Register to vote

How to register

The registration process is called individual electoral registration.

• Everyone is responsible for registering themselves.
• You need to provide a few more details to register – including your national insurance number and date of birth.

You can register to vote here.

Reasons to register:

• enables you to vote in an election.
• obtain a mortgage or credit.
• by law you must register.

Special arrangements for registering to vote:

• Anonymously if you're in danger.
• As a Crown servant or as a British Council employee.
• If you live or work abroad.
• If you're a student or you have two addresses.
• If you're in the armed forces.
• You have no fixed address.
• You are a prisoner on remand.

After you've registered

• Completing a registration form does not automatically add you to the electoral register.
• Your details will be checked and verified. 
• You will receive a letter confirming that you are registered/ or asking for more information.
• You can find out when your name will appear on the register.

Who can register?

You can register to vote if you are:

• 16 or older (although you can't vote until you're 18)
• a British citizen; or
• an Irish, qualifying Commonwealth, or European Union citizen living in the UK

If you are student living away from home, you can register at both your home and university term time address. Registering to vote at your term time address means you can choose where you vote.

You can still register to vote if you have no fixed address. You will need a declaration of local connection to show that you are connected to and spend time at a particular place.

When is the electoral register updated?

The Electoral Register is updated on the first working day of every month. If we receive your application by: