Applying for a Voter Authority Certificate
Voters in Scotland need to show photo ID to vote at polling places in some elections. If you don't have an accepted form of photo ID, you can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate to vote at a polling station. Voter Authority Certificates do not have an expiration date. You do not need photo ID to vote by post.
Voters in England need to show photo ID to vote at a polling station. If you don't have an accepted form of photo ID, you can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate to vote at a polling station. Voter Authority Certificates do not have an expiration date. You do not need photo ID to vote by post.
The deadline to apply for free voter ID for the elections on 7 May is 5pm on Tuesday 28 April.
Introduction
The UK Government has introduced a requirement for voters to show photo ID at some elections.
In Northern Ireland, voters have been required to show ID when voting since 1985, and photo ID since 2003.
The new requirement does not change this.
Find out more about what photo ID is accepted and how to apply for an Electoral Identity Card on the Electoral Office of Northern Ireland website.
How to apply
You need to be registered to vote before you apply for a Voter Authority Certificate.
Apply online for a Voter Authority Certificate
Apply by post
Apply by filling out a paper application form and sending it to your local council.
You can contact your local council to request a form or you can download a form.
You may also be able to apply in person at your local council.
If you need any help applying for a Voter Authority Certificate, contact your local council.
How to apply
You need to be registered to vote before you apply for a Voter Authority Certificate.
Apply online for a Voter Authority Certificate
Apply by post
Apply by filling out a paper application form and sending this to your electoral registration office. If you are unable to print the form, you can contact your local electoral registration office for a form.
You may also be able to apply in person at your local electoral registration office.
If you need any help with applying for a Voter Authority Certificate or want to request an application form, contact your electoral registration office.
Information you will need to provide
When applying for a Voter Authority Certificate, you will need to provide your:
- name
- address
- date of birth
- National Insurance number
You should apply using the same name that you used to register to vote.
You can still apply if you don’t know your National Insurance number, or don’t have one. You will need to provide other forms of proof of identity, such as a birth certificate, bank statement and a utility bill. Your local council will contact you to arrange this. If you don’t have any other accepted proof of identity, you can ask someone you know to confirm your identity. This is known as an attestation.
You will not need to provide your gender, and your certificate will not have a gender marker.
Information you will need to provide
When applying for a Voter Authority Certificate, you will need to provide your:
- name
- address
- date of birth
- National Insurance number
You should apply using the same name that you used to register to vote.
You can still apply if you don’t know your National Insurance number, or don’t have one. You will need to provide other forms of proof of identity, such as a birth certificate, bank statement and a utility bill. Your electoral registration office will contact you to arrange this. If you don’t have any other accepted proof of identity, you can ask someone you know to confirm your identity. This is known as an attestation.
You will not need to provide your gender, and your certificate will not have a gender marker.
Providing a photograph
You will need to submit a photo with your application. The requirements for the photo are similar to the requirements for a passport photo.
If you need help taking a photo, then your local council will be able to do this for you.
To be accepted the photo you provide must meet certain requirements in terms of style, quality and size:
Your photo must be:
- of you facing forward and looking straight at the camera
- a close up of your head and shoulders, without any head covering, unless you wear one for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Your face must not be covered for any reason.
- of you with a plain facial expression and with your eyes open and clearly visible (for example without sunglasses and not obscured with hair). Please note this does not apply if you are unable to provide a photograph which complies with either or both of those requirements due to any disability.
If you are unable to meet the requirements due to a disability, then please speak with your local council.
The photo must:
- be a true likeness
- be in colour
- be taken against a plain, light background
- be in sharp focus and clear
- be free from ‘redeye’, shadows which obscure the face, or reflection
- not be damaged
If you apply online, the photo must be:
- at least 750 pixels in height and 600 pixels in width
- contained in an electronic file which is no more than 20MB in size
If you apply using a paper form, the photo must be:
- at least 45 millimetres in height and 35 millimetres in width
- no larger than 297 millimetres in height or 210 millimetres in width.
Providing a photograph
You will need to submit a photo with your application. The requirements for the photo are similar to the requirements for a passport photo.
If you need help taking a photo, then your electoral registration office will be able to do this for you.
To be accepted the photo you provide must meet certain requirements in terms of style, quality and size:
Your photo must be:
- of you facing forward and looking straight at the camera
- a close up of your head and shoulders, without any head covering, unless you wear one for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Your face must not be covered for any reason.
- of you with a plain facial expression and with your eyes open and clearly visible (for example without sunglasses and not obscured with hair). Please note this does not apply if you are unable to provide a photograph which complies with either or both of those requirements due to any disability.
If you are unable to meet the requirements due to a disability, then please speak with your Electoral Registration Office.
The photo must:
- be a true likeness
- be in colour
- be taken against a plain, light background
- be in sharp focus and clear
- be free from ‘redeye’, shadows which obscure the face, or reflection
- not be damaged
If you apply online, the photo must be:
- at least 750 pixels in height and 600 pixels in width
- contained in an electronic file which is no more than 20MB in size
If you apply using a paper form, the photo must be:
- at least 45 millimetres in height and 35 millimetres in width
- no larger than 297 millimetres in height or 210 millimetres in width.
Processing your application
Your local council will process your application. They will send the Voter Authority Certificate to you by post.
They will also send you instructions on how to use your certificate.
If you need any help applying for a Voter Authority Certificate or want to request an application form, contact your electoral registration office.
Processing your application
Your electoral registration office will process your application. They will send the Voter Authority Certificate to you by post.
They will also send you instructions on how to use your certificate.
If you need any help applying for a Voter Authority Certificate or want to request an application form, contact your electoral registration office.
Showing ID as an anonymous elector
If you're registered to vote anonymously and want to vote in person, you'll need to apply for an Anonymous Elector's Document.
Find out more about registering to vote anonymously and how to vote anonymously.
Showing ID as an anonymous elector
If you're registered to vote anonymously and want to vote in person, you'll need to apply for an Anonymous Elector's Document.
Find out more about registering to vote anonymously and how to vote anonymously.