal vote for a particular election, a particular type of election, or all elections you are eligible to vote in. 

You need to complete a new postal vote application if you have moved house or changed your name.

Long-term postal votes

For UK Parliament elections, a postal vote can last no more than three years before you need to reapply. 

For Scottish Parliament elections and council elections, you can have a postal vote for an indefinite period, but your local electoral registration office will contact you to refresh your signature after five years.

If you would like to apply for a long-term postal vote for a particular type of election (for example, for council elections), you need to contact your local electoral registration office.

Complete an application form

The process for applying for a postal vote in Wales depends on the type of election:

You can choose to apply for a postal vote for a particular election, a particular type of election, or all elections you are eligible to vote in. 

You need to complete a new postal vote application if you have moved house or changed your name.

Long-term postal votes

You can apply for a specific time period, or for a long-term postal vote. The length of a long-term postal vote is dependent on the type of election.

For UK Parliament and Police and Crime Commissioner elections, a postal vote can last no more than three years before you need to reapply. 

For Senedd elections and local government elections, you can have a postal vote for an indefinite period, but the electoral services team at your local council will contact you to refresh your signature after five years.

If you would like to apply for a long-term postal vote for a particular type of election (for example, for council elections), you need to contact the electoral services team at your local council.

Police and Crime Commissioner election in May 2024

If you would like to vote by post in the Police and Crime Commissioner election in May 2024, you will need to submit a separate postal vote application if you are: 

  • an EU citizen
  • a British, Irish or Commonwealth citizen with a postal vote for local government elections but not UK Parliament elections
  • a British, Irish or Commonwealth citizens without an existing postal vote, and you do not want to vote by post for UK Parliament elections
  • a Peer

Download a postal vote application form (PDF)

Complete an application form

To apply to vote by post, you can apply online through GOV.uk for UK Parliament elections, including by-elections and recall petitions.

For all elections, you can also apply by downloading, printing and completing a postal vote application form.

Postal vote application form (PDF) 

You can choose to apply for a postal vote for a particular election, a particular type of election, or all elections you are eligible to vote in. 

If you only want to apply for a postal vote for a particular type of election, you need to contact the electoral services team at your local council. 

You need to complete a new postal vote application if you have moved house or changed your name.

Long-term postal votes

You can apply for a specific time period, or for a long-term postal vote.

For UK Parliament elections, a postal vote can last no more than three years before you need to reapply. 

Download the application form

Download the absent vote form and find out more from the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland.

Help with the form 

If you need any support with your application, are unable to print the application form or need it in an accessible format, contact the electoral services team at your local council for help.

Help with the form 

If you need any support with your application, are unable to print the application form or need it in an accessible format, contact your local electoral registration office for help.

Filling in your application

Instructions on how to complete the application correctly are provided on both the online and paper forms. 

You will need to provide your date of birth, National Insurance number and signature on your application form. These are used to confirm your identity when you vote by post.

If you’re unable to provide your National Insurance number, you will need to explain why in your application. The electoral services team at your local council will contact you to discuss which other forms of identification you will need to provide.

Contact the electoral services team at your local council for more information if you're unable to sign the form, or are unable to sign in consistent way.

Filling in your application

Instructions on how to complete the application correctly are provided on both the paper and online forms. 

You will need to provide your date of birth and signature on your application form. For UK Parliament elections, you will also need to include your National Insurance number. These are used to confirm your identity when you vote by post.

If you’re unable to provide your National Insurance number, you will need to explain why in your application. Your local electoral registration office will contact you to discuss which other forms of identification you will need to provide.

Contact your local electoral registration office for more information if you're unable to sign the form, or are unable to sign in consistent way.

Filling in your application

Instructions on how to complete the application correctly are provided on both the paper and online forms. 

You will need to provide your date of birth and signature on your application form. For UK Parliament and Police and Crime Commissioner elections, you will also need to include your National Insurance number. These are used to confirm your identity when you vote by post.

If you’re unable to provide your National Insurance number, you will need to explain why in your application. The electoral services team at your local council will contact you to discuss which other forms of identification you will need to provide.

Contact the electoral services team at your local council for more information if you're unable to sign the form, or are unable to sign in consistent way.

Filling in your application

Instructions on how to complete the application correctly are provided on both the online and paper forms. 

For UK Parliament elections, you will need to provide your date of birth, National Insurance number and signature on your application form. These are used to confirm your identity when you vote by post.

If you’re unable to provide your National Insurance number, you will need to explain why in your application. The electoral services team at your local council will contact you to discuss which other forms of identification you will need to provide.

Contact the electoral services team at your local council for more information if you're unable to sign the form, or are unable to sign in consistent way.

Filling in your application

The application form includes instructions on how to fill it in correctly.

You will need to provide your date of birth and signature, or your Digital Registration Number (DRN) if you registered to vote online, on your application form.

These are used to confirm your identity when you vote by post.

If you're unable to sign the form, or are unable to sign in consistent way, contact the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland for more information.

Submit your completed application

If you are applying using a paper application form, once you have completed the form and made sure you have signed it, you need to send it to your local electoral registration office.

You can send your form by post. Your local electoral registration office may also accept a scanned copy of your form by email, but you should check with them first.

If you are applying online to vote by post in a UK Parliament election, you need to complete the whole application in one go and follow the instructions on GOV.uk to submit your application. 

You must submit your application by 5pm, 11 working days before the poll. Your local electoral registration office will confirm when your postal vote is in place.

Submit your completed application

If you are applying using a paper application form, once you have completed the form and made sure you have signed it, you need to send it to the electoral services team at your local council.

You can send your form by post. The electoral services team at your local council may also accept a scanned copy of your form by email, but you should check with them first.

If you are applying online to vote by post, you need to complete the application in one go and follow the instructions on GOV.uk to submit your application.

You must submit your application by 5pm, 11 working days before the poll.

Find where to send your form

Enter your postcode to find the address of your electoral services team

Find where to send your form

Enter your postcode to find the address of your local electoral registration office

Where to send your completed form

Once you have completed the form and made sure you have signed it, you need to send it by post to the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland.

How to cancel your postal vote

If you want to cancel your postal vote then you should contact your local council to request this. You must do so before 5pm, 11 working days before the election you will be voting in.

If you have already returned your completed postal vote, then you will not be able to cancel it for that election.

How to cancel your postal vote

If you want to cancel your postal vote, contact your local electoral registration office to request this. You must do so before 5pm, 11 working days before the election you will be voting in.

If you have already returned your completed postal vote, then you will not be able to cancel it for that election.

How to cancel your postal vote

If you want to cancel your postal vote then you should contact the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland to request this.

If you have already returned your completed postal vote, then you will not be able to cancel it for that election.

How to cancel your postal vote

If you want to cancel your postal vote then you should contact the relevant body to request this.

  • In England and Wales contact your local council.
  • In Scotland contact your electoral registration office.
  • In Northern Ireland contact the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland.

The deadline to cancel your postal vote in England, Scotland and Wales is before 5pm, 11 working days before the election you will be voting in.

If you have already returned your completed postal vote, then you will not be able to cancel it for that election.

Postal vote application forms from parties and campaigners

Parties and campaigners may encourage voters to vote by post by providing postal vote application forms. This could be a paper form sent through the post, or a website with information.

Parties are not breaking any rules if they encourage voters to apply to vote by post, and there is information about this in our Code of Conduct for campaigners. 

Find out more about postal vote application forms from parties and campaigners.

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