Do you need a polling card to vote?
Can I still vote without bringing my polling card, and what do I need to take to the polling station in order to vote?
Voting is underway as hundreds of councillors are set to be elected across England, while there are also elections to decide assemblies in Scotland and Wales.
Polling stations opened at 7am on Thursday, May 7, and will remain open until 10pm tonight, after which the first results are likely to be announced.
Follow all the latest in our live blog here. Keep reading for what you need to know about the polling card rules.
Other details about the local election day
- What time do election polls open and when will there be results?
- Can I still cast a postal vote in the 2026 election?
What do I need to bring to the polling station to take part?
In a relatively recent change, voters are required to bring identification with them to the polling station.
Boris Johnson was famously caught out by this when trying to vote in 2024, despite having introduced the rule during his own term as prime minister.
You’ll need one of the following types of photo ID to vote:
- UK or Northern Ireland photocard driving licence (full or provisional)
- 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 (BRP)
- Defence Identity Card (MOD form 90)
- HM Armed Forces Veteran Card (MOD form 100)
- National identity card issued by an EU country, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
- Northern Ireland Electoral Identity Card
- Voter Authority Certificate
- Anonymous Elector’s Document