Reapplying for your postal vote

Since 31 October 2023, it is no longer possible to have a permanent postal vote. Instead, your postal vote will be in place until the third 31 January after your initial application was granted.

For example, if you applied for a postal vote on 1 January 2025, your postal vote remains in place until 31 January 2027, unless you cancel it in the meantime. However, if you applied for a postal vote on 1 February 2025, you need to reapply by 31 January 2028.

We will write to you when your postal vote is due for renewal to remind you that you will need to reapply if you want to keep voting by post.

If you submit another application during the period that your postal vote is valid, then the ‘up to 3 year’ period will start when your latest application was received.

Existing postal voters

If you already had a postal vote in place before 31 October 2023, and want to continue to vote by post, you will need to reapply. Your existing postal vote will remain valid until 31 January 2026.

We will write to you in October or November 2025 with information about renewing your postal vote.

Page last updated: 2 October 2025