Apply for a postal vote
Use this service to apply for a postal vote in:
- general elections and other UK Parliamentary elections
- local elections in England (including mayors)
- Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales
- referendums
- MP recall petitions
You must be registered to vote in the UK before you can apply.
You must apply no later than 5pm, 11 working days before the first election you want a postal vote for.
If you’re registered to vote anonymously, apply for your postal vote through your local Electoral Registration Office.
There’s a different way to apply:
- in Northern Ireland
- for the Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliament), Scottish Parliament and local elections in Scotland and Wales using a paper form
This service is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).
Before you start
You’ll need:
- the address where you are registered to vote
- your National Insurance number or other identity documents, for example a passport
- the specific date of the election or referendum you want to make a postal vote, if you only want a one-off postal vote
You’ll also need to upload a photo of your handwritten signature in black ink on plain white paper.
If you cannot provide a signature or one that always looks the same, you may be able to apply for a postal vote signature waiver within the service.
You might be asked for extra documents to identify you.
Other ways to apply
If you cannot apply online, download and fill in a postal vote application form. Send it to your local Electoral Registration Office.
Contact your local Electoral Registration Office who can post you a paper form.
If you cannot sign a printed form, contact your local Electoral Registration Office.