Register to vote

Who can register

If you live in England

You must be aged 16 or over.

You can register to vote if you’re a British citizen or an Irish citizen.

You can also register if you have permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man - or you do not need permission - and you’re a:

• Commonwealth citizen
• citizen of Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal or Spain
• citizen of another EU country, if you have had permission to enter or stay - or not needed permission - since 31 December 2020, and this has continued without a break

Register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

You’ll need your National Insurance Number. If you can't find it you can find a lost national insurance number on gov.uk or call the National Insurance Numbers helpline on 0300 200 3502.

If you still can't give your National Insurance number you'll be asked to say why. We may contact you for more information so we can check your identity.

Applying to vote, doesn't automatically add you to the electoral register. We have to check your details first, then you'll get a letter either confirming that you're registered, or asking you for more information.

The deadline to register to vote is midnight on the twelfth working day before an election. See Upcoming Elections

Further details on who is eligible to vote can be found on the Electoral Commission’s website 

Why you should register

• You must be on the electoral register to vote in all elections and referenda held in the United Kingdom, including local and parliamentary elections.
• By law, you must register to vote or you could be fined up to £80.
• If you are not on the register you may find it harder to get a loan, mortgage, finance agreement, or even a mobile phone contract as the electoral register is used by credit reference agencies as part of their checks.