How to Reactivate Your COMELEC Voter Registration in the Philippines (2025 Guide)

Philippine legal explainer. Plain-language, but grounded in statute and COMELEC practice. This is general information, not legal advice.

Quick headlines for 2025

Election day: second Monday of May 2025 → May 12, 2025 (1987 Constitution, Art. VI & IX-C, customary schedule).
Registration/reactivation blackout: By law, no voter registration (which includes reactivation) within 120 days before a regular election (Voter’s Registration Act of 1996, R.A. 8189). → For the May 12, 2025 polls, the blackout begins January 12, 2025. Expect COMELEC to cut off applications on or before that date.
It’s free. Filing to reactivate is not subject to fees. (A separate Voter’s Certification—if you need it for transactions—has a small fee, commonly waived for indigent applicants with a DSWD certificate.)

Who needs “reactivation”?

Your voter record is deactivated (temporarily not allowed to vote) if any of these applied to you:

Failure to vote in two (2) successive regular elections.
No/invalid biometrics on file (e.g., never captured, unreadable), per R.A. 10367 (Mandatory Biometrics).
Final judgment that disqualifies you from voting (e.g., imprisonment of ≥1 year unless rights are restored; declaration of insanity/ incompetency), loss of Filipino citizenship, or exclusion by court. (R.A. 8189)

If the cause no longer exists (e.g., you now have/are ready to give biometrics, you’ve been pardoned or finished sentence with political rights restored, or you’ve reacquired citizenship under R.A. 9225), you may reactivate.

Reactivate vs. Register Anew If COMELEC still has your record (same name/birthdate) but it’s “inactive,” you reactivate. If your record was cancelled (e.g., adjudged multiple registration) or you moved cities/municipalities, you may need a transfer with reactivation (see below) or a fresh registration if your old record cannot be located.

Basic voter qualifications (must still be true)

Filipino citizen (including dual citizens who re-acquired under R.A. 9225).
At least 18 years old on election day (by May 12, 2025).
Residency:
- In the Philippines for at least 1 year immediately before May 12, 2025 (count back to May 12, 2024).
- In your city/municipality for at least 6 months immediately before May 12, 2025 (count back to November 12, 2024).
Not disqualified by law.

(SK voters follow separate age rules; this guide focuses on regular voters.)

Your options (pick the scenario that fits)

Reactivation only
- You’re still residing in the same city/municipality and simply got deactivated (e.g., missed two elections, or “no biometrics”).
Reactivation + Transfer (within the same city/municipality)
- You moved barangays but within the same city/municipality and need your precinct updated.
Reactivation + Transfer (to a different city/municipality)
- You changed city/municipality. You must meet the 6-month local residency rule (in the new LGU by Nov 12, 2024 to vote there in May 2025).
Reactivation + Correction/Change of Entries
- Fix typos, update married name, or correct sex/birthdate. Bring supporting civil registry documents.
Reactivation after Reacquisition of Citizenship (R.A. 9225)
- Bring Identification Certificate/Order from the Bureau of Immigration, Oath of Allegiance, and valid ID.
Reactivation after loss/removal of disqualification
- Bring documentary proof (e.g., final discharge, pardon/amnesty, or court order restoring political rights).

Step-by-step: How to reactivate

Check your status
- Use COMELEC’s precinct finder (if available) or ask your local Office of the Election Officer (OEO). (Status terms you might hear: Active, Deactivated, Cancelled.)
Prepare valid ID (original; bring a photocopy just in case)
- Government-issued photo ID with your name and preferably your local address (e.g., PhilSys/PhilID, passport, driver’s license, UMID, postal ID, PRC, SSS/GSIS, senior citizen ID).
- If the ID lacks address, bring proof of residence (barangay certificate/utility bill).
- If age/date of birth isn’t obvious, bring a birth certificate.
(Optional) Pre-fill online
- COMELEC’s iRehistro (when available) lets you pre-fill the form and book an appointment, but you must still appear in person for biometrics and signing.
Go to the OEO/satellite site in your city/municipality
- Tell the front desk you need Reactivation (and say if you also need Transfer or Correction of Entries).
- Persons with Disabilities (PWD), Senior Citizens, heavily pregnant applicants, and Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) have priority/assisted processes. Ask the OEO for arrangements or scheduled mobile/satellite registration.
Submit the application & capture biometrics
- COMELEC will scan your fingerprints, take your photo, and your digital signature (if needed).
- You’ll receive an acknowledgment/claim stub.
Wait for ERB approval
- Applications are posted for public scrutiny and then acted on by the Election Registration Board (ERB), which meets monthly (typically the third Monday) under R.A. 8189.
- Once approved, your record becomes Active again.
Verify after ERB
- Re-check with the OEO or via the precinct finder to confirm Active status and note your precinct.
- If you need a Voter’s Certification (for bank/agency transactions), request it from the OEO (fee may apply; indigency may waive it).

Timing & deadlines you should not miss

Legal blackout window: No registration/reactivation from January 12, 2025 through election day (because of the 120-day prohibition).
Plan count-backs:
- To vote in your new city/municipality, you must have established residence by November 12, 2024 (6 months before May 12, 2025).
- Turn 18 by May 12, 2025 to qualify as a regular voter.

Practical tip: Do not wait for the final week before the blackout. ERB schedules and posting periods mean earlier is safer to ensure approval before the list is finalized.

