Register to vote

To register to vote, you must be aged 16 or over (but you cannot vote until you are 18) and one of the following:

a UK or Irish citizen
a qualifying Commonwealth citizen living in the UK
a qualifying EU citizen living in the UK

If you are not sure whether you are a qualifying citizen, please refer to the Electoral Commission webpage on registering to vote.

You should add your details to the electoral register as soon as you can. If you do not know whether you are already registered to vote, please contact us using the details below, providing your full name and address.

As part of the application, you will need to provide your:

Full name
Full address
Your date of birth
Your nationality
Your National Insurance number

Not being registered can not only affect your ability to vote, but can also affect things such as your credit score and ability to get credit for purchases (such as for a mobile phone contract).

To complete an online application, please visit gov.uk/register-to-vote.

Please note that if you are not a British citizen, there are some types of election and referendums you might not be able to vote in. More information about voting entitlement is available on the UK government’s website.

What if I don’t know my National Insurance number?

If you have lost or are not sure of your National Insurance number, you can visit the government’s website and ask for a replacement to be sent to you.

If you have any other problems with providing the required information to register, please get in touch with the Elections team for further assistance.

What if my details have changed?

If you have moved home, you need to register again at your new home, even if it’s in the same area as your old home. You will also need to reapply for any absent votes that you had in place, such as a postal vote.

If you have recently changed your name or nationality, you can submit a new application at gov.uk/register-to-vote to update your details.

Can I help someone else register?

You can help a friend or relative register to vote if you have their date of birth, address and National Insurance number.

If they also need help voting, they could apply to vote by post, but will need to be able to provide a consistent signature. If they are unable to do so, they may be eligible to apply for a waiver. Please contact the Elections team for further guidance.

Alternatively, they could have somebody vote on their behalf at the polling station.

I do not have a fixed address, can I register to vote?

If you live overseas

If you spend more than six months of the year abroad, then you should register online as an overseas elector .

You should also consider applying for an absent vote, such as a postal or proxy vote.

If you are in the armed forces

You can register online as either a service voter or ordinary voter if you are a member of the armed forces, or the spouse or civil partner of someone in the armed forces.

By registering as a service voter you can remain registered at a fixed address for five years, but registering as an ordinary elector will mean that you will need to register each time that you move house.

You should also consider applying for an absent vote, such as a postal or proxy vote.

If you have no fixed address or are homeless

You can still register to vote even if you do not have a fixed address. This may be because you are:

a patient in a mental health hospital
homeless
a merchant seaman
part of the gypsy or travelling community
living on a boat or other movable residence
a person remanded in custody (but not a convicted prisoner)

If you are staying at an address for an extended length of time then you can be considered as residing there and can register at that address. This could be a hospital, hostel, permanent mooring or similar place.

If you don’t have a permanent address, you can register at an address where you spend a lot of your time or have some connection. This could be a previous permanent address, shelter or similar place.

Download register to vote form (no fixed address)