Voter ID

All voters are required to show one form of photographic identification (photo ID) at polling stations before they are given a ballot paper. It must be the original version, not a scan, photocopy or digital.

You cannot use a picture of the document on your phone, it must be the original document. 

If you have a form of accepted photo ID which is out of date, you can still use it as long as it still looks like you.

You are not required to provide photo ID for postal voting.

If your photo ID has expired it will still be accepted as long as the photograph is still a good likeness of you.

View accepted forms of photo ID

Get free photo ID for voting

If you do not have any of the accepted forms of photo ID, you can get a free photo ID document specific for the purposes of voting. This is called a Voter Authority Certificate. You can apply online, by post or in person.

We recommend that you do this in good time ahead of voter identification first being required in polling stations. The first time this will be asked for will be the local elections on Thursday 4 May 2023.

Register to Vote

You can apply online if you are registered on the electoral register.

Apply for photo ID to vote (called a ‘Voter Authority Certificate’) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Related content

Ways to vote

Contact details

Elections, Municipal Offices, Town Hall Square, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, DN31 1HU

[email protected]

Telephone: 01472 324160