Overview
The Guardia Civil recruits its entry-level officers through the Escala de Cabos y Guardias. The 2026 call, published in the BOE on 8 May 2026, offers 3,240 places. The system is concurso-oposición: a merit phase followed by tests, then training at a Guardia Civil teaching centre.
Levels or stages
The 2026 places are divided as follows:
| Quota | Places |
|---|---|
| Open access | 1,704 |
| Professional military personnel with at least 5 years of service | 1,296 |
| Students of the Colegio de Guardias Jóvenes | 240 |
Who can apply
Spanish nationality, with civil rights and no criminal record.
At least 18 years old and not above 40 during 2026.
Secondary-level qualification giving access to a medium vocational course (for example ESO or a Técnico title).
Class B driving licence.
Medical and physical fitness under the call's exclusion criteria, and no prohibited tattoos or body modifications.
Exam pattern
Merit phase (concurso): scored 0 to 45 points under a scale in the call (professional merits, language certificates, and other merits such as driving licences and high-level sport, all set out in Appendix I and claimed in the online application).
Opposition phase
| Test | Content |
|---|---|
| Orthography | 5 sentences; 6 or more errors eliminates |
| Grammar | 20 sentences; 6 or more errors eliminates |
| General knowledge | 100 multiple-choice questions with four options; minimum 50 points |
| English | 20 multiple-choice questions; minimum 8 points |
| Intellectual aptitude | 80 questions in 55 minutes; minimum 12 points on a 30-point scale |
| Personality profile | Evaluation |
| Physical tests | 2,000 m run, agility circuit, push-ups and 50 m swim, pass or fail with time and repetition limits by sex and age |
| Interview and medical | Competency interview and medical examination |
The knowledge tests take 140 minutes in total. For candidates under 35, the physical limits are, for men and women respectively: 2,000 m in 9 minutes 25 seconds and 11 minutes 14 seconds; circuit in 14.00 and 16.00 seconds; 16 and 11 push-ups; 50 m in 70 and 81 seconds. A medical certificate dated within 20 days before the physical tests is required.
Marking and results
Minimum marks apply in each opposition test. Those ranked within about one and a half times the number of places advance to the psychophysical tests. Ties are broken by general knowledge, English, intellectual aptitude score, then age.
Important dates
The call was published in the BOE on 8 May 2026, with 15 working days from the next day to apply. The date, place and time of the first test are announced by the selection board.
Fees
The standard fee for this call is 11.66 euros. A 50 percent reduction (5.83 euros) applies to large families in the general category. Applicants who have been registered as jobseekers and meet the income criteria, members of large families in the special category, and terrorism victims and certain relatives are exempt.
How to apply
Applications must be submitted online through the Guardia Civil's electronic office, using Cl@ve or an electronic certificate to identify yourself. Merits you want counted must be claimed in the online application and held by the end of the application period, and are checked with documents later.
After the exam
Successful candidates start training at a Guardia Civil teaching centre (the Academia de Cabos y Guardias in Baeza or the Colegio de Guardias Jóvenes in Valdemoro); the 2026 call gave 13 October 2026 as the expected start date. The first academic year is classroom-based at the centre. The second is 40 weeks of practice in Guardia Civil units. Those who pass join the Escala de Cabos y Guardias.
Preparation tips
Treat orthography and grammar as gates; practise them early.
Train for all four physical tests, including the swim.
Prepare English and psychotechnical sets under time limits.
Is there an age limit?
Yes. The call requires candidates to be at least 18 and not above 40 during the year of the call.