Register to vote (Crown servants and British Council employees)

Use this service to get on the electoral register or update your details if you’re posted abroad as:

  • a Crown servant (for example diplomatic or overseas civil service)
  • a British Council employee
  • the spouse or civil partner of a Crown servant or British Council employee

You can do this before you leave or if you’re already abroad.

Deadline for registering to vote in the 2 May 2024 elections

Register by 11:59pm on 16 April 2024 to vote in the following elections on 2 May 2024:

  • Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales
  • local government elections in England
  • parish council elections in England 
  • local authority mayoral elections
  • combined authority mayoral elections
  • Mayor of London and London Assembly elections

Voting from overseas

If you’re abroad, you can vote:

  • by post
  • by applying to have someone else vote for you (voting by proxy) 

You must be registered to vote in the UK before you can apply to vote by post or proxy.

Voting by post

If you’re applying for your postal vote online, you must apply by 5pm on 17 April 2024.

If you’re applying for your postal vote by post, you must get your postal vote application to your local Electoral Registration Office by 5pm on 17 April 2024.

It takes time for an overseas postal voting ballot pack to reach you and for it to get back to the UK, especially if your local postal services are irregular or if you live far from the UK.

Voting by proxy

If you’re applying for your proxy vote online, you must apply by 5pm on 24 April 2024.

If you’re applying for your proxy vote by post, you must get your proxy vote application to your local Electoral Registration Office by 5pm on 24 April 2024.

Register online

Registering takes around 5 minutes.

You only need to register once - you do not need to register separately for every election.

You’ll need your National Insurance number, if you have one. You’ll also need your payroll or staff ID number (usually found on your payslip).

Start now

Other ways to apply

You can also register by post (England, Scotland and Wales).

There’s a different form for registering by post in Northern Ireland.

Children of Crown servants or British Council employees

How you register to vote depends on where you’re from.

If you’re from England, Wales or Northern Ireland

You can register when you turn 16.

Register to vote as an overseas voter if you’re from England or Wales.

Register by post if you’re from Northern Ireland and the child of a Crown servant or British Council employee.

If you’re from Scotland

Register by post if you’re from Scotland. Both of the following must apply:

  • you’re either 14 or 15 years old
  • you live with your parent or guardian overseas

Send the form to your local Electoral Registration Office.

If you’re not a Crown servant or British Council employee

There’s a different way to register to vote if you’re in the armed forces.

Part of Vote in UK elections

  1. Step 1 Check if you can vote

    1. Check which elections you can vote in

  2. Step 2 Register to vote

    You need to register to vote in elections and referendums. You need to register again if you have changed your name, address or nationality.

    1. Register to vote online
    1. Register to vote using a paper form

  3. Step 3 Decide if you want to vote in person, by post, or by proxy

    1. Find out the different ways you can vote

  4. Step 4 Get ready to vote in person

    1. Check what ID you need to vote

    Contact your local electoral registration office to find your polling station or to find out what to do if you have accessibility needs.

    1. Contact the local electoral registration office

  5. or Apply for a postal vote

    In England, Scotland or Wales:

    You must apply no later than 5pm, 11 working days before the election.

    1. Apply in Northern Ireland

  6. or Apply for a proxy vote

    In England, Scotland or Wales:

    You must apply by 5pm, at least 6 working days before polling day.

    1. Apply in Northern Ireland

  7. or Get ready to vote as a proxy

    1. Check what ID you need to vote

    Contact the local electoral registration office of the person you are a proxy for to find their polling station or to find out what to do if you have accessibility issues.

    1. Contact the local electoral registration office

  8. Step 5 Vote in person

    1. Vote in person

  9. or Vote by post

    1. Vote by post

  10. or Vote as a proxy for someone else

    1. Vote as a proxy for someone else