Voter ID Card 2026 - How to Apply, Documents Required, Track Status & Verification

A Voter ID card is an official photo identity document issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to eligible citizens for voting. Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) is issued by the Election Commission of India under the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Citizens can verify their voter registration, track Voter ID card status, and download their EPIC online through the Voters’ Services Portal. 

Key Highlights

• Can be applied for online, semi-online, or offline through official government portals.
• Digital version (e‑EPIC) available for download and storage in DigiLocker.
• NRIs can register using Form 6A, but remote voting is not yet available.
• New Voter ID cards are now delivered within 15 days of approval under the Election Commission’s fast-track system.
• The Voter ID is dispatched directly to the applicant’s registered residential address.

Structure of Voter ID

A voter ID card is an accepted form of personal identification in India as it is issued by a government body. The voter ID consists of the following details:

• A unique Serial number (EPIC Number)
• Photograph of the cardholder
• A hologram containing the respective state/national symbol
• Name of cardholder
• Father’s Name of cardholder
• Gender of cardholder
• Card holder’s Date of Birth

The card holder’s residential address and signature of the issuing authority (Electoral registration officer) are on the rear side of the voter ID card.

Voter ID Card Eligibility

In order to be eligible for a Voter ID card, individuals must meet the following criteria:

• An Indian citizen
• Must be aged 18 years or above
• Must have a permanent address

How to Apply for a Voter ID Card?

A citizen of India can apply for a voter ID in three ways; online, offline or through semi-online methods.

I. How to Apply for Voter ID Card Online?

Step 1: Visit the National Voters' Services Portal (NVSP).

Step 2: Click on the ‘Sign-Up’ option available on the top right corner of the homepage.

Step 3: Enter your mobile number, email ID and captcha code and click ‘Continue’.

Step 4: Enter your ‘First Name’, ‘Last Name’, ‘Password’, ‘Confirm Password’, and click the ‘Request OTP’ button.

Step 5: Enter the OTP sent to your mobile number and email ID and click ‘Verify’.

Step 6: Log in to the Voters' Services portal by clicking the ‘Login’ button, entering your mobile number, password, and captcha and clicking the ‘Request OTP’ button.

Step 7:  Enter the OTP sent to your mobile number and click the ‘Verify & Login’ button.

Step 8: Click the ‘Fill Form 6’ button under the ‘New registration for general electors’ tab.

Step 9: Enter all the details on Form 6, which includes personal details, relatives details, contact details, Aadhaar details, date of birth, address, and declaration. Upload the required documents in the given sections and click the ‘Preview and Submit’ button.

Step 10: Check if the entered details are correct and click ‘Submit’.

II. How to Apply for Voter ID Card Semi-Online?

Step 1: Visit the National Voters' Service Portal (NVSP).
Step 2: Click on the ‘Download’ option under the ‘New registration for general electors’ tab.
Step 3: Form 6 will be downloaded. Take a print out of Form 6.
Step 4: Fill in the Form 6 with the required details.
Step 5: Submit the completed Form 6 along with a photo and supporting documents at an Election Office near you.

III. How to Apply for Voter ID Card Offline?

Step 1: Visit the nearest State Election Office and request Form 6.
Step 2: Fill in the Form 6 with the required details.
Step 3: Submit the completed Form 6 along with a photo and supporting documents at the Election Office.

Documents Required For Voter ID Card

Applying for a Voters ID requires you to submit the following documents:

• Proof of identity
• Proof of address
• Proof of date of birth
• Photograph

How to Track Status of Voter ID?

Follow these steps to track the Voter ID card status:

Step 1: Visit the National Voters' Services Portal.
Step 2: Click on the ‘Login’ button. Login by entering your mobile number, password, captcha code and OTP.
Step 3: Once you login, click on the ‘Track Application Status’ tab.
Step 4: Enter the reference number, select your state and click the ‘Submit’ button.
Step 5: The voter registration status will be displayed on the screen.

The reference ID is a unique number provided in the acknowledgement slip you receive at the time of submission of your voter registration application. 

You can also check Voter ID status by visiting the State Election Office and providing your name, date of birth, and address details. The officials will check and provide you with the voter registration status.

