Photo ID at polling stations from May 2023

From 4 May 2023, people who wish to vote in person (including those acting as a proxy), will be required to produce an accepted form of photographic ID to prove their identity before they will be issued with a ballot paper.

This will apply to:

Local elections
Town and parish elections
Neighbourhood planning referendums
UK parliamentary elections (the requirement for voter ID to be provided at UK parliamentary elections will take effect for polls after 5 October 2023)
Police and crime commissioner elections

There is currently no requirement for postal voters to provide photographic identification for the May 2023 election.

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

Driving and parking

Driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state
A Blue Badge

Local travel

Older Person's Bus Pass
Disabled Person's Bus Pass
Oyster 60+ Card
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)

Out of date photo ID

You can still use your photo ID if it's out of date, as long as it looks like you.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.

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 before applying for a Voter Authority Certificate.

How do I apply for a Voter Authority Certificate and what is the deadline to apply?

For the local, town parish council elections taking place on Thursday 4 May 2023, the deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate is 5pm on Tuesday 25 April 2023.

Apply online

Apply for photo ID to vote (Voter Authority Certificate)

Apply by post

You will also be able to apply by filling out a paper application form and sending this to the Democratic Services team at Cheshire West and Chester Council. You can request the instructions in large print, braille or easy read.

Apply for a Voter Authority Certificate by post

Apply in person

From March 2023, you will also be able to apply in person. To book an appointment with a dedicated customer service adviser, telephone: 0300 123 8 123.

Chester: Chester Town Hall (side entrance)
Ellesmere Port: The Portal
Northwich: Information Centre
Winsford: Wyvern House

Information you will need to provide

When applying for a Voter Authority Certificate, you will need to provide your:

name
address
date of birth
National Insurance number

You should apply using the same name that you used to register to vote. You will not need to provide your gender, and your certificate will not have a gender marker.

If you don't know your National Insurance number or don't have one

You can find your National Insurance number on:

payslips
official letters about tax, pensions or benefits
or you can get in touch with HMRC

You can still apply if you don't know your National Insurance number, or don't have one. You will need to provide other forms of proof of identity, such as a birth certificate, bank statement and a utility bill. If you don't have any other accepted proof of identity, you can ask someone you know to confirm your identity. This is known as an attestation.

Providing a photograph

You will need to submit a photo with your application. The requirements for the photo are similar to the requirements for a passport photo.

Processing your application

Cheshire West and Chester Council will process your application and the Voter Authority Certificate will be sent to you by post along with instructions on how to use it. Voter Authority Certificates do not have an expiration date, but it's recommended that you renew your certificate after 10 years.

All data you provide when applying for a certificate will be stored securely by Cheshire West and Chester Council in line with data protection regulations.