ID to vote
Three options to prove your identity and address
To vote, you must be a Canadian citizen and at least 18 years old on election day.
Other languages and printable format
List of accepted ID to prove your identity and address under Option 2
From a government or government agency
- band membership card
- birth certificate
- Canadian citizenship card or certificate
- Canadian Forces identity card
- Canadian passport (accepted only as proof of identity)
- card issued by an Inuit local authority
- firearms licence
- government cheque or cheque stub
- government statement of benefits
- health card
- income tax assessment
- Indian status card or temporary confirmation of registration
- library card
- licence or card issued for fishing, trapping or hunting
- liquor identity card
- Métis card
- old age security card
- parolee card
- property tax assessment or evaluation
- public transportation card
- social insurance number card
- vehicle ownership
- Veterans Affairs health care identification card
From Elections Canada
- targeted revision form to residents of long-term care facilities
- voter information card
From an educational institution
- correspondence issued by a school, college or university
- student identity card
From a health care facility or organization
- blood donor card
- CNIB card
- hospital card
- label on a prescription container
- identity bracelet issued by a hospital or long-term care facility
- medical clinic card
From a financial institution
- bank statement
- credit card
- credit card statement
- credit union statement
- debit card
- insurance certificate, policy or statement
- mortgage contract or statement
- pension plan statement
- personal cheque
From a private organization
- employee card
- residential lease or sub-lease
- utility bill (e.g.: electricity; water; telecommunications services, including telephone, cable or satellite)
Letters of confirmation
- letter from a public curator, public guardian or public trustee
- letter of confirmation of residence from a First Nations band or reserve or an Inuit local authority
- letter of confirmation of residence, letter of stay, admission form, or statement of benefits from one of the following designated establishments:
- student residence
- seniors’ residence
- long-term care facility
- shelter
- soup kitchen
- a community-based residential facility
Other pieces of ID may be added. We accept e-statements and e-invoices. Print them or show them on a mobile device.
This list of accepted ID is also available in multiple languages. For the list in other formats, such as braille and audio, call 1-800-463-6868 or 1-800-361-8935 (TTY).
Important information about ID
- We accept pieces of ID in their original format. If your document was issued electronically, like an e-statement or an e-invoice, bring a printout or show it on a mobile device.
- We accept different pieces of ID from the same source if the documents serve different purposes. For example, we accept an invoice and a transcript from the same school.
- The pieces of ID must be issued with your name and current address. They can't be added by hand, unless they are added by the issuer of the document, like a residence administrator or a guardian.
- Expired ID can be used as a proof of identity if it has your name and as a proof of residence if it has your name and current address.
- The pieces of ID listed above are authorized by the Chief Electoral Officer. No other pieces will be accepted.
- The pieces of ID required for a federal election are not the same as for provincial, territorial or municipal elections.