The Reading Room of the National Archives may be used by any member of the public who holds a valid Reader's Ticket. Members of the public may apply for a Reader's Ticket on the day of their first visit to the National Archives, provided they have photographic identification. The tickets which are free of charge, are issued for periods of up to three years and are not valid in other research institutions.
Visitors are requested to bring with them photographic identification to facilitate the ticketing procedure – acceptable photographic identification includes the following: passport; driver's licence; (international) student card; social security card; travel pass and employment ID. Readers are required in their application form to sign an undertaking agreeing to abide by the National Archives' Rules for Readers and failure to observe the Rules for Readers may result in the cancellation of the person’s Reader’s Ticket.
A Reader's Ticket application form may be downloaded and completed in advance of a first/future visit to the National Archives. The form should be presented in the Reader’s Ticket Office in order to process your application with the minimum of delay. The form is available in .pdf format and is accessed using Adobe Acrobat Reader.