Register to vote

You must register to be able to vote in elections and referendums in Scotland and the UK.

You can register to vote up to 2 years before you reach voting age: 

• aged 14 or older for Scottish Parliament and council elections 

• aged 16 or older for UK Parliament elections 

Your name and address will be added to the electoral register – sometimes called the electoral roll.

Before you register

You only need to register to vote once, not for every election.

You’ll be asked for your National Insurance number when you register – but you can still register without one. 

Find your National Insurance number on GOV.UK. 

If you’re registering as an overseas voter, you may also need your passport details.

Register to vote online

You can register to vote online on GOV.UK.

Register to vote by form

You can register to vote using a paper form.

Download a paper form on GOV.UK.

You'll need to print, fill out and send the form to your local Electoral Registration Office (ERO).

Find out how to contact your local ERO.

Register to vote anonymously

You can register to vote anonymously if you’re concerned about your details appearing on the electoral register for safety reasons.

You'll need to:

• explain why your safety, or the safety of another person in your house, would be at risk
• provide evidence to support your application

Register to vote anonymously on GOV.UK.

Register if you do not have a fixed or permanent address

You can still register if you do not have a fixed or permanent address. You may not have a permanent address if you are:

• homeless
• in the armed forces
• a student
• a Crown servant or a British Council employee
• the spouse of someone who is a Crown servant or British Council employee

Find out how to register without a fixed or permanent address on GOV.UK.

After you’ve registered to vote

Your local ERO will contact you to confirm that you've been registered to vote.

You can contact them at any time to check if you’re already registered.

Find out how to view the electoral register on GOV.UK.

If your details change 

If you change your name, address or nationality, you will need to register to vote again – even if you’re already registered.  

Register with your new details on GOV.UK.