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

Anyone who has had a postal vote in place since 30 January 2024 or earlier will need to reapply for their postal vote before 31 January 2026.

Anyone who has not already reapplied recently will have received a letter asking them to reapply, and advising them how to do so.

Page last updated: 29 October 2025