Voter ID

About Voter ID

Voters in Wales need to show photo ID to vote at polling stations in some elections.

This applies to:

• Police and Crime Commissioner elections
• UK parliamentary by-elections
• Recall petitions
• From October 2023 it will also apply to UK General elections.

If you don't have accepted photo ID, you can apply for a free voter ID document (external website), which is known as a Voter Authority Certificate.

Voters in Wales will not need to show photo ID to vote at a polling station at Senedd elections or local council elections.

More information on Voter ID can be found on the Electoral Commission website (external website)

Accepted forms of photo 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 (including an Irish Passport Card) 

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

• Older Person’s Bus Pass funded by the Government of the United Kingdom
• Disabled Person’s Bus Pass funded by the Government of the United Kingdom
• Oyster 60+ Card funded by the Government of the United Kingdom
• 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 (external website)
• Anonymous Elector's Document (external website)

If you don't have an accepted form of photo ID

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 (external website) before applying for a Voter Authority Certificate.

Find out how to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate (external website).

Out of date photo ID

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.

Showing ID as an anonymous elector

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

Find out more about registering to vote anonymously (external website) and how to vote anonymously (external website).

Apply for photo ID to vote (called a 'Voter Authority Certificate') (GOV.UK website).