Check your eligibility and register to vote in UK elections

How to register to vote

You must be aged 16 or over (or 14 or over in Scotland and Wales).

You must also be one of the following:

• a British citizen
• an Irish or EU citizen living in the UK
• a Commonwealth citizen who has permission to enter or stay in the UK, or who does not need permission
• a citizen of another country living in Scotland or Wales who has permission to enter or stay in the UK, or who does not need permission

Check which elections you’re eligible to vote in.

In order to take part in both local and national elections, you will need to be on the electoral register. Registering to vote only takes five minutes. You can make sure your voice is heard in UK elections by registering today.

Registering to vote has other useful benefits. For example, if you want to rent property, apply for a mobile phone contract, or sign up for a credit card, it helps if you are on the electoral roll.

You can register in your home and term time addresses

If you're a student, you may be able to register to vote at both your home address and your term-time address. However, this does not mean that you can vote more than once in elections taking place on the same day.

Discover more information from the electoral commission on voting as a student

Not sure if you're registered? Here's how to check

To check if you are registered to vote already, you'll need to contact your local electoral registration office. If you’re registered to vote, you’ll be on the electoral register. This is something that your local council holds, so they’ll be able to tell you if you’re registered. Imperial does not have copies of electoral registers, so can’t tell you if you are registered. To find the contact details for your local electoral registration office, just enter your postcode online.

Find your local electoral office

Voter ID

From 4 May 2023, you will need to show photo ID to vote at polling stations in some elections. This will also apply to UK General elections from October 2023.

You may already hold an acceptable form of photo ID. These include:

• a 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
• a 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
• an identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card).

If you don't have an acceptable form of photo ID, you can apply for a free voter ID document, known as a Voter Authority Certificate.

Find out more about accepted forms of photo ID
Find out more about Applying for a Voter Authority Certificate