Special cases

1) Overseas Filipinos (OFOV/Overseas Voting)

Governed by R.A. 9189 as amended by R.A. 10590.
You register/reactivate through embassies/consulates/MECO, or during COMELEC field activities.
Overseas voting runs for 30 days before election day (for 2025, that period ends on May 12, 2025).
Requirements: valid Philippine passport (or Seafarer’s Book for seafarers), proof of dual citizenship if applicable, and biometrics.
If you moved back to the Philippines, file a Transfer to Local List with the OEO in your LGU.

2) Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs)

PDLs awaiting final judgment remain qualified voters and may be reactivated and vote via jail-based special polling as scheduled with COMELEC and BJMP/BuCor. Final convicts with restored political rights (e.g., pardon) can reactivate with proof.

3) Name change/marriage, corrections, and data fixes

Bring a PSA civil registry document (marriage certificate, court order, corrected birth certificate) to support Change/Correction of Entries alongside reactivation.

4) Dual citizens (R.A. 9225)

Bring Identification Certificate, Oath of Allegiance, and a valid ID. You may choose local or overseas voting, but not both at the same time.

What if COMELEC denies or fails to act on my application?

You may pursue inclusion/exclusion remedies under R.A. 8189 before the proper court within the statutory time frames (these are tight and vary depending on whether a regular or special election is upcoming).
A practical first step is to ask your OEO why it was denied (often it’s missing documents or residency/ID issues). If the ground is legal (e.g., a still-effective disqualification), you’ll need the appropriate court/administrative relief (e.g., restoration of political rights) before reapplying.

Documents & identification: what COMELEC commonly accepts

Bring one (1) original, government-issued photo ID showing your name and preferably your local address. Examples typically accepted:

PhilID/PhilSys, Passport, Driver’s License, UMID, Postal ID, PRC ID, SSS/GSIS, Senior Citizen ID, PWD ID, Student ID (public school/state U), or barangay certification of residency (as address support).
Tip: If your ID does not show your local address, add a Barangay Certificate of Residency or recent utility bill.

Fees, receipts, and records

Reactivation filing: Free.
Voter’s Certification: Small fee (varies); indigency with a DSWD certificate typically waives the fee.
No new voter’s ID card: COMELEC has suspended printing of the old PVC voter IDs; the PhilSys National ID supersedes this. Your Voter’s Certification suffices for most agencies.

Common pitfalls (and how to avoid them)

Missing the blackout start (Jan 12, 2025): File early; ERB approvals aren’t instantaneous.
Wrong LGU: If you moved cities/municipalities and don’t file a transfer with reactivation, you’ll stay assigned to your old precinct and cannot vote where you now live.
Residency cutoff: To vote in the new LGU in 2025, you should have established residence by Nov 12, 2024.
Name mismatch: Update your records if married or legally changed your name; bring PSA documents.
No biometrics: If your biometrics are absent/corrupted, the OEO will recapture them—don’t skip the in-person step.
Multiple registration: Never apply twice. Multiple/duplicate registration is an election offense with penalties.

Frequently asked questions

Can I reactivate fully online? As a rule, no—you must appear in person for identity verification and biometrics. Online portals help pre-fill forms and set appointments only.

How do I know my application was approved? COMELEC posts applications and the ERB acts on them monthly. After the scheduled ERB date, check with your OEO or the precinct finder to confirm Active status and get your precinct.

I was tagged “deceased” by mistake. What now? File for reactivation/correction at your OEO, bringing valid ID and any supporting documents (e.g., affidavit from the family and barangay certification). The OEO will process the correction and restore your record if warranted.

I didn’t vote in 2022 and 2023—am I deactivated? If you missed two successive regular elections, COMELEC typically deactivates your record. File reactivation; if you also moved, file transfer with reactivation.

I’m a seafarer or I’ll be abroad on election day. You can register/reactivate as an Overseas Voter (or transfer to it), then vote by post/embassy voting during the 30-day overseas voting period that ends May 12, 2025. Coordinate early with the embassy/consulate.

Legal bases you can cite

R.A. 8189 – Voter’s Registration Act of 1996 (continuing registration; ERB; 120-day blackout; deactivation/reactivation).
R.A. 10367 – Mandatory Biometrics Voter Registration Act.
R.A. 9189 as amended by R.A. 10590 – Overseas Voting.
R.A. 9225 – Citizenship Retention and Reacquisition Act (dual citizens).
1987 Constitution, Art. V (Suffrage) & regular election schedule (second Monday of May).

Action checklist (print-friendly)

Confirm current status (Active/Deactivated) with the OEO.
Pick the right path: Reactivation / Reactivation + Transfer / Reactivation + Correction.
Prepare valid ID (+ residency proof if address isn’t on the ID).
(Optional) Pre-fill via iRehistro; book a slot if required in your LGU.
Apply in person at the OEO or satellite center; complete biometrics.
Track ERB date; verify Active status afterward.
(Optional) Request Voter’s Certification if needed for transactions.

Final notes

COMELEC issues detailed Resolutions that fine-tune schedules and forms each cycle. Because they can adjust administrative cut-offs and operating hours, it’s smart to file early and coordinate with your OEO for the exact local schedule.
Keep your acknowledgment receipt until you can verify your Active status and precinct assignment.