You can check if you’re a registered voter in about two minutes on INEC’s voter portal, using your name and date of birth or your Voter Identification Number. Getting a new voter’s card takes longer, because registration only opens in set windows.
The last window closed before the 2027 general elections. INEC’s portal says the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) ended on 26 July 2026, and it now shows that registration isn’t active. People who registered can still find their card and its pickup centre.
So this guide covers what you can do right now (check your status, find and collect your PVC) and how registration works when INEC opens it again, including transfers, replacements and corrections, so you’re ready on day one.
How to check if you’re registered
Go to INEC’s voter verification page and choose one of two checks.
| Check using | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Name and date of birth | State and local government where you registered, last name, first name, date of birth |
| VIN | State and local government where you registered, last name, and the full VIN or its last 10 digits |
Your VIN is printed on your voter’s card and on the slip or temporary card you got when you registered. If the name search finds nothing, try the spelling you used at registration, and check you picked the local government where you registered, not where you live now.
Still nothing? Contact INEC’s Citizens Contact Centre (iccc@inec.gov.ng or 0700-2255-4632) or visit the INEC office in your local government area. Don’t register again to “fix” it, because double registration is an offence.
Finding and collecting your PVC
On the INEC CVR portal, the PVC Pickup and Find My PVC options show your card’s status and where to collect it. The portal also has a Polling Unit Locator.
INEC started collection of the newly produced cards on 9 October 2026, first at ward and registration area centres, then at INEC local government offices from 16 October. That covered new registrations, transfers, replacements and older uncollected cards.
- Go yourself. Cards are collected in person; a relative can’t pick yours up.
- Take your registration slip or temporary voter’s card if you have it, and an ID in case you’re asked.
- Ask at your INEC local government office whether collection is still running before you travel. Collection usually pauses close to an election.
INEC’s revised timetable, released in February 2026, fixed the presidential and National Assembly elections for 16 January 2027 and the governorship and State House of Assembly elections for 6 February 2027. Check inecnigeria.org for any change.
How to register when registration reopens
You must be a Nigerian citizen aged 18 or older. In the last cycle, INEC used two stages, and it’s likely to work the same way next time. Watch INEC’s website and official social media pages for the new dates.
- Online pre-registration on the CVR portal: you create an account and fill in your details. In the last cycle this opened on 18 August 2025.
- Physical registration at an INEC local government or state office, or a designated registration centre, where your photo and fingerprints are captured. You can also start the whole process there.
- Keep your slip. It carries your details and helps when you go to collect your card.
- Collect your PVC when INEC announces that cards are ready, usually months later.
Registration is free. Anyone asking you to pay for registration, a “fast” PVC or a place in the queue isn’t from INEC.
Transfer, replacement and correction
These also happen during the registration window, not at any time of the year.
- Transfer if you’ve moved to a new state, city or neighbourhood and want to vote closer to home. You keep the same registration; you don’t register again.
- Replacement if your card is lost or damaged.
- Correction if your name, date of birth or address is wrong on your record.
Use the same name and date of birth as your NIN and BVN. Mismatched records cause trouble long after the election. If your NIN details are wrong, our guide to correcting your name or date of birth on your NIN covers the NIMC process, and retrieving your NIN with your phone number helps if you’ve forgotten it.
Watch out for PVC scams
Election seasons bring messages offering to “activate”, “upgrade” or “verify” your PVC through a link, or asking for your BVN to do it. INEC doesn’t need your BVN or bank details for voter registration. Check status only on INEC’s own portal, and never share bank codes or PINs. Our guide to phishing SMS and fake update calls shows how these messages are built.
Is a voter’s card valid ID?
For voting, yes. For banks and apps, it depends on the organisation. On Snapiro, ID verification uses a NIN, international passport or driver’s licence, not a voter’s card. Our guide on which ID works for verification in Nigeria compares the options, and you can apply for a driver’s licence or a passport if you need one.
You don’t need any ID to start on Snapiro: you can sell crypto and gift cards and pay bills without verifying. A verified BVN lets you withdraw naira to your bank, and BVN plus ID lets you send crypto out. How to verify your ID card has the steps.
Questions people ask
Can I register now?
Not until INEC opens a new registration window. The CVR portal lets you sign up to be notified of updates.
I registered years ago. Is my registration still valid?
Check your status on the verification page rather than assuming. If you can’t find your record, ask your INEC local government office before the next registration window, so a transfer or correction can be done in time.
Can I vote with my temporary voter’s card?
Ask INEC before election day. Voting has needed the permanent voter’s card, so collect your PVC while collection is open.
Does registering cost anything?
No. Registration, transfer and collection are free. Your only costs are transport and data to use the portal, which you can top up from your naira balance on the Snapiro bills page.
Sorting out your IDs this year? Get the Snapiro app and verify once with your BVN and NIN, passport or driver’s licence.
