Documentary evidence for electoral registration

Certain types of evidence may be required to process your application to join the electoral register.

Why evidence is needed

In some cases, we are unable to process your application to register because we have not been able to confirm your identity, which we are required to do by law.

If this happens, we need you to provide documentary evidence. Until this evidence is received, we are unable to add you to the electoral register.

Evidence to provide

There are three categories of evidence.

You will need to provide either:

• One document from type 1, or
• Three documents from type 2, or
• One document from type 2 AND two documents from type 3, or
• Four documents from type 3

Type 1

• Any current passport
• Biometric residence permit (UK issued only)
• Valid EEA ID card 
• Photocard part of a current driving licence (UK, Isle of Man or Channel Islands, full or provisional)
• Northern Ireland Electoral ID card

Type 2

UK only:

• Old style paper version of a current driving licence

UK and Crown Dependencies only:

• Current photo driving licence 
• Birth certificate 
• Marriage or Civil Partnership certificate 
• Firearms licence
• Police bail sheet

Type 3

Issued in the last 12 months:

• Mortgage statement

Issued in the last 3 months:

• Bank or Building Society statement
• Bank or Building Society account opening confirmation letter
• Credit card statement
• Financial statement eg pension or endowment
• Council Tax statement 
• Utility bill
• P45 or P60 statement eg Child Benefit, Pension
• Central or local government agency, or local government department giving entitlement eg from DWP, Job Centre Plus or HMRC