Voter ID FAQs

There has always been a form of identity check at polling stations, where electors have had to confirm their name and address.  However under the Elections Act 2022, from the local elections in May 2023, electors are now required to produce photographic identification when they vote in person at a polling station. 

This is a policy decision by Central Government to ensure the integrity of elections.

An elector must present one of the following forms of photographic identification in order to vote in person at the polling station:

International Travel

• A passport issued by the United Kingdom, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state or a Commonwealth country (including an Irish passport)

Driving and Parking

• 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

Local Travel

• Older Person’s Bus Pass funded by the UK Government;
• Disabled Persons' Bus Pass funded by the UK Government;
• Oyster 60+ Card funded by the UK Government;
• 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 or War Disabled 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 the EEA state;
• Electoral Identity Card issued in Northern Ireland;
• A Voter Authority Certificate or a temporary Voter Authority Certificate;
• An Anonymous elector’s document.

If you do not possess one of the accepted forms of photographic identification listed above, or you're not sure whether your photo ID looks like, you will be able to apply to Test Valley Borough Council for a free Voter Authority Certificate.  Please see the next FAQ on how you can do this.

The deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate for a particular election will be six working days prior to the day of poll. 

You will only need to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate if you do not already have an acceptable form of photographic identification.

The quickest and easiest way to apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate is online.  You will need to provide your national insurance number as part of the application, as well as uploading a digital photograph.  

If you are unable to apply online, you can apply using a paper application form.  You will need to supply a hard copy photograph with the application.  Please contact Electoral Services on 01264 368000 or elecreg@testvalley.gov.uk if you require a paper application form to be sent to you in the post.  Copies can also be collected from our Andover and Romsey offices.

If you require assistance to apply for your Voter Authority Certificate, you will be able to do this in person at our offices in Andover or Romsey, where a member of staff will be able to assist you with completing an application.

Once an application has been processed and agreed, the document should be printed within 1-2 days and sent first class via Royal Mail to your registered address.

You may request during your application to collect the document in person from our Offices. You will be asked to provide the reason for this request, and this may be made available if the reason is considered acceptable/exceptional.  We will notify you of where and at what times the document can be collected. 

Please note that the document may only be collected by you.  Providing contact details will mean that Electoral Services can more easily contact you when it's ready for collection.

Yes, you will need to be registered to vote, in order to be issued with a Voter Authority Certificate.

If you are not registered, you will be able to submit an application for a Voter Authority Certificate at the same time as you submit an application to register to vote.

If you are unsure as to whether you are registered, please contact Electoral Services on 01264 368000 or elecreg@testvalley.gov.uk.

The photo requirements will be similar to passport requirements. The photograph must be:

• a close-up of the face and shoulders, with the applicant facing forwards and with a plain expression;
• in colour and taken against a plain, light background;
• with no other objects or people in the photo:
• without the applicant wearing sunglasses or head coverings (with the exception of head coverings for medical or religious reasons);
• in sharp focus;
• with no glare or shadows over the face and free from redeye;
• undamaged;
• a true likeness of the applicant, without amendment or manipulation.

If you forget to take your ID to the polling station, you will be advised to leave and will be able to vote when you return with appropriate identification, assuming that you are registered and eligible to vote.

If the photographic identification has expired, it will still be accepted so long as the photograph is still of a good likeness of you.

If necessary, some supporting documents for a name change, such as a marriage certificate or deed poll, will be accepted in polling stations for the purpose of demonstrating a name change.

You will need to take this supporting document to the polling station, in addition to the photographic identification document.

Proxy voters will need to produce their own photographic identification in the polling station in order to show that they are the named proxy.

They will not need to produce identification for the elector on whose behalf they are voting.

No, if you cast your vote by post, then you will not be required to show photographic ID.

You may be asked to provide additional evidence to prove your identity for a Voter Authority Certificate.  This will be because your identity was not able to be verified as part of your application process.

The correspondence will outline the various documents that you can provide to assist us with verifying your application.

In some circumstances, an elector may also provide an attestation to verify their identity.

Please contact Electoral Services on 01264 368000 or elecreg@testvalley.gov.uk as soon as possible so that we can discuss your options with you.

Given the wide array of professional and educational organisations that provide photographic ID, it would not be difficult to create a fraudulent form of ID.  However, some student cards are PASS accredited and so would be accepted.  All accredited PASS cards bear the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram.

In relation to railcards, while they are considered concessionary travel passes, the government does not believe this would be an appropriate form of ID as they are insufficiently secure.  Similarly, the 18+ Oyster card does not have a suitably secure application process for it to be used as photographic ID at polling stations (unlike the 60+ Oyster card, which has more rigorous processes).

Photocopies of identification documents or pictures on mobile phones of identification documents will not be accepted as photo-editing software could be used to edit them, thus making them susceptible to fraudulent alteration.

There will be a private area in each polling station which will allow voters wishing to have their form of identification to be viewed in private to do so.

This may be achieved in a variety of ways and will depend on the venue being used as polling station. For some stations, this may be through the provision of privacy screens or, in others, using an existing partition or a separate room to facilitate this.

Where necessary, we will provide a mirror in polling stations to assist people who wear face coverings to remove them for the purposes of checking identification (and specifically to provide reassurance that they have been properly replaced following the check).

Please contact Electoral Services on 01264 368000 or elecreg@testvalley.gov.uk should you have any specific concerns or queries on this matter.

No.  Electors will not need to show any form of identification in order to hand in their own, or another person’s, postal vote to the polling station.

No, you will not be able to use your Voter Authority Certificate as an identity document for any purpose other than voting, as it will not include your date of birth or address details.

Voter Authority Certificates will not have an expiry date but will include a recommended renewal date for after 10 years.

However, the Voter Authority Certificate is only valid so long as the photograph remains a good likeness of you.

If you have moved, although you will need to register to vote at your new address, you will not need to apply for a new Voter Authority Certificate.

You will be able to use your Voter Authority Certificate in all polls across Great Britain where Voter ID is required.

If you do not want to vote in person at a polling station then you can apply to vote by post or by proxy.  More information on these options can be found on our Registering to Vote and Voting in Elections pages.