Opting Out of the UK Open Register: What GOV.UK Says
This guide covers the UK only. It sets out what GOV.UK and the ICO website say about the ‘open register’, which GOV.UK describes as the version of the electoral register that’s available to anyone who wants to buy a copy, and the ways GOV.UK lists for asking to be left off it. GOV.UK says the Information Commission took over the functions of the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) on 30 September 2026; the ICO page cited here is on ico.org.uk.
Two versions of the electoral register
GOV.UK says there are 2 versions of the electoral register: the full version and the ‘open register’, which is known as the ‘edited register’ in Northern Ireland. The ICO says the open register contains the same information as the full register but is not used for elections or referendums. It also says the open register can be sold to any person, organisation or company for a wide range of purposes, and that its users include direct marketing firms and online directory firms.
According to the ICO, your details are included in the open register unless you ask for them to be removed. The ICO also says the open register is updated and published every month.
What opting out changes, and what it does not
GOV.UK says opting out does not affect your right to vote. It also says that when you opt out of the open register, your details still appear on the full version of the electoral register, unless you are registered under the separate process described further down this page.
GOV.UK says everyone’s name and UK address goes on the full version (with that same exception) and that you cannot opt out of it. It says the full version is the one used for elections and referendums, and that it can only be used for electoral administration purposes, campaigning activities, preventing and detecting crime, checking applications for loans or credit, and jury summoning in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
How to opt out, according to GOV.UK and the ICO
GOV.UK lists these ways to opt out of the open register: using the register to vote service (even if you’re already registered and live in the UK); contacting your electoral registration office if you live in England, Scotland or Wales; contacting the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland (EONI) if you live in Northern Ireland; or, if you live abroad, contacting the electoral registration office that confirmed you are registered as an overseas voter.
GOV.UK’s register to vote page lists opting out of the ‘open’ register among the things that service can be used for if you live in the UK. GOV.UK’s page for contacting your electoral registration office lists opting in or out of the ‘open register’ among the questions it covers, and finds your office from a postcode. For Northern Ireland, that page says to contact EONI to opt in or out of the ‘edited register’.
The ICO says (on a page last updated 8 March 2024 and marked as under review) that you can make a request at any time to your local electoral registration officer for your details to be removed, and that the request needs to contain your full name and address and can be in writing, via email or phone. For Northern Ireland, it says to contact your area electoral office. It also says that if you are registering in England, Scotland or Wales, you can indicate at the same time that you do not want your name and address listed on the open register. GOV.UK’s register to vote page says that after you register, your name and address appear on the open register unless you asked to opt out when registering.
If you are concerned about the risk to you or your household
GOV.UK describes a separate process, with its own paper form, for registering to vote with your name and address left off the electoral register. The ICO says anyone who believes that having their name and address on the electoral register would put them or anyone who lives with them at risk can apply under that process.
GOV.UK says that if you register this way, your details do not appear on either version of the electoral register and you can still vote. For England, Wales and Scotland, it says the steps are to fill in the electoral registration form, sign the declaration, provide evidence to support your application, and return the completed form and the relevant evidence to your electoral registration office. It says the rules are different in Northern Ireland, and that you can contact your electoral registration office if you need help completing or understanding the form.
Timing, and a note on the ICO page
The ICO says that during the annual canvass, which starts in July in England, Scotland and Wales, it may take longer for updates to be finalised and passed on to third parties.
The ICO page also carries a notice that its guidance is under review because of changes made by the Data (Use and Access) Act, and it shows a last-updated date of 8 March 2024. The ICO page says its guidance “may be subject to change”.
Related on this site
Common questions
What is the open register?
GOV.UK describes it as the version of the electoral register that’s available to anyone who wants to buy a copy. In Northern Ireland it is known as the edited register.
Does opting out affect the right to vote?
GOV.UK says opting out does not affect your right to vote.
Does opting out remove my details from the full register?
GOV.UK says your details still appear on the full version, which is the one used for elections and referendums, unless you are registered under the separate process described in this guide.
How do I ask to opt out?
GOV.UK lists the register to vote service, your electoral registration office if you live in England, Scotland or Wales, or EONI if you live in Northern Ireland. The ICO says a request to your local electoral registration officer needs your full name and address and can be in writing, via email or phone, and that for Northern Ireland you should contact your area electoral office; its page is marked as under review.
Is there a different process if I am concerned about the risk to me or my household?
GOV.UK describes a separate process with its own paper form, in which your name and address do not appear on the electoral register. It involves providing evidence to support your application, and GOV.UK says the rules are different in Northern Ireland.
Sources
- https://www.gov.uk/electoral-register/opt-out-of-the-open-register
- https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
- https://www.gov.uk/contact-electoral-registration-office
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/register-to-vote-anonymously-paper-form
- https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/your-data-and-elections/electoral-register/
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/information-commission-succeeds-the-ico-as-uks-data-protection-regulator
Last reviewed against these sources on 2026-10-27.