Cheapest photo ID for voting

To vote in the 2024 General Election, you need a form of ID 

The 4 July General Election is just around the corner, and this time, you’ll need a form of photo ID when you get to the polls in order to vote. 

If you’re keen to vote but don’t want to pay an eye-watering £88.50 for a passport, here are some of the cheapest forms of ID you can use, including a couple of free methods. You can also check out our guide on why registering to vote can boost your credit rating.

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What forms of ID can I use?

We’re only going to be talking about the costs of the cheapest forms of ID here, but here are all the forms of ID that can be used at the polls:

• UK or Northern Ireland photocard driving licence (full or provisional)
• a driving licence issued by an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Isle of Man or any of the Channel Islands
• UK passport
• Passport issued by an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or a Commonwealth country
• PASS card (National Proof of Age Standards Scheme)
• Blue Badge
• Biometric residence permit
• Defence Identity Card
• National identity card issued by the EU, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
• Northern Ireland Electoral Identity Card
• Voter Authority Certificate
• Anonymous Elector’s Document
• 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
• Northern Ireland concessionary travel pass

What if my ID has expired?

It doesn’t matter if your form of ID has expired, so you can dig out an old passport or driving licence and you’ll be able to use that as long as your photo still looks like you. 

These are the best ways to avoid paying for a photo ID ahead of the polls. 

What’s the cheapest ID I can get to vote?

The cheapest way of providing your identity when you vote is by applying for a free Voter Authority Certificate. This can’t be used as ID in any other scenario, though.

Get a Voter Authority Certificate: free

You can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate, which would let you vote in some elections and referendums in Great Britain. You can’t use this as ID in other circumstances, though. 

You need a recent digital photo of yourself and your National Insurance number to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate. 

When applying, the form will take you through all the ID options to confirm you need one of these. You’ll need to know what address you’re registered to vote at. 

You’ll need to do this by 5pm on 26 June 2024. You can apply here.

Vote by post: free

This is one of the easiest ways to vote, as you don’t have to be around on polling day to vote.

You don’t need ID to vote by post — but you do need to apply to do this. You can apply to vote by post for either a one-off election or for all elections in a three-year period. 

To apply to vote by post, you can fill out this form online. You’ll need to provide your address, your National Insurance number, the date of the election you’ll want to vote for and a photograph of your signature. 

When voting by post, your ballot is sent out to you and you fill it in and send it back. It’s freepost, so you don’t have to buy a stamp. You can also drop it at your local polling station before 10pm on election day. 

You must apply for a postal vote by 5pm on 19 June 2024.

PASS card: £15

The PASS card is a proof-of-age card that can be used by anyone in the UK as proof of ID. You can get a card for as little as £15. 

There are several different providers for these cards, but the best we’ve found is £15 with the Post Office or MyID Card. These often give you a digital card you can use right away (although we checked and this can’t be used for voting), or you can have a physical card sent out to you. You can see the full list of PASS card providers here.

Driving licence: £34 

If you’re not a driver, you can still apply for a provisional driving licence for £34. This can then be used as photo ID going forward.

You’ll need your three-year address history, a passport photograph, and other identity documents, such as your birth certificate and National Insurance number. 

Replacement driving licence: £20

If you’ve had a full or provisional driving licence before but you’ve lost it, then you could apply for a replacement for £20.

Again, you’ll need your three-year address history and your driving licence number, National Insurance number and/or your passport number. 

Passport: £88.50

The most expensive option is to get a passport. This costs £88.50 for your first one when you apply online and you’ll need a digital passport photo — although you can do this with your phone for free. 

You can apply for a passport here. You may need to send in documents, such as your birth certificate in order to verify your identity.

It’ll take about three weeks for your passport to arrive. If you’re getting your first passport as an adult then you may need to have an interview, which means that the process might take more than three weeks.