New Senior Civil Service Officials ACE 2026: Assignments, Deadlines and Level 26

Key data

The selection process called in July 2024 for the Senior Corps of Civil Administrators of the State reaches its culmination with this resolution, published on July 9, 2026. Those who passed the opposition phase, the competitive examination and the selective course at INAP are appointed career civil servants effective from that same date. The Resolution from the State Secretariat for Civil Service (reference BOE-A-2026-14887) formalizes the appointment both through the general open access system and through internal promotion.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution closes the complete cycle of the selection process for the Senior Corps of Civil Administrators of the State (ACE), one of the elite bodies of the General State Administration. The process consisted of three phases:

• Opposition phase: eliminatory knowledge tests.
• Competitive examination: assessment of additional merits.
• Selective course at INAP: specific training prior to final appointment.

Once the three phases are passed, the State Secretariat for Civil Service formalizes the appointment as career civil servants. The appointed officials must uphold the Constitution and proceed to take office within the established deadlines.

Economic and operational impact

From the perspective of the General State Administration, this appointment consolidates the incorporation of new high-level personnel to various ministries and organizations. The most relevant operational effects are:

• Immediate incorporation of qualified human capital: the new ACE officials will occupy level 26 positions, which implies responsibilities for coordination, project management and high-level technical advice within their assigned units.
• Payroll cost for the General State Administration: the destination complement of level 26 is one of the highest in the Spanish civil service remuneration system, reflecting the responsibility and qualification required of the corps.
• Impact on receiving units: the ministries and organizations headquartered mainly in Madrid that receive these personnel must manage reception, assignment of functions and integration into their organizational structures.
• Risk of vacancy if office is not taken within deadline: failure to meet the deadline for taking office may have consequences on the appointment, so deadline management is critical for both the official and the receiving unit.

Who does it affect?

• Approved candidates in the selection process called in July 2024 for the Senior ACE Corps, both through open access and internal promotion.
• Ministries and bodies of the General State Administration headquartered mainly in Madrid that receive new personnel with destination complement level 26.
• Human resources units of the affected ministerial departments, which must manage the taking of office and integration of new officials.
• Active civil servants who participated through internal promotion and who will change corps and, potentially, assignment and location.
• Advisors and personnel managers of the General State Administration who must know the applicable deadlines and procedures.

Practical example

A candidate who passed the three phases of the selection process (opposition, competitive examination and INAP course) and receives an assignment in a ministry headquartered in Madrid has until July 24, 2026 (15 calendar days from July 9) to take office with destination complement level 26.

If that same candidate resides in another city and the assigned position involves a change of location, the deadline is extended to 1 month, that is, until August 9, 2026. In both cases, they must uphold the Constitution in the act of taking office.

If the official or any interested party believes that the appointment is not in accordance with law, they have 1 month to file a reconsideration appeal or 2 months to resort to the administrative contentious route before the National Court, both periods counted from July 9, 2026.

What should the appointed officials do now?

1. Verify the deadline for taking office: calculate whether the assignment involves or not a change of location to determine if the deadline is 15 calendar days (until July 24, 2026) or 1 month (until August 9, 2026).
2. Contact the human resources unit of the ministry or organization of assignment to coordinate the act of taking office and learn about required documentation.
3. Uphold the Constitution in the formal act of taking office, a requirement essential for the validity of the appointment.
4. Review the assigned position and, if it is considered that it does not comply with law, assess filing a reconsideration appeal within 1 month or an administrative contentious appeal before the National Court within 2 months from July 9, 2026.
5. Manage the change of location if applicable: initiate the necessary administrative and personal procedures for the transfer, taking advantage of the extended 1-month deadline.

Official source

Consult complete regulation at official source

Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-14887