Voter ID Required from May
Don't Lose your Voice on May 4th- Make sure you have the required ID to vote in local elections.
From May onwards you will need an acceptable form of photographic identification in order to vote in person at a local election (ditto for general elections after October).
We strongly recommend registering for a postal vote especially if you cannot readily provide of the acceptable forms of ID.
Accepted forms of photo ID
- Passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state or a Commonwealth country
- Driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state (this includes a provisional driving licence)
- A Blue Badge
- Older Person's Bus Pass
- Disabled Person's Bus Pass
- Oyster 60+ Card
- Freedom Pass
- Scottish National Entitlement Card
- 60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
- Disabled Person's Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
- Senior SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
- Registered Blind SmartPass or Blind Person's SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
- War Disablement SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
- 60+ SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
- Half Fare SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
- Identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)
- Biometric immigration document
- Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
- National identity card issued by an EEA state
- Electoral Identity Card issued in Northern Ireland
- Voter Authority Certificate
- Anonymous Elector's Document
You only need to show one form of photo ID. It needs to be the original version and not a photocopy. You can still use your photo ID if it's out of date, as long as it looks like you. The name on your ID should be the same name you used to register to vote.
If you don't have an accepted form of photo ID, you can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate, but you need to be registered to vote before applying for one.
You can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate online at https://voter-authority-certificate.service.gov.uk/. Alternatively you can request a paper form or have support to apply in person at RBWM libraries.
You need to be registered to vote before you apply. To check if you are registered please call the RBWM helpline on 01628 683868.
The deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate for our elections on Thursday 4 May 2023 is 5pm on Tuesday 25 April 2023.