How to opt out of the open electoral register
The short answer
Email your council's electoral services team with your full name, address and the sentence "I wish to opt out of the open register." Or use the GOV.UK register to vote service, even if you're already registered. In Northern Ireland, contact the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland.
Opting out does not affect your right to vote. You stay on the full register, which is the one used for elections and credit checks.
The two electoral registers
| Full register | Open register | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can see it | Used for elections, jury service, crime prevention and credit checks. Not for sale to the public | Anyone who wants to buy a copy |
| Can you opt out? | No (only anonymous registration, for safety reasons) | Yes, at any time |
| Effect of opting out | None on your vote or your credit checks | |
| When you move | Opt out again at your new address | |
| Northern Ireland | Called the edited register; contact the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland |
Checked 26 October 2026 against each organisation's own website. Times are typical, not promises.
Why it matters
The open register is a list of names and addresses that councils sell to anyone who asks: marketing companies, directory businesses and data compilers. It's one of the main sources behind marketing lists and people-search websites such as 192.com. In England and Scotland you're on it unless you opt out.
Opting out stops your details appearing in future copies. It can't recall copies already sold, so the sooner you do it, the better.
How to opt out
- Find your council's electoral services email address: search "[your council] electoral services".
- Send this email: "I wish to opt out of the open register. My full name is [name] and my address is [address and postcode]."
- Or use the GOV.UK register to vote service, which asks whether you want to be on the open register.
- Keep the council's reply. Do it again whenever you move.
Each person in your home is registered separately, so each person should opt out.
Wales: what changed in October 2026
The Welsh Government has removed the open register for the council and Senedd register in Wales. That register is separate from the UK Parliament register, and the open version of the UK Parliament register still exists across the UK, including Wales (House of Commons Library, 1 October 2026). So if you live in Wales, it's still worth opting out of the open version of the UK Parliament register.
Could the open register end?
The Representation of the People Bill, going through Parliament in 2026, would change the open register to opt-in, so you'd only be on it if you asked to be. It isn't law yet, so if you're on the register now, opt out now.
We find your council and write the email for you
- We send your Telephone Preference Service, Mailing Preference Service and Experian opt-outs in one click
- We write the emails for your council, 192.com, Equifax and TransUnion, so you just press send
- All 10 main steps in one plan, with your progress and every reply in one place
- A check of your email and passwords against known data breaches
- Moving home? Your new address is includedOne move within 12 months of signing up.
You can do everything in this guide yourself for free. We make it quicker and keep track of it for you. Nobody can promise your details are gone for good.
About 10 minutes to get started. Buying for a parent or grandparent? Choose “A family member” when you sign up. Cancel within 14 days for a full refund. We never sell your data.
Questions people ask
Does opting out of the open register affect my vote?
No. GOV.UK says opting out does not affect your right to vote. You stay on the full register.
Does it affect my credit score?
No. Lenders and credit reference agencies use the full register, which you stay on. Opting out of the open register only stops your details being sold in the open version.
Am I on the open register?
In England and Scotland you are, unless you opted out when you registered or since. If you're not sure, email your council's electoral services team and ask, or simply ask to be opted out.
How long does it take?
About 10 minutes to send the email. It applies to future copies of the register. Copies sold before you opted out can't be recalled.
Do I need to do it again if I move?
Yes. The choice belongs to your registration at that address, so opt out again when you register at a new home.
Can I opt out for my partner or parent?
Each person registers separately, so each person needs to opt out. You can help them write the email or sit with them while they do it.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Opt out of the open register
- House of Commons Library: The electoral register and the open register (1 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Register to vote anonymously
Last checked: 26 October 2026. Time estimates are our own. General information, not legal advice.
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