How to get a British Library card: cost, what you need and reading rooms
Explained: the British Library Reader Pass
The British Library Reader Pass is the free card that opens the Library’s Reading Rooms and lets you request items from its collection. It is not a lending card. Also, since the October 2023 cyber-attack, it cannot be obtained online.
The details below come from the British Library’s own Reader Pass page, checked on Saturday 10th October 2026. Rules and opening hours can change, so check the page before you travel.
Who can get a British Library Reader Pass
Anyone aged 18 or over who wants to use the collection or the Reading Rooms, and who can visit in person, can apply. The Library says its users include academic researchers, students and members of the public. Family history is a popular reason to register. However, it is currently unable to issue passes to under-18s.
The British Library Reader Pass costs nothing. It is valid for three years. A renewal keeps your existing Reader number. For example, a replacement before expiry carries a non-refundable £10 charge.
How to register for a British Library Reader Pass
You can only register at Reader Registration in St Pancras, London, or in Boston Spa, Yorkshire. You cannot pre-register online, because the 2023 cyber-attack damaged the Library’s systems. It says it will announce when online registration returns.
You need ID. Bring a state-issued photo ID that shows your name and address. Some driving licences and national identity cards qualify. Otherwise, bring two separate documents, one showing your name and one your home address. Accepted documents include state-issued papers, bills, NHS letters, DVLA correspondence and tenancy agreements. They must be valid, or issued in the last 12 months.
Some licences and identity cards do not show an address. If yours does not, it cannot be your only ID. In addition, everyone needs a pass issued or renewed since 21st March 2024 to request collection items.
To read an item on the day you register, you need your email on a personal device to verify your catalogue account. You cannot use email on Library computers for this.
What the pass does, and what it does not
The British Library Reader Pass gives access to the Reading Rooms for personal study, to items on the shelves and to collection requests. The Reading Rooms are quiet study spaces with free Wi-Fi. You can work there even if you are not using collection items.
It does not let you borrow. The Library is clear that you cannot take books out. Likewise, a guest aged over 18 needs their own Reader Pass. So does a carer or an adult dependent who comes with you.
Opening hours and closures to check
The London Reading Rooms are open on Monday from 10.00 to 20.00. They open from 9.30 to 20.00 on Tuesday to Thursday and 9.30 to 17.00 on Friday and Saturday. They are closed on Sundays and bank holidays. The Maps, Manuscripts, and Asian and African Studies Reading Rooms close at 17.00 from Monday to Saturday.
London Reader Registration opens from 9.30 to 17.45 Monday to Thursday, 9.30 to 16.15 on Friday and 9.30 to 16.45 on Saturday. The Library also lists amended hours for Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th October. Some Reading Rooms and Reader Registration will be closed then. Besides that, the full St Pancras site will be closed on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th December.
Your British Library Reader Pass is not needed for a local branch. Our guide to local library services shows what they offer instead.