Use this guide if you have moved, recently turned eligible, or are not sure you are registered. Have your National Insurance number to hand, and your passport or other photo ID if you plan to vote in person.
Step by step
Check whether you are registered
You need to register again whenever you move home. If you are not sure you are on the register, contact the electoral registration office at your local council, as the online service cannot tell you. You can be registered at more than one address in some situations, such as students.
Register online
Registering takes about five minutes on GOV.UK and asks for your National Insurance number and date of birth. Register well before any deadline, as there is a cut-off before each election. You will not always get a confirmation, so contact your council if you want to check.
Understand voter ID
In England, and for UK Parliament elections in Wales and Scotland, you need accepted photo ID to vote at a polling station, and Northern Ireland has its own photo ID rules. Rules differ for Scottish Parliament, Senedd and some local elections, so check GOV.UK for the election you are voting in. If you have no accepted ID, you can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate before the deadline.
Decide how you will vote
You can vote in person at your allocated polling station, by post, or by proxy, where someone you trust votes on your behalf. Postal and proxy votes must be applied for before a deadline ahead of each election. Postal votes in England and for UK Parliament elections generally need renewing every three years.
Get ready for polling day
Your poll card tells you where your polling station is, but you do not need it to vote. Check the opening hours shown on the card and plan when you will go. If voting by post, return your pack in good time or hand it in as instructed.
Ready-to-use checklist
- Checked registration with the council
- Registered at current address
- National Insurance number used
- Photo ID checked as accepted
- Voter Authority Certificate applied for if needed
- Voting method chosen
- Postal or proxy deadline noted
- Polling station and hours confirmed
Practical tips
- Register as soon as you move rather than waiting for an election to be announced.
- Put the postal vote renewal date in your calendar so you do not lose it without noticing.
- Photo ID can usually be out of date if the photo still looks like you, but check the current rules on GOV.UK.
Common problems
I have moved and never received a poll card.
You are probably still registered at your old address or not at all. Register at your new address before the deadline and contact your council's electoral services to confirm.
I will be away on polling day.
Apply for a postal vote or a proxy vote before the deadline for that election. In an emergency, such as illness or work, you may be able to get an emergency proxy close to polling day, so contact your council.
My postal vote has stopped arriving.
Postal votes in many elections now expire after a set period and must be renewed. Contact your council or reapply on GOV.UK in good time before the next election.
This guide gives general information, not personal legal, financial or medical advice. Rules and prices change, so check the current position with the official service before acting.
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