When you send us your licence application you will need to provide supporting identity documents. These documents will be returned to you by courier after they have been checked and scanned onto our system. All documents must be originals and must be in your current name unless accompanied by a deed poll document, adoption certificate or marriage certificate that confirms your name has changed.

Please do not send documents that you will need in the immediate future.

If you have a UK digital passport

You should fill in your passport number at question D4 of the application form and enclose:

• One identity document from group A, which must show your current address.
  Or
  
• Two documents from group B. At least one document must show your current address.

How to check for a digital passport: All UK passports issued since 2002 are digital and some digital passports were issued before then. If your photograph and personal details are on page 31 (or 47 in Jumbo passports) and your photograph has been digitally reproduced, the passport is a digital passport. If your photograph and personal details are on the inside of the back cover, then the passport is not a digital passport.

If you don't have a UK digital passport

We will accept:

• Two identity documents from group A. At least one document must show your current address and at least one document must show your date of birth.
  Or
  
• One identity document from group A and 2 documents from group B. At least one document must show your current address and at least one document must show your date of birth.

What do we mean by "group A" and "group B"?

Group A documents:

• Signed valid passport of any nationality*. This is the preferred option as it will help us speed up the processing of your application.
• Signed UK photo driving licence (both parts of the full or provisional licence are required)*
• Valid UK firearms licence with photo*
• HM Forces ID card (UK)*
• UK birth certificate or certified copy issued within 12 months of birth, but not a photocopy
• UK adoption certificate

*If you have previously sent this photographic group A document to us for a licence application that was successful, you do not need to re-send any documents unless your name or address have changed. If your name has changed you will need to submit a fresh, complete set of identity documents. If your address has changed you will need to send one group B document showing your new address. We may alter these requirements if it is necessary to do so in order to maintain the integrity of our identification checks.

Group B documents:

• Valid EU photo ID card.
• Signed UK paper driving licence.
• Marriage certificate or Civil Partnership certificate, with translation if not in English.
• Certified copy (not a photocopy) of a UK birth certificate issued more than 12 months after date of birth.
• Non-UK birth certificate, with translation if not in English.
• P45 statement of income for tax purposes on leaving a job issued in the last 12 months.
• P60 annual statement of income for tax purposes issued in the last 12 months.
• Bank or building society statement issued to your current address, less than three months old.
• Mortgage statement issued in the last 12 months.
• Gas, electric, telephone, water, satellite, cable, mobile phone contract or utility bill issued to your current address within the last three months. You can only send us one utility bill.
• TV licence in your name and current address issued in last 12 months.
• Pension, endowment or ISA statement issued in last 12 months.
• Certificate of British nationality.
• British work permit or visa issued in last 12 months.
• Letter from H.M. Revenue & Customs, Department of Work and Pensions, employment service, or local authority. You can use more than one letter as long as each is issued by different Government department or different local authorities. A local authority is someone you pay council tax to.
• A credit card statement sent to your current address within the last three months. You can use more than one statement as long as each is issued by a different service provider.
• Court summons issued in last 12 months.
• Child benefit book issued in last 12 months.
• A payslip, with your address and the employer's name or logo, that is less than three months old.

Please remove all documents from holders, wallets, etc before sending them to us.

Please call our contact centre on 0844 892 1025 if you have any questions relating to the above identification requirements.