What are the new voter ID rules and how do they affect me?
On this page, you’ll find information on the new voter identification (ID) rules and what are accepted forms of ID. Plus, what to do, if you don’t have an accepted photo ID, so you can vote on 4 July.
The big change for UK General Election is that you now need voter ID, in England, Scotland and Wales. The rules in Northern Ireland haven’t changed - you still need voter ID. To vote at your polling station, you'll need to show a valid ID. You’ll also need to be registered to vote.
Read more about registering to vote
What forms of ID can I use?
There are a range of IDs that you can use at your polling station. These include, but aren’t limited to:
- Passport
- UK or EEA driving licence (including provisional driving licence)
- a Blue Badge
- an identity card with PASS hologram
- Disabled Person’s Bus Pass funded by the UK Government
- Scottish National Entitlement Card issued for the purpose of concessionary travel (including a 60+, disabled or under 22s bus pass)
- Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
See the full list of IDs you can use on the Electoral Commission’s website
If your ID is expired, you might still be able to use it to vote. In this case, polling station staff will only let you vote if they’re satisfied that you’re the person pictured in the ID. If your photo is very old or you look very different from your photo, polling station staff might not let you vote using that ID. And you may be sent away unable to vote.
How do I vote if I don’t have any of the accepted forms of ID?
If you don’t have any of the accepted ID, you can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate. You can apply for this on the Electoral Commission website.
The deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate is 5pm, Wednesday 26 June.
You’ll need to be registered to vote before applying for a Voter Authority Certificate.
