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A photo ID is now required to vote in NC beginning with the municipal elections in the fall of 2023, but there are exceptions! See the NC Board of Elections info on Voter ID here.
Voting questions? Call the non-partisan voter information hotline at 888-OUR-VOTE.

Need to register to vote or update your registration?

If you need to register to vote for the first time or update your voter registration because you have moved, you can do so online (if you have a state-issued ID or driver's license).  If you need to make a name change on your voter registration or do not have the necessary ID, you can still register via paper form.

Register to Vote Online

If you have a state-issued ID or driver's license, you can register or update your registration through the NC DMV website. See below if you need help with this process.
Register to vote

Register to Vote via Paper Form

If you DO NOT have an NC license or ID card or wish to make a name change, complete and return the paper registration application to your county board of election office.
Download Registration Application

Not sure if you’re registered?

If you are not sure if you are registered or even if you think you are already registered to vote, it’s a good idea to check your registration to make sure it’s active and current. Sometimes voters are removed from the rolls, and you don’t want to wait until Election Day to find out that your registration is not current!
BOE Voter Lookup Tool

Instructions to Register to Vote

Option 1: Register Online

Online Voter Registration is available now through the NC DMV website to any eligible voter with a North Carolina driver’s license or DMV-issued ID card.

To register online, follow these five steps or watch the HOW-TO VIDEO:
  1. Step One: Visit payments.ncdot.gov
  2. Step Two:  Select the "Continue to myNCDMV Services" button on left.
  3. Step Three: Select the last option to "Continue as Guest" (you do not need to create an account).
  4. Step Four: Click "Submit a Voter Registration Application."
  • Enter your North Carolina Driver’s License or DMV-issued ID Card number, Social Security number (SSN), and date of birth.
  • You can register to vote, update your address, or change party affiliation. Updated information ONLY applies to your voter registration, not your ID — meaning you can register to vote at your current residence and it does not need to match the address on your current ID.

NOTE! The online platform does not allow users to make a name change.

Option 2: Register with a Paper Form

  1. Step One: Obtain a Voter Registration Form by downloading it here in English or ESPANŌL or visit your County Board of Elections during regular business hours to obtain one.
  2. Step Two: Complete the form and review it carefully. Be sure to:
    • Sign and date it.
    • Fill in all the questions and check all the appropriate boxes.
    • Include your date of birth.
    • Include a phone number on the form; it’s used by election officials to call you for missing information.
    • Spell out your name as it appears on the identity document whose number you provide in Section 3.
    • If you do not give your NC driver’s license number or the last 4 digits of your Social Security number, be sure to provide the documents requested on the form, or be prepared to show one of those documents when you first vote in person.
  3. Step Three: Submit the form in person (during regular business hours) or by mail to your County Board of Elelctions at least 25 days before the election you want to vote in.

REMEMBER! You must submit the form at least 25 days before the election you want to vote in. If you don’t make this deadline, you should use Same-Day Registration during Early Voting (see below).

If You Miss the Deadline

Same-Day Registration During Early Voting

If you miss the regular deadline to register to vote (25 days before Election Day), you can register to vote during Early Voting at any Early Voting site (but NOT on Election Day).

Early Voting

Find dates, hours of operation, and locations.
Learn More
Wmoan holding a I Voted Eary sticker.

To use Same-Day Registration, you must provide one of the following documents to an election official at an Early Voting location:

  • NC driver’s license or identity card from NC DMV
  • Utility bill (electric, phone, cable, water, etc.), bank statement, or payroll stub with the voter’s name and current address
  • Student photo ID, plus a school document showing the student’s address
  • Any document from any government agency with the voter’s name and current address.

REMEMBER! If you are updating your voter registration using same-day registration during early voting for the Primary Election, you cannot change your party affiliation.