Running electoral registration - England

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Document types for the exceptions process for Voter Authority Certificate or Anonymous Elector’s Document applications

In all cases the evidence required to successfully establish an applicant’s identity should refer to the applicant by name.

The types and quantities of documents that can be provided to successfully establish an applicant’s identity for a Voter Authority Certificate or Anonymous Elector’s Document are:

Document applied for?	Requirement to provide document(s) listed in:
Voter Authority Certificate1	Three of the documents from list 2, or One of the documents from list 2 and 2 other documents that may be from list 2 or 3, or Four documents from List 3
Anonymous Elector’s Document2	One of the documents from list 1, or Three of the documents from list 2, or One of the documents from list 2 and 2 other documents that may be from list 2 or 3, or Four documents from List 3

Document applied for?

Requirement to provide document(s) listed in:

Voter Authority Certificate1

Three of the documents from list 2, or

One of the documents from list 2 and 2 other documents that may be from list 2 or 3, or

Four documents from List 3

Anonymous Elector’s Document2

One of the documents from list 1, or

Three of the documents from list 2, or

One of the documents from list 2 and 2 other documents that may be from list 2 or 3, or

Four documents from List 3

List 13
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 list4
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 application5
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 an applicant for a Voter Authority Certificate or Anonymous Elector’s Document 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.

Last updated: 17 November 2022