The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) runs voter registration in the Philippines. It follows the Voter’s Registration Act of 1996 (RA 8189). Registration is free and done in person, because COMELEC captures your photo, signature, and fingerprints. As of October 2026, however, regular registration is closed. The last period ran from October 20, 2025 to May 18, 2026, ahead of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on November 2, 2026.
When voter registration reopens
RA 8189 bars registration during the 120 days before a regular election and the 90 days before a special election. As a result, COMELEC usually suspends registration months before an election and reopens it some time after. After the November 2026 BSKE, COMELEC should announce a new registration period for the May 2028 national and local elections. Watch COMELEC’s official website and social media accounts for the exact dates, rather than relying on forwarded messages.
Registration in the Bangsamoro region has followed its own schedule because of the region’s parliamentary elections. Voters there should therefore check COMELEC’s BARMM announcements separately.
Who can register to vote
Under RA 8189, you may register if you are:
- a Filipino citizen;
- at least 18 years old on election day;
- a resident of the Philippines for at least one year; and
- a resident of the city or municipality where you will vote for at least six months immediately before the election.
For SK elections, the Katipunan ng Kabataan voters list covers young people aged 15 to 30 who meet residency rules. Young people aged 15 to 17 can therefore register for the SK even before they can vote in national elections.
Who cannot register
The law disqualifies people with a final sentence of at least one year in prison. The bar lifts after a pardon or amnesty, or five years after they serve the sentence. It also disqualifies people convicted of disloyalty to the government, such as rebellion or sedition, under similar conditions. People whom a competent authority declares insane or incompetent are disqualified too, unless that declaration ends.
What to bring for voter registration
Bring one valid government-issued ID with your photo and signature. Examples include a PhilSys National ID or ePhilID, passport, driver’s license, UMID or SSS ID, PRC ID, postal ID, senior citizen ID, PWD ID, or student ID for students. COMELEC has said it does not accept some documents as proof of identity. These include barangay IDs and certifications, community tax certificates (cedula), company IDs, and police clearances. Our valid government IDs guide explains which IDs are widely accepted.
If you have no valid ID, get one first. The National ID is free; see our PhilSys National ID guide.
The voter registration process
- Get the application form at your city or municipal Office of the Election Officer (OEO), or download it from the COMELEC website when registration is open.
- Fill it out, but do not sign it yet; you sign before the election officer.
- Go to the OEO where you live, or to a COMELEC satellite site.
- Present your ID and submit the form for review.
- Have your photo, signature, and fingerprints captured.
- Keep the acknowledgment receipt, since it is your proof that you applied if your name does not appear on the list later.
During the 2025 to 2026 period, COMELEC also ran its Special Register Anywhere Program (SRAP). It used satellite sites in capital towns and highly urbanized cities, including some malls, hospitals, and airports.
Approval by the Election Registration Board
Voter registration is not final when you leave the office. Under RA 8189, the Election Registration Board (ERB) hears applications and meets every quarter. The ERB posts hearing notices at the city or municipal hall, and anyone may file a written challenge under oath. If no one objects, the board notifies the applicant in writing, and the applicant need not attend the hearing. Once approved, your record goes into the list of voters for your precinct.
Other applications COMELEC accepts
When registration is open, the OEO also handles:
- transfer of registration to a new city or municipality, or a new address in the same town;
- change of name or status, for example after marriage, with a PSA marriage certificate;
- correction of entries in your registration record;
- reactivation of a deactivated record; and
- inclusion or reinstatement of a name in the voters list.
If you changed your surname after marriage, our PSA marriage certificate guide explains how to get the document.
Why voter registration gets deactivated
The ERB deactivates the registration of people who:
- did not vote in two successive preceding regular elections (SK elections do not count);
- were sentenced by final judgment to imprisonment of at least one year;
- were convicted of crimes involving disloyalty to the government;
- were declared insane or incompetent;
- had their registration excluded by a court; or
- lost their Filipino citizenship.
Missing two regular elections in a row is the most common reason. If that happened to you, file a sworn application for reactivation during a registration period, stating that the reason no longer applies. You cannot file for reactivation in the period before an election when registration is closed.
Transferring after a move
If you moved to another city or municipality, apply for transfer at the OEO of your new residence. The ERB moves your record after notice, hearing, and approval. If you only moved within the same town, notify the election officer in writing. If the new address falls in a different precinct, the board transfers your record. You must have lived in the new place for six months before the election. So plan transfers early, ideally soon after you move.
Help for illiterate voters and persons with disabilities
An illiterate person may register with help from the election officer or an accredited citizens’ arm member. That helper reads the questions and records the answers under oath. For a person with a physical disability, a relative within the fourth civil degree, the election officer, or a citizens’ arm member may prepare the application. COMELEC has also set up priority lanes and accessible sites for seniors and persons with disabilities in recent registration periods.
The voter’s certificate
COMELEC no longer issues new voter’s ID cards. Instead, registered voters who need proof of registration can request a voter’s certification from the OEO where they are registered, or from COMELEC’s main office in Manila. It states your name, address, precinct, and registration status, and is often used as supporting proof of identity or residence for government transactions.
Bring a valid ID when requesting it, and expect to fill out a short request form. COMELEC charges a certification fee for most requests, though its issuances exempt some groups. Ask the OEO about the current fee and exemptions before going. The certificate shows your status on the day the OEO issues it, so check that your record is active first.
Voter registration for first-time voters: an example
Consider Mika, who turns 18 in March 2028 and has lived in Quezon City all her life. She cannot vote in the November 2026 BSKE as a regular voter. Still, she may already be on the SK list if she registered for the Katipunan ng Kabataan. When COMELEC reopens voter registration after the BSKE, she brings her passport to the Quezon City OEO, fills out the form, and has her biometrics taken. Because she will be 18 by election day in May 2028, she can register even before her birthday, as long as she files within the registration period.
A few months later, the ERB approves her application at its quarterly hearing. Before the 2028 elections, she checks her precinct online. Then, a week before election day, she requests a voter’s certification for a job application that asks for proof of residence.
Overseas Filipinos
Filipinos abroad register under a separate overseas voting system, run by COMELEC through embassies and consulates, and vote only for national positions. If you are working or living abroad, check COMELEC’s overseas voting announcements and your nearest Philippine post. Returning OFWs who want to vote locally must apply for transfer to their local OEO during a regular voter registration period.
Checking your precinct and status
Before an election, COMELEC usually opens an online precinct finder on its website. You can also ask your OEO directly. Check early, especially if you missed the last two regular elections. You can only reactivate a deactivated record during a registration period.
Getting ready before voter registration reopens
You can prepare now, even while registration is closed. First, make sure you have one valid ID that COMELEC accepts, such as a passport or PhilSys ID. Next, confirm your address and how long you have lived there, since the six-month residence rule applies. Then, once COMELEC announces the new period, go early rather than in the last weeks, when queues at the OEO are longest.
Avoid fake registration offers
Voter registration has no fee, and COMELEC has publicly warned against false claims that it does. There is also no online-only registration, since COMELEC captures biometrics in person. For general tips on preparing IDs and documents, see our government ID and document prep checklist.
Last checked against the COMELEC website and RA 8189 on Lawphil on October 2026. COMELEC sets registration dates by resolution for each election cycle, so confirm the schedule before going.
