Voters will head to the polls on December 12 for a general election.

Here is what you need to know about registering to vote.

What is the deadline?

You must register by midnight on November 26 to vote in the General Election on December 12.

You can register online here. It takes about five minutes.

If you want to apply to vote by post, register before:

5pm on 26 November if you live in England, Scotland or Wales

5pm on 21 November if you live in Northern Ireland

If you’re going to be abroad on election day, you can apply to vote by proxy after you’ve registered. It takes time to vote by post from overseas.

Who can register?

You’re eligible to register to vote in elections if you’re both:

  • aged 16 or over (or 14 or over in Scotland)
  • a UK citizen (or an Irish, EU or Commonwealth citizen with a permanent UK address)

Registering online

Register to get your name on the electoral register. You need to be on the electoral register to vote in elections and referendums.

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

You’ll be asked for your National Insurance number (but you can still register if you do not have one).

After you’ve registered, your name and address will appear on the electoral register.

What happens if I've moved and not updated my address?

You will need to update your registration details.

The ‘Register to vote’ service allows you to:

  • change your name, address or nationality
  • get on or off the open register

To do this, you need to register again with your new details (even if you’re already registered to vote).

For more details on registering to vote click here.