How do I register?

Who can register?

You must:

• be a South African citizen;
• be at least 16 years old (you can only vote from age 18); and
• and have a green, bar-coded ID book; smartcard ID; or valid Temporary Identity Certificate (TIC).

To Register within South Africa

When and where can I register?

Make an appointment to apply for registration during office hours at the local IEC office responsible for your voting district. Please always phone first to make an appointment.

Regiter to vote using our new Online Voter Registration Service. You can use our Voter Information Portal site to register to vote or update your current voter information, view your current address, request a special vote, find a voting location, view important election dates (upcoming election in your ward).

What documents do I need to apply for registration?

By law, you must apply in person (no online or email registrations are permitted). Please bring your:

• green, bar-coded ID book;
• smartcard ID; or
• valid Temporary Identity Certificate (TIC).

No other forms of ID can be accepted. Only original documents (no copies) are accepted.

What happens when I apply?

• Go to your local IEC office;
• Complete the registration form;
• Your identity document book is scanned;
• A barcoded sticker is pasted in your green ID book or on your valid Temporary Identity Certificate.
  Please note that completing the form and receiving a barcoded sticker or receipt doesn't mean that you're registered, it only means that you've applied for registration. Your application must still be processed (may take up to 7 working days).

How do I know if or where I'm registered?

To check your registration details, you can:

• send an SMS with your ID number to 32810 (R1.00 per SMS);
• download our mobile app and enter your ID number;
• Check your voter registration details;
• or check at your local IEC office during office hours.

When do I have to re-register?

We continuously strive to provide a better voting experience for voters by ensuring accessibility to voting stations and trying to reduce long queues on Election Day.

To help us achieve this, you need to re-register when:

• your home address changes (if you've moved a short distance, please see Moved since you registered? to find out how to check if your voting district has changed), or ;
• we inform you that your voting district boundaries have changed. Check your voter registration details to find out if you may have to re-register.

Important: During municipal elections and by-elections, you must vote at the voting station where you are registered, so it is important to re-register whenever you move or your voting district boundaries change.