Voter ID - What you need to know

If you want to vote in person (including those acting as a proxy), you will be required to provide an accepted form of photographic ID to prove your identity before you are issued with a ballot paper.

Accepted forms of photo ID

A full list of accepted forms of photo ID can be found on the Electoral Commission website.

You will only need to show one form of photo ID. It needs to be the original version and not a photocopy.

Out of date photo ID

You can still use your photo ID if it's out of date, as long as it looks like you.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

You can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate online, by post or in person.

The deadline to apply is 5pm, six working days before any election. 

For the Solihull Council local election on Thursday 7 May 2026, the deadline to apply is 5pm on Tuesday 28 April 2026.

Apply online

You will be able to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate at voter-authority-certificate.service.gov.uk/.

Apply by post

You will also be able to apply by filling out a paper application form and sending this to the electoral services team at Solihull Council. You can download the application form.

You can also request the instructions in large print, braille or easy read by contacting the electoral services team.

Please print and complete the application form and post it to:

Solihull Council
Electoral Services
Council House
Manor Square
Solihull
B91 3QB. 

Apply in person

You can also apply in person at our Solihull Connect offices, located at:

Solihull Connect at The Core
Theatre Square
Solihull
B91 3RG

Solihull Connect at The Bluebell Centre
Ground Floor West Mall
Chelmsley Wood
Solihull
B37 5TN

Solihull Connect is open Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 4:00pm, except Wednesdays when are open between 10:00am and 4:30pm. 

We are closed during bank holidays.

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

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.  The electoral services team will contact you about this.  

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

Our electoral services team will process your application and send the Voter Authority Certificate 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 Solihull Council, in line with data protection regulations.

If you've changed your name

The name on your ID must match the name on the electoral register. If it doesn't match, you can:

• reregister to vote 
• send us proof that your name has changed (e.g. a copy of your marriage certificate, an official deed poll certificate)*

*Copies should be emailed to election@solihull.gov.uk. Please provide your name and address in any correspondence.  

If the deadline to register to vote in an upcoming election has passed, you will need to bring this documentation with you to the polling station. 

Small differences between your name and photo ID do not matter. For example, if your ID says "Andy" instead of "Andrew". 

For more information, please visit electoralcommission.org.uk/voterID.