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Remember to register to vote, check my Photo ID, Vote at a polling station

Voter ID

Starting in 2023, you will now need to provide an acceptable form of ID to be able to vote in person at a polling station.

When would I need to provide photographic ID?

If you are attending in person to vote in any of the following types of election: 

  • Local elections
  • Police and Crime Commissioner elections
  • UK parliamentary by-elections
  • Recall petitions

And from October 2023, for voting at a general election.

Types of photo ID accepted

The following list is all the types of photo ID accepted at polling stations:

  • 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 (proof of age 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

Don't have photo ID?

Apply for a Voter Authority Certificate

You can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate. You need to be registered to vote before you apply for your certificate. If you are not registered to vote, you will be asked during registration if you have Photo ID or if you would like to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate.

Apply for a Voter Authority Certificate

You can apply online:

Apply for your Voter Authority Certificate

You can also apply by post, by completing our form (found in the related documents section) and posting it or delivering it to:

Council Offices
Ashfield District Council
Urban Road
Kirkby in Ashfield
Nottingham
NG17 8DA

Type of photograph needed to apply

If you are applying for a Voter Authority Certificate, you will need to supply a photograph for your certificate. Similar to a passport photo or a photograph used on a driving licence, there are rules for the type of photograph you will need to supply with your application:

Style

  • You need to be facing forwards
  • It needs to be of your head and shoulders only
  • You need to have a plain facial expression, showing your eyes open and clearly visible.

The requirements will not apply if you have a disability that prevents you from meeting them.

Quality

The quality of the photograph you provide with your application should be:

  • a true likeness 
  • a colour photo
  • have a plain, light background
  • be in focus and clear
  • not have any obstructions, shadows, reflections or 'red-eye'
  • not be damaged.

Size

The photograph should be the following:

  • digital photos - at least 750 pixels high, 600 pixels width
  • file size no bigger than 20MB
  • Hard copy photographs - 45 millimetres high or 210 millimetres wide.

Application process

After you have completed and submitted or posted your certificate application, we will work on it, ensuring that it meets all the criteria as set by the Electoral Commission.

If your application is successful, we will post your Voter Authority Certificate to your postal address, with instructions on how to use the certificate when going to vote.

Contact us about Voter ID or Voter Authority Certificates

If you have any questions about the new Voter ID process, please contact us:

Related links:

Related documents: