Voter ID

You can use any of the following accepted forms of photo ID when voting at a polling station.

International travel

• 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 and parking

• 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

Local travel

• Certain concessionary travel cards (Gold Card is acceptable)
• 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

Proof of age

• Identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)

Other government issued documents

• 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 will 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You can still use your photo ID if it's out of date, as long as it looks like you.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.

You can still use the photo ID but you will also need to provide further evidence of the change of name such as a marriage or civil partnership certificate, deed poll or decree absolute.

No, the original document must be taken. A photocopy or an image of your ID will not be accepted.

You can apply for a free voter ID document, known as a Voter Authority Certificate, if:

• you don't have an accepted form of photo ID
• you're not sure whether your photo ID still looks like you
• you're worried about using an existing form of ID for any other reason, such as the use of a gender marker

You need to register to vote before applying for a Voter Authority Certificate.

Find out how to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate.

Apply online

You can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate at www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate.

Apply by post

You can also apply by filling out a paper application form and sending this directly to our elections team.

Download a paper application form at www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-for-a-voter-authority-certificate-by-post-if-youre-living-in-the-uk.

What information you need to provide

When applying for a Voter Authority Certificate, you will need to provide your:

• name
• address
• date of birth
• National Insurance number 

You should apply using the same name that you used to register to vote.

You will not need to provide your gender, and your certificate will not have a gender marker.

If you don't know your National Insurance number or don't have one

You can find your National Insurance number on:

• payslips
• official letters about tax, pensions or benefits

You can still apply if you don’t know your National Insurance number, or don’t have one.

You will need to provide other forms of proof of identity, such as a birth certificate, bank statement and a utility bill. Your local council will contact you to arrange this.

If you don’t have any other accepted proof of identity, you can ask someone you know to confirm your identity. This is known as an attestation. 

Providing a photograph

You will need to submit a photo with your application. The requirements for the photo are similar to the requirements for a passport photo. 

If you need help taking a photo, then we will be able to do this for you.

To be accepted the photo you provide must meet certain requirements in terms of style, quality and size. Read more on the photo requirements drop down below.

To be accepted the photo you provide must meet certain requirements in terms of style, quality and size:

Photo style

Your photo must be:

• of you facing forward and looking straight at the camera
• a close up of your head and shoulders, without any head covering, unless you wear one for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Your face must not be covered for any reason.
• of you with a plain facial expression and with your eyes open and clearly visible (for example without sunglasses and not obscured with hair). Please note this does not apply if you are unable to provide a photograph which complies with either or both of those requirements due to any disability.

If you are unable to meet the requirements due to a disability, then please speak with to our elections team on 01773 570222.

​Photo quality

The photo must:

• be a true likeness
• be in colour
• be taken against a plain, light background
• be in sharp focus and clear
• be free from 'redeye', shadows which obscure the face, or reflection
• not be damaged

Photo size

If you apply online, the photo must be:

• at least 750 pixels in height and 600 pixels in width
• contained in an electronic file which is no more than 20MB in size

If you apply using a paper form, the photo must be:

• at least 45 millimetres in height and 35 millimetres in width
• no larger than 297 millimetres in height or 210 millimetres in width.

Amber Valley Borough Council will process your application. We will send the Voter Authority Certificate to you by post, including instructions on how to use your certificate.

Voter Authority Certificates do not have an expiration date. But it's recommended that you renew your certificate after 10 years.

All data you provide when applying for a certificate will be stored securely by us, in line with data protection regulations.

If you need any help with applying for a Voter Authority Certificate or want to request an application form, contact our elections team on 01773 570222.

You don't need photo ID to vote by post, so you don't need to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate if you choose to vote this way.

If you're registered to vote anonymously and want to vote in person, you'll need to apply for an Anonymous Elector's Document.

Find out more about registering to vote anonymously and how to vote anonymously. 

You may personally know the staff at the polling station because you have voted there for a number of years but they will not be able to issue you with a ballot paper unless you provide the accepted identification.

Polling Station staff will not have the ability to decide what they can and cannot accept, a valid document will need to be provided.

If you have lost all forms of photo ID, or the voter authority certificate, ahead of the 5pm deadline six working days before an election, and you don't have any of the other form of acceptable ID, you can reapply for a voter authority certificate.

If you have lost, destroyed, damaged, or had your ID stolen after the application deadline, there will be a provision for you to appoint an emergency proxy for polling day.

Voter ID is designed to prevent personation, the crime of pretending to be someone else when you vote. The Government acknowledges levels of fraud are low but argues that every ballot matters. They say that voter ID will protect voters from having their vote stolen.

The Electoral Commission are running a public awareness campaign on television, radio and online in early 2023. This is to help voters be ready for this change.