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Your Voter ID (officially the EPIC, Electoral Photo Identity Card) is issued by the Election Commission of India, not UIDAI or any private agency. The e-EPIC, a digital PDF version, is legally valid as identity and address proof under the Representation of the People Act, and can be downloaded free once your mobile number is registered in the electoral roll. If yours isn’t, start with a correction request to add it.
Who Can Register
To be added to the electoral roll, you must be an Indian citizen, an ordinary resident of the constituency, and at least 18 on the qualifying date. A few details here are widely misunderstood, so they’re worth knowing before you apply.
- You no longer have to wait for 1 January.
- The law now has four cut-offs a year: 1 January, 1 April, 1 July, and 1 October.
- You’re eligible from the first of these you turn 18 by.
- You can submit an advance application once you turn 17.
- Your name is added when you actually turn 18 on the next qualifying date.
- You can only vote after your name is on the roll.
- Indian citizens abroad who haven’t taken foreign citizenship can register.
- They use Form 6A with Indian passport details.
- They register at the address in their passport.
A person who is not a citizen of India, or who has taken citizenship of another country, cannot be registered as a voter.
The Official Voter Portal
All genuine Voter ID services, registration, download, correction, and status, run through the Election Commission’s own channels. There is only one official portal and one official app; avoid any other site that asks for payment or personal details.
The official ECI website for new registration (Form 6), e-EPIC download, corrections (Form 8), and status tracking.
The official ECI mobile app (Android and iOS) offering the same services on your phone, including e-EPIC download.
Documents for New Registration
To register as a voter (Form 6), you generally need one document from each list below. Any single document showing both your name and the required detail is enough.
- Aadhaar Card
- PAN Card
- Indian Passport
- Driving Licence
- Birth certificate
- Class 10 marksheet (for age)
- Aadhaar Card
- Passport
- Driving Licence
- Recent utility bill (water, electricity, gas)
- Bank or post office passbook
- Registered rent agreement
- One recent passport-size photograph
- A mobile number for OTP
- Email ID (optional but useful)
This is a general list. The Election Commission updates accepted documents from time to time, so check the current list on voters.eci.gov.in before you apply.
Voter Forms
The Election Commission uses a set of standard forms, and picking the right one is half the battle. All of them are filed online after logging in at voters.eci.gov.in. Tap a form below to open it on the official portal.
- Register as a new voter for the first time, or after moving to a new constituency.
- Fill Form 6 on the portal
- Register as an overseas (NRI) elector using Indian passport details.
- Fill Form 6A on the portal
- Object to or request removal of a name (deceased, shifted, or duplicate voter).
- Fill Form 7 on the portal
- Correct name, photo, DOB, or address, shift residence, replace a lost EPIC, or mark PwD.
- Read our Form 8 guide
- Move your entry to a different booth within the same constituency.
- Fill Form 8A on the portal
- Search your name first: if you’re not found, it’s Form 6; if found but a detail is wrong, it’s Form 8.
- Find your record first
Filing any of these is free. You’ll need to log in with your mobile number and OTP first; forms then appear under the portal’s Forms section.
Who’s Who: BLO, ERO & Other Officials
When you apply or correct a voter record, a few official titles come up. Here’s who they are, in plain terms, so you know who handles your application and who to approach if it’s stuck.
- A local government official (often a teacher) tied to your specific polling booth.
- Does the field verification, may visit your address after you apply.
- Your first point of contact for a stuck application.
- The officer in charge of the electoral roll for your Assembly Constituency.
- Approves or rejects your application after the BLO’s verification.
- Statutorily responsible for an error-free roll.
- Assists the ERO and can also dispose of applications.
- Handles part of the constituency’s workload under the ERO.
- Oversees all electoral work across the entire district.
- Coordinates EROs, training, and polling-station facilities.
- Heads election work for the whole state or UT.
- Your state CEO website carries local rolls, dates, and BLO details.
- Stuck application? Go BLO → ERO/AERO → DEO, in that order.
- Or call the voter helpline on 1950 with your reference number.
You can find your own BLO and ERO using the “Know Your BLO/ERO” option on voters.eci.gov.in or your state CEO website.
Voter ID Fees
Voter registration and the digital card are free. Be cautious of anyone charging a fee for these services.
- The only official portal is voters.eci.gov.in. Registration and e-EPIC download are free, avoid sites charging for them.
- No agent can “fast-track” a voter ID for an extra fee. All genuine services go through the ECI portal or Voter Helpline app.
- The Election Commission will never call or message you asking for your OTP, bank details, or a payment.
- Sharing your EPIC number is generally safe as ID proof, but never share OTPs sent to your registered mobile.
Help & Support
The ECI’s national voter helpline (prefix your STD code when calling from some networks).
ECI’s official app on Android and iOS for on-the-go services.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the e-EPIC as valid as the physical voter ID card?
Yes. The e-EPIC is a digitally signed, non-editable PDF issued by the Election Commission. It carries a QR code and is legally valid as identity and address proof, and fully valid for voting, just like the printed card.
Is downloading the digital voter ID free?
Yes, downloading the e-EPIC from voters.eci.gov.in or the Voter Helpline app is completely free. New registration and corrections are free too. Any charge for these is a sign of a fake site or agent.
What is the password to open the e-EPIC PDF?
The e-EPIC PDF is password-protected with your date of birth in DDMMYYYY format. For example, if you were born on 15 January 1990, the password is 15011990.
Can I be a voter in two places at once?
No. It is illegal to be registered in more than one constituency. If you have moved, you should transfer your registration to your new address rather than registering afresh, which is done through a correction/shifting request (Form 8).
Do I need a Voter ID to vote if my name is on the roll?
Your name being on the electoral roll is what makes you eligible to vote. The EPIC is the standard identity document at the polling booth, but if you don’t have it, the Election Commission also permits certain alternative photo IDs, as notified before each election.
I already have Aadhaar, why get a Voter ID?
Aadhaar is not proof of citizenship or a right to vote, only registration in the electoral roll gives you that. The Voter ID (EPIC) is the document tied to your voting right, and separately serves as accepted identity and address proof for banking, SIM cards, and more.
Can I apply before I turn 18?
Yes. You can submit an advance application once you’re 17. Your name is added to the roll only when you actually turn 18 on the next qualifying date (1 January, 1 April, 1 July, or 1 October), and you can vote after that.