Register to vote

You can use this service to:

  • get on the electoral register so you can vote in elections and referendums in the UK
  • opt out of the ‘open’ register - the version of the electoral register that’s available for anyone to buy
  • update your name, address or nationality by registering again with your new details (if you live in the UK)

You can check if you’re already registered to vote by contacting your Electoral Registration Office.

This service is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Who can register

You can register to vote up to 2 years before you reach voting age - check the rules around voting in the UK.

If you live in England and Northern Ireland

You must be aged 16 or over to register.

You can register to vote if you’re a British citizen or an Irish citizen. 

You can also register if you have permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man - or you do not need permission - and you’re a:

  • Commonwealth citizen 
  • citizen of Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal or Spain 
  • citizen of another EU country, if you have had permission to enter or stay - or not needed permission - since 31 December 2020, and this has continued without a break

If you live in Scotland

You must be aged 14 or over to register.

You can register to vote if you’re a British citizen or an Irish citizen.

You can also register if you have permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, or you do not need permission. 

If you live in Wales

You must be aged 14 or over to register.

You can register to vote if you’re a British citizen, Irish citizen or a citizen of an EU country.

You can also register if you have permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, or you do not need permission.

If you live abroad

You can register as an overseas voter if you’ve previously lived in the UK and are either:

  • a British citizen
  • an eligible Irish citizen registering to vote in Northern Ireland

There’s a different way to register as an overseas voter if you’re registering to vote in Northern Ireland, registering as a Crown servant or British council employee, or registering as a member of the armed forces.

Find out more about voting if you move or live abroad.

Register online

You normally only need to register once - not for every election. You’ll need to register again if you’ve changed your name, address or nationality. 

It usually takes about 5 minutes.

Start now

What you need to know

You’ll be asked for your National Insurance number (but you can still register if you do not have one).

Find your National Insurance number. 

There’s a different process to register anonymously, for example if you’re concerned about your safety or the safety of someone in your household.

If you’re registering as an overseas voter

You’ll need to give the postcode of the last UK address you were registered to vote at. 

If you’ve never registered to vote, you’ll need to give the postcode of the last UK address you lived at.

You may also be asked for your passport details.

You cannot register as an overseas voter if you’ve never lived in the UK - even if you’re a British or Irish citizen.

Contact your Electoral Registration Office if you cannot remember which address you were last registered at.

Register using a paper form

You can register using a paper form in England, Wales and Scotland. 

You’ll need to print, fill in and send the form to your Electoral Registration Office.

There’s a different paper form if you’re registering in Northern Ireland. Return the form to the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland (EONI).

Get help registering

You can get help registering from your Electoral Registration Office.

There’s an easy read guide about registering to vote.

After you’ve registered

Your name and address will appear on the electoral register. It will also appear on the ‘open’ register unless you asked to opt out when registering.

You can then:

Update your registration

If you live in the UK, you can also use this service to:

  • change your name, address or nationality
  • opt out of the ‘open register’ - the version of the electoral register that’s available for anyone to buy

To do this, you need to register again with your new details (even if you’re already registered to vote).

Updating your registration as an overseas voter

Contact the Electoral Registration Office where you registered as an overseas voter if you need to:

  • change your personal details - for example, your name, address or nationality
  • renew your voter registration - this lasts for up to 3 years

Find out more about voting if you move or live abroad.

Part of Vote in UK elections

  1. Step 1 Check if you can vote

    1. Check which elections you can vote in

  2. Step 2 Register to vote

    You’ll need to be registered to vote to take part in elections and referendums. You’ll need to register again if you change your name, address or nationality.

    1. You are currently viewing: Register to vote - apply online
    1. Register to vote - apply by post

  3. Step 3 Decide if you want to vote in person, by post, or by proxy

    1. Find out the different ways you can vote

  4. Step 4 Get ready to vote in person

    1. Check what ID you need to vote

    If you do not have photo ID that allows you to vote, you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate.

    1. Apply for a Voter Authority Certificate

    Contact your Electoral Registration Office to find your polling station or to find out what to do if you have accessibility needs.

    1. Contact your Electoral Registration Office

  5. or Apply for a postal vote

    In England, Scotland or Wales:

    1. Apply in Northern Ireland - by post only
    1. Find out more about voting by post

  6. or Apply for a proxy vote

    In England, Scotland or Wales:

    1. Apply in Northern Ireland - by post only
    1. Find out more about voting by proxy - including when you must apply by

  7. or Get ready to vote as a proxy

    1. Check what ID you need to vote

    Contact the Electoral Registration Office of the person you are a proxy for to find their polling station or to find out what to do if you have accessibility issues.

    1. Contact the Electoral Registration Office

  8. Step 5 Vote in person

    1. Vote in person

  9. or Vote by post

    1. Vote by post

  10. or Vote as a proxy for someone else

    1. Vote as a proxy for someone else