Running electoral registration - England

Print full guidance

Document types for the exceptions process for postal vote applications

Postal vote applications which fail to match with DWP should be referred to the exception process.

The documents required to successfully establish an applicant’s identity should refer to the applicant by name and the types and quantities that must be supplied for domestic electors are as follows:

  • any one document from list 1
  • one document from list 2 and two additional documents from either list 2 or list 3
  • four documents from table 3
List 1
the applicant’s passport
the applicant’s identity card issued in the European Economic Area
the applicant’s biometric immigration document issued in the United Kingdom in accordance with regulations made under section 5 of the Borders Act 2007
the applicant’s electoral identity card issued in Northern Ireland
the applicant’s photocard driving licence granted in the United Kingdom or driving licence granted by a Crown Dependency, which bears a photograph of the applicant

 

List 2 (the following documents must have been issued in the United Kingdom or Crown Dependencies, except for the final document in this list)1  
the applicant’s birth certificate
the applicant’s marriage or civil partnership certificate
the applicant’s adoption certificate
the applicant’s firearms certificate granted under the Firearms Act 1968
the record of a decision on bail made in respect of the applicant in accordance with section 5(1) of the Bail Act 1976
the applicant’s driving licence, which is not in the form of a photocard
the applicant’s driving licence, granted other than in the United Kingdom or Crown Dependencies, which bears a photograph of the applicant, and which must be valid for at least 12 months from the date the applicant entered the United Kingdom

 

List 3 (any of the following kinds of evidence must bear the applicant’s full name as stated on their application)2  

a financial statement, including but not limited to—

  • a mortgage statement
  • a bank or building society statement or a letter from a bank or building society confirming that the applicant has opened an account with that bank or building society
  • a credit card statement
  • a pension statement
a council tax demand letter or statement
a utility bill
a Form P45 or Form P60 issued to the applicant by their employer or former employer
a statement of benefits or entitlement to benefits, such as a statement of child benefit, within the meaning of section 141 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992, or a letter confirming that the applicant is entitled to housing benefit, within the meaning of section 130 of that Act

If a domestic elector applying for a postal vote cannot provide the quantity and types of documentary evidence set out in this guidance, they should be asked to provide an attestation in support of their application.

Exceptions process for postal vote applications from overseas electors

The types of documents that can be provided to successfully establish an applicant’s identity for a postal vote where they are registered as an overseas elector are the same as detailed in our guidance above but with the exception that:

  • electors can alternatively provide a photocard driving licence issued other than in the UK or a Crown Dependency and there is no requirement relating to the timing of that document’s validity
  • the documents in list 3 must have been issued in the United Kingdom or a Crown Dependency

If an overseas elector who has applied for a postal vote cannot provide the quantity and types of documentary evidence set out in this guidance, they should be asked to provide an attestation in support of their application.

Exceptions process for applicants registered via a service declaration on the grounds that they are the spouse or civil partner of a member of the forces, a Crown Servant or the spouse or civil partner of a Crown Servant 

If an applicant for a postal vote is registered via a service declaration on the grounds that they are the spouse or civil partner of a member of the forces, a Crown Servant or the spouse or civil partner of a Crown Servant and you require additional evidence to verify their identity, you should write to them and ask them to provide one of the following documents3 : 

  • the applicant’s passport
  • the applicant’s identity card issued in the European Economic Area.

The document must be certified by a Crown servant or British Council employee or an officer of the forces who is not the applicant’s spouse or civil partner4 .

There is no exceptions process for applicants who are registered by a service declaration as member of the armed forces. For more information on the attestation process for these electors see the attestation process for postal vote applications.

Last updated: 12 December 2023