Points to Note Before Applying for a Voter ID

Voter ID is an important document required for an Indian citizen as it enables him/her to exercise a fundamental duty of voting in democratic elections. Voter ID also serves as proof of identity and address. Here are the following things to keep a note of:

• Applicants must be of a minimum legal age of 18 years
• They should be of sound mind, free of criminal charges and not financially bankrupt
• They should fill out Form 6 and ensure that they provide relevant documents
• Applicants must solely apply for Voter ID only through NVSP website or government approved centres for this purpose
• Applicants must ensure details such as spelling of their name, date of birth, address and so on are correct
• Applicants must also ensure that all information that is provided is legally correct in all aspects
• On successfully receiving the Voter ID, applicants must re-verify their documents and Voter ID to see if the information is correct

How to Verify Voter ID?

Applicants can verify their Voter ID if they suspect their ID to be a counterfeit by using their Voter ID number. They can do so by checking if their names are present in the electoral roll, following which they can cross verify the details. If there are any discrepancies, the applicant must bring it to the notice of the Chief Electoral Officer.

Steps to verify Voter ID

Step 1: Visit National Voters' Services Portal.

Step 2: Click on the ‘Search in Electoral Roll’ tab.

Step 3: Select any one of the options - ‘Search by Details’, ‘Search by EPIC’ or ‘Search by Mobile’.

Step 4: Enter the required information and click ‘Search’.

Step 5: Your details will be displayed on the screen. You can further check if your details are correct by clicking on ‘View Details’ under the ‘Action’ column.

Voter ID Correction in Electoral roll

Cardholders who need to correct or update their details in the Voter ID card can do so in the following ways:

• Offline method: Visit the nearest Election Office and submit Form 8 along with supporting documents.
• Online method: Log in to the Voters’ Services Portal and fill Form 8 with the updated details.

After you submit Form 8 along with relevant supporting documents to the State Election Office or online on the portal, the booth level officers will process your application and make the necessary changes to your voter ID.

How to Download Voter ID Card Online?

The steps to download the digital Voter ID or e-EPIC card are as follows:

Step 1: Visit the official Voter Services Portal.

Step 2: Click ‘Login’. Enter the mobile number, password, captcha code and OTP to login.  

Step 3: Click on the ‘E-EPIC Download’ tab. 

Step 4: Select the ‘EPIC No’ or ‘Form Reference no.’ option.

Step 5: Enter EPIC number or Form Reference Number, select state and click ‘Search’. 

The EPIC number is the Voter ID number. The reference number is available in the acknowledgement received after submitting Form 6.

Step 6: The Voter ID details will be displayed on the screen. Click the ‘Send OTP’ button. Please note that if your mobile number is not updated, the ‘Send OTP’ button will not be available. 

You can update your mobile number by filling out ‘Form 8’.

Step 7: Enter OTP and click on ‘Verify’.

Step 8: Click the ‘Download e-EPIC’ button to download the Voter ID card.

Uses of Voter ID

The Voter ID card is used to furnish important details, such as:

• The Voter ID card serves as proof of identity and address
• A Voter ID card is an acknowledgement that the cardholder is a registered voter
• The Voter ID card can be utilised to avail certain government schemes

Steps to Take When You Don't Receive Voter ID

If you haven’t received the Voter ID, do not worry. Follow the instructions below:

Step 1: Login the NVSP portal.

Step 2: Click on ‘Track Application Status’.

Step 3: Enter your reference number that you received while submitting form, select your state and click ‘Submit’. You will see the updated status of your application.

It may approximately take 30 days from the date of making an online application for your voter ID to reach you. If there are any discrepancies in receiving your voter ID, you can physically visit the state election office and rectify things.

NRI Voter ID 

Non-Resident Indians (NRI) can still exercise their right to vote. NRIs can apply online or offline and have their Voter IDs issued when they do not have the citizenship of another contry. NRIs have to be present in the country and their constituency to cast their vote and cannot do it remotely as of now.

Final Word

A Voter ID card (EPIC) is an essential document for every Indian citizen, serving as proof of identity and enabling participation in democratic elections. Applicants can now receive their Voter ID within 15 days with the Election Commission of India’s fast-track delivery system. Citizens can track Voter ID card status, download the digital e-EPIC, and update details through Form 8 on the Voters’ Services Portal. 

Voter ID Related Articles:
1. How to Apply and Get Duplicate Voter ID Card?
2. How to Check Your Name & Download the Voter List?
3. How To Link Voter ID with Aadhaar card?
4. How To Change Name In Voter ID Card?
5. How to Change Address Details on Voter ID Card?

Also Read:
1. How to Apply for Voter ID Card in Assam?
2. How to Apply for Voter ID Card in Kerala?
3. How to Apply for Voter ID Card in Tamil Nadu?
4. How to Apply for Voter ID Card in West Bengal?
5. How to Apply for Voter ID Card in Puducherry?