CSE Application Checklist: ID Photos, Accepted IDs and Other Requirements

Many applicants prepare for months and then lose time because of a small problem with their application, often the ID photo. This checklist follows the requirements in CSC Examination Announcement No. 06, s. 2026 for the 14 March 2027 CSE-PPT. Requirements can change between exams, so always read the announcement for your own exam date and confirm with your CSC Regional or Field Office.

Step 1: Check that you are qualified

Before anything else, make sure you meet the qualification requirements: Filipino citizen, at least 18 years old on the date of filing, of good moral character, and without the disqualifications listed in the announcement. Also check the two retake rules:

• You must not have taken the same level within three months before the exam date (for March 2027, between 14 December 2026 and 13 March 2027).
• You must not have already passed the level you are applying for.

The CSC warns that approval of an application may be recalled at any time if a disqualification is discovered, and the fee is forfeited.

Step 2: Fill in the correct application form

You need a fully accomplished CS Form No. 100, Revised 2023, either the Career Service-Professional or the Career Service-Subprofessional version. The form is available at CSC Regional and Field Offices and can be downloaded from csc.gov.ph. It may be printed on legal size bond paper.

Fill it in neatly and make sure your name matches your ID exactly, including your middle name and any extension such as Jr.

Step 3: Prepare four identical ID pictures

This is where many applications get delayed. The announcement requires four identical ID pictures that are:

• passport size, 4.5 cm × 3.5 cm (1.8 × 1.4 inches);
• coloured, with a white background;
• taken within three months before you file;
• printed on good quality photo paper that does not peel off;
• a standard close-up shot from the shoulders up, with the head and face taking up at least 80% of the picture;
• taken with a bare face: no eyeglasses, no coloured contact lenses, no headdress or bandana, and no computer enhancement of facial features;
• showing both ears (Muslim women may keep their head covering but must show the forehead and both ears);
• in full-face view, facing the camera directly, with a neutral expression and both eyes open.

The pictures must also show a hand-held name tag. You hold the tag while the picture is taken; it must not be added by computer. On the tag, write your signature by hand over your printed full name: given name or names, middle initial if any, last name and extension name if any. The tag should sit about one inch (2.54 cm) below your chin.

Tip: tell the photo studio that the picture is for the Civil Service Exam and show them these rules. Ask for a few extra copies in case one is rejected.

Step 4: Bring an accepted ID, original and photocopy

You must present the original and a photocopy of one accepted ID. The announcement lists, among others:

• Driver’s License or Student Driver’s Permit
• Passport
• PRC License
• SSS ID or GSIS UMID
• Voter’s ID or Voter’s Certification
• BIR/TIN ID with picture
• PhilHealth ID with name, picture, signature and number
• Company or office ID, or school ID
• Police Clearance with picture, NBI Clearance or Barangay ID
• Postal ID, Seaman’s Book, HDMF Transaction ID, PWD ID, Solo Parent ID or Senior Citizen’s ID
• CSC Eligibility Card
• Philippine Identification (PhilID) card, including the ePhilID

The digital National ID is accepted, subject to verification. IDs not on the list are not accepted. As a last resort, an expired ID may be presented when filing, but only if its expiry date falls within 2026.

If your ID does not show your date of birth, you must also bring the original and a photocopy of your birth certificate from the PSA or the local civil registry.

Step 5: Pay the examination fee

The fee is ₱500. Keep your receipt safe, but remember that on exam day you may not use any piece of paper, including the application receipt, for scratch work.

Step 6: File with your CSC office

Contact the CSC Regional or Field Office where you want to take the exam and ask about their filing procedure, since modes of filing can differ. For the March 2027 exam, online registration opens on 2 November 2026, and personal appearance for those who have secured slots online begins on 3 November 2026. Applications continue until the slots are filled.

Choose your testing centre carefully. A transfer of testing centre is allowed only in extraordinary situations, must be requested in writing with supporting evidence and a copy of your application receipt, and must be submitted by 9 December 2026.

Quick checklist

• I meet all the qualification requirements and the retake rules
• CS Form No. 100 (Revised 2023), correct level, fully filled in
• Four identical passport-size photos that follow every rule, with a hand-held, hand-signed name tag
• Original and photocopy of one accepted ID
• Birth certificate, if my ID has no date of birth
• ₱500 examination fee
• I know my CSC office’s filing procedure and my testing centre

Then focus on studying

Once your application is filed, put your energy into preparation. Start with the exam guide to see the official scope, and work through the reviewer topics area by area.