Applying for a Voter Authority Certificate

A Voter Authority Certificate is a free document you can use as photo ID for voting in an election.

You need photo ID if you want to vote in person at an election.

You need to be registered to vote before you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate.

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If you need a Voter Authority Certificate to vote in the election it is a good idea to apply as soon as possible.

You can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate online on the Government ’s website : https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate

A hand holding a pen filling out a form, with the name and address filled in

Or you can fill in a paper application form .

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If you need help to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate, or want a paper application form, contact your local council .

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To find the contact details for your local council, go to the Electoral Commission’s website: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voter

Or phone the Electoral Commission helpline on 0800 328 0280

When you apply for your Voter Authority Certificate, you will need to give your:

A woman holding a sign with her name written on it and underlined.

Name

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address

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date of birth

A card with the words National Insurance Numbercard written on it with a reference number circled in red and a persons name

It is a good idea if you know your National Insurance Number when you apply for your Voter Authority Certificate.

A man scratching his head with a question mark, in front of a national insurance numbercard

You can still apply for a Voter Authority Certificate if you do not know your National Insurance Number.

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If you do not know your National Insurance Number, your local council will contact you to ask for something else to prove your identity.

A passport photo of a bald elderly man with glasses and a dark suit

When you apply for a Voter Authority Certificate, you will need to send a photo with the form.

a book with Rules written on the front, with a green tick and red cross below

There are rules about the photo you can send.

The rules are like the rules for a passport photo.

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If you do not have a photo which keeps to the rules, your local council can take a photo for you.

To find out more about the rules for the photo, go to the Electoral Commission’s website: www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voterid

Or phone the Electoral Commission helpline on 0800 328 0280.

This Easy Read has been adapted from the Applying for a Voter Authority Certificate easy read made with The Electoral Commission. You can see the original version here.

This Easy Read was first published on the Mencap website on 17/06/2024.

This page was last updated 04/03/2025.

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