UCAT ID checker
Check the photo ID you plan to bring against UCAT's test centre rules, and see exactly what to do if it will not be accepted.
UCAT ID check
Choose the ID you will bring
We check your document against UCAT's published test centre ID rules: the list for where you are testing, expiry, signature and name. No guesswork.
Into the room
- Your photo ID
- Indoor clothes
- Non-electronic earplugs or ear defenders
- Religious, cultural or medical head coverings, after a visual check
- Approved comfort aids and access arrangements
Stored outside
- Bags
- Calculators (there is an on-screen calculator)
- Food or drink, including water, unless approved as an access arrangement
- Phones, smart watches and other devices, switched off and stored
- Notes, pens or pencils (note-taking equipment is provided)
- Coats, wallets, keys and watches
No discretion on the day. If you arrive without Permitted Photo ID (or approved Alternative ID) you will not be allowed to test. Your test fee will not be refunded, and you will have to pay again to book a new appointment. Staff have no discretion to vary the ID rules.
UCAT Consortium Test Centre Photo ID Policy, checked 2026-09-27. Taking the OnVUE online test? It has its own ID policy.
UCAT · 2027 entry
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How we estimate
Scope, source, method, uncertainty, dates and what the answer can and cannot tell you.
How we estimate
Scope, source, method, uncertainty, dates and what the answer can and cannot tell you.
What it covers
The UCAT Consortium's Test Centre Photo ID Policy for the UCAT (UK), its Alternative ID guidance and its test-day and personal-belongings pages, as published on 27 September 2026. The OnVUE online test has a separate ID policy, not covered here.
Sources
- UCAT Consortium: ID Policy: UCAT Test Centre Photo ID Policy, ID Requirements; Accepted Government-Issued ID; ID Policy FAQs. Official.
- UCAT Consortium: Alternative ID for candidates testing in the UK, The identity document must: headed paper, photograph, signatures, stamp, set text. Official.
- UCAT Consortium: Test Day, Admission and Check-In; After your test. Official.
- UCAT Consortium: Personal Belongings and Apparel, Items not allowed in the testing room and exceptions. Official.
- GOV.UK: UK bank holidays (England and Wales), england-and-wales events, 2026 to 2028, from https://www.gov.uk/bank-holidays.json. Official.
Method
- Your document is checked against UCAT's accepted list for where you are testing: a passport anywhere, a photocard driving licence or non-EU government ID card only in the country that issued it, and an EU identity card or Irish passport card only in the EU.
- An accepted document must also be original, in date, show a true-likeness photo, carry your signature and match your UCAT account name. Without a signature it still counts alongside an in-date bank or credit card with your printed name and signature.
- If the document fails, the policy's fallback applies: a school, college or university identity document for UK candidates in education, or an ID exception requested in advance for everyone else.
- Name differences follow the examples UCAT publishes: a missing middle name and non-Western names in the wrong fields are accepted; anything else needs a name correction.
- Deadlines count back 10 working days (ID queries and exceptions) and 5 working days (name corrections) from your test date, skipping weekends and England and Wales bank holidays.
Uncertainty and limits
- Every rule is quoted from ucat.ac.uk on the checked date. UCAT publishes UCAT 2027 instructions in March 2027; check again then.
- UCAT does not say which bank holidays count when it says working days; we skip England and Wales bank holidays from GOV.UK.
- Unusual documents, such as Aadhaar cards or ID in non-Roman script, have their own Pearson VUE guidance. Ask UCAT through a Help Request.
Dates and versions
- UCAT test centre photo ID policy: data version 2026-09-27.1, checked 27 September 2026.
- Page last changed 27 September 2026.
What the answer means
The answer says whether this document gets you into the test room under UCAT's written rules, and if not, which route UCAT offers instead and by when. It cannot approve an ID exception or a name change: only UCAT can, through a Help Request in your UCAT account.
UCAT accepted photo ID, as published
Every document must also be original, in date, show a true-likeness photo and your signature, and match your UCAT account name.
| Document | Where it is accepted |
|---|---|
| Passport | At any test centre |
| Photo-card driving licence (full or provisional) | At test centres in the country of issue |
| EU identity card or Irish passport card | At test centres in the EU (not accepted in the UK). Information must be in Roman script as well as the original character set. |
| Government-issued identity card from a non-EU country | At test centres in the country of issue |
| Transport passes | Never |
| Library cards | Never |
| Student or employer ID cards | Never |
| Proof of age cards (for example CitizenCard, Post Office PASS card, Young Scots Card) | Never |
Questions people ask
What ID do I need for the UCAT?
One original, in-date photo ID that shows your signature and exactly matches the name in your UCAT account: a passport at any test centre, a photocard driving licence in the country that issued it, or an EU identity card or Irish passport card at EU test centres.
Can I use a provisional driving licence for the UCAT?
Yes. UCAT accepts a photo-card driving licence, full or provisional, at test centres in the country that issued it.
Can I use an expired passport for the UCAT?
Only with an approved ID exception, and only if it expired no more than 12 months ago and the photo is still a true likeness. UK candidates still in education should use a school or college identity letter instead.
Is a student card or CitizenCard accepted at the UCAT?
No. Transport passes, library cards, student or employer ID cards and proof-of-age cards such as CitizenCard are not accepted under any circumstance.
What happens if I forget my ID for the UCAT?
You will not be allowed to test, your fee is not refunded and you must pay again to rebook. A missed test paid for by a bursary counts as a no-show, and UCAT will not issue another bursary.
How early should I arrive for the UCAT?
15 minutes before your appointment, to check in. Staff check your ID, take your photo and ask you to agree to the test rules. Your results are in your UCAT account about 24 hours after the test.
Sources
- UCAT Consortium: ID Policy: UCAT Test Centre Photo ID PolicyOfficialID Requirements; Accepted Government-Issued ID; ID Policy FAQs. Checked 27 September 2026.
- UCAT Consortium: Alternative ID for candidates testing in the UKOfficialThe identity document must: headed paper, photograph, signatures, stamp, set text. Checked 27 September 2026.
- UCAT Consortium: Test DayOfficialAdmission and Check-In; After your test. Checked 27 September 2026.
- UCAT Consortium: Personal Belongings and ApparelOfficialItems not allowed in the testing room and exceptions. Checked 27 September 2026.
- GOV.UK: UK bank holidays (England and Wales)Officialengland-and-wales events, 2026 to 2028, from https://www.gov.uk/bank-holidays.json. Checked 27 September 2026.
UCAT test centre photo ID policy: version 2026-09-27.1, First version, quoted from ucat.ac.uk on the checked date.