Veterans ID card - Eligibility & How to Apply

On this page you will find information about:

What a Veterans ID card is
Eligibility criteria
How to apply

The HM Armed Forces Veteran Card, also known as a Veterans ID card, is being issued to allow ex-service personnel to easily verify their service and access support services where needed.

It will now be accepted as a valid photo ID at polling stations, starting with the local elections in May 2025 moving forward.

Find out what else you can use an HM Armed Forces Veteran Card for on GOV.UK.

If you have left HM Armed Forces on or after 17th December 2018, you will automatically be given one of the new ID cards.

Anyone who has left HM Armed Forces before 17th December 2018, will have to apply for the new ID card.

If you are due to be discharged soon, you will receive your HM Armed Forces Veteran Card and Veterans Badge as part of your Service Leavers Pack.

Find out more about the Service Leavers Pack and what it contains on GOV.UK.

Who is eligible?

You may be eligible for an HM Armed Forces veteran card if you served in the regular or reserve service for the:

Royal Navy
Army
Royal Air Force (RAF)
Royal Marines

If you have served within another group in the UK Armed Forces, you may still be eligible for a card. You can check your eligibility when you apply online or call to request a postal form.

You cannot get a card if you were:

in the Armed Forces of another country, or
served in the Armed Forces of another country, even if you served alongside HM Armed Forces.

You can currently only apply for an HM Armed Forces Card if you have a UK address. Ex-service personnel who do not have a UK address will be able to apply for a card in the future.

Learn more about eligibility and who can apply for cards on GOV.UK.

How to apply

Applying online

Before you start

In order to access this service, you will need to prove your identity using a GOV.UK One Login.

To create a log in you will need:

an email address
a way to get security codes to sign into your GOV.UK One Login, for example a mobile phone, and
photo ID, for example a UK passport or UK driving licence.

Find out more about proving your identity with One Login on the GOV.UK website.

Beginning your online application

To complete an online application for a HM Armed Forces Veterans Card you will need:

your service number for your last period of service
your National Insurance number
the year you started and ended your HM Armed Forces service, and
a recent digital passport style photo showing your head and shoulders.

Apply for a Veterans ID card on GOV.UK.

Applying by post or applying for someone else

If you would like to apply by post you will need to contact Veterans UK to request a paper form.

If you hold power of attorney or other legal authority, you can apply on behalf of someone else using a paper form.

Get in touch

Request a paper form by contacting Veterans UK via:

Telephone: 08081 914 218
Email: [email protected]

The team is available Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm. You will be sent a paper form and a pre-paid envelope to the completed form and accompanying documents to.

Learn about Veterans UK call charges on GOV.UK.

After you have applied

You should receive your Veteran ID Card within:

6 weeks, if you apply online, or
14 weeks, if you apply by post

If you need to get in touch with Veterans UK you can do so using the contact details below.

Get in touch

Visit the Veterans UK website to find out more or:

Telephone: 08081 914 218
Telephone overseas: +44 (0) 1253 866 043

Calls are free from UK landlines and main mobile networks

Email: [email protected]

The team is available from 8am to 4pm Monday to Friday

Learn about Veterans UK call charges on GOV.UK.

Receiving your card if you live in Northern Ireland

If you live in Northern Ireland you can choose to have your card send directly to you, or to collect it from a Veterans Welfare Service (VWS) office.

You can find your nearest VWS office by emailing the team via: [email protected].

More schemes for ex-service personnel

Accessing your data from the MOD

As someone who is or has served in HM Armed Forces you can put in a request to access data about yourself which is held by the MOD.

Please note that it can take up to nine months for your application to be processed. If your application is urgent you should explain why in your application so that it can be prioritised.

Learn more about what data is held by the MOD and how to put in a request on GOV.UK.