Should you share your voter ID and EPIC number?
Your EPIC number links to your electoral roll entry. When it's fine to share a voter ID, what it reveals about you, and how to cover the number and address.
Updated · 2 min read
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Open Voter ID (EPIC)The short answer
Share your voter ID when someone needs it as ID or address proof, but cover the EPIC number unless they actually need to record or verify it. The number is the key to your electoral roll entry, and the card itself carries your address and a relative's name.
What the EPIC number reveals
EPIC stands for Electors Photo Identity Card. The number is usually three letters followed by seven digits. Electoral roll details can often be looked up with it through the Election Commission's search service, which can show things like your name, age, a relative's name and your polling station.
That's useful for checking your own registration, but it also means a voter ID copy passed around carelessly gives a stranger an easy way to confirm who you are and roughly where you live.
What's on the card
| Detail | Hide it? |
|---|---|
| EPIC number | Yes, unless they must record it |
| Name and photo | Usually keep: that's what proves identity |
| Father's, mother's or husband's name | Often yes: rarely needed |
| Date of birth or age | Yes, unless age is the point |
| Address (usually on the back) | Yes, unless it's being used as address proof |
If your card has a QR code or barcode, cover that too, since it can carry the same details as the printed text.
How to cover the details
- Photograph both sides of the card in good light, or use a scan.
- Open Blur voter ID and add the images. The EPIC number, address and date of birth are covered automatically.
- Tick the relative's name if you want it hidden too, and draw a box over any code or signature.
- Download. The images are processed in your browser and never uploaded.
Use a solid box on the EPIC number. A short code of letters and digits is the kind of text a light blur can fail to hide.
When to share it in full
Government and election-related processes, and some regulated KYC, may need the full card. The organisation asking will usually say so. For everyday uses such as a gym membership or a society register, a masked copy, or a different ID like a masked Aadhaar, is usually enough. See what to hide before sharing documents online for other IDs.
Questions
Can someone vote using my EPIC number?
Voting involves in-person identity checks at the polling station, so the number alone isn't meant to be enough. The bigger everyday risk is your personal details being looked up and reused.
Is voter ID valid as address proof if I hide the address?
No. If it's being used as address proof, the address has to stay visible. Hide the EPIC number and date of birth instead.