OPM · Official form

OF 306 Declaration for Federal Employment

Optional Form 306 is the declaration nearly every federal hire signs. It collects background information the government uses to determine your acceptability for federal or federal contract employment.

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This is the genuine OPM PDF, unmodified. Source: OPM official page.

What is OF 306?

OF 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, asks about citizenship, Selective Service registration, military service, criminal history, prior federal employment, and delinquent federal debt. Agencies use the answers to help determine whether you are acceptable for federal employment, and the form also affects your status for enrollment in government life insurance.

You sign the OF 306 under penalty of law, and a false statement on it can be grounds for not hiring you, for firing you after you begin work, or for prosecution. Many agencies ask for it twice: once during the application process and again, freshly signed, at the time of appointment.

Who files OF 306?

Applicants who have been selected, or are being considered, for a federal civilian position
People starting work under a federal contract when the agency requires the declaration
Current or former federal employees returning to federal service
New hires asked to re-sign the form on their first day as a condition of appointment

How to fill out OF 306

Fill in your identifying information exactly as it appears on your other application materials.
Answer every background question. If you answer yes to a question about convictions, debts, or prior employment issues, use the space provided to explain the details.
Double-check the Selective Service question if you are a male born after December 31, 1959; agencies verify registration.
Sign and date the declaration. If you are signing at appointment, use the appointment date your HR office tells you.
Return the form to the hiring agency's HR office as instructed, usually with your onboarding paperwork. It is never sent to OPM.

Quick fill OF 306 on this page

Prefer to see the form itself while you type? Open OF 306 in the editor to fill it on the actual pages, add a signature, and download.

These are the form's own fields, in the order they appear on the pages. Fill in what you know; anything left blank stays a fillable field in the PDF, so you can finish it in any PDF reader. Nothing you type here is sent to OPM.

Page 2 29 fields

Your full name. First, Middle, Last, Suffix. Indicate "no middle name" if you don't have one. Indicate "inital only" if you only have

Your Social Security Number.

Your place of birth. Include the city and state or country.

Select yes if you are a U.S. Citizen. Select no if you are not.

If you are not a U.S. citizen, provide your country of citizenship.

Your date of birth (MM/DD/YYYY).

Any other names you have ever used, including maiden name, nickname, etc.

Your 10-digit daytime phone number.

Your 10-digit nighttime phone number.

Select yes if you are a male born after December 31, 1959. Select no if you are not.

If you answered "yes" to question 7a, select yes if you have registered with the Selective Service System. Select no if you have not.

Select yes if you have ever served in the United States military. Select no if you have not or if your only active duty was training in the

The first branch of the military you served in.

The date you started serving in the first branch (MM/DD/YYYY).

The date you stopped serving in the first branch (MM/DD/YYYY).

Your type of discharge from the first branch.

The second branch of the military you served in, if applicable.

The third branch of the military you served in, if applicable.

The date you started serving in the second branch (MM/DD/YYYY).

The date you started serving in the third branch (MM/DD/YYYY).

The date you stopped serving in the second branch (MM/DD/YYYY).

The date you stopped serving in the third branch (MM/DD/YYYY).

Your type of discharge from the second branch.

Your type of discharge from the third branch.

Select yes if during the last seven years, you have been convicted, imprisoned, on probation, or on parole. Select no if you have not.

Select yes if you have been convicted by a military court-martial in the past seven years. Select no if you have not.

Select yes if you are currently under charges for any violation of the law. Select no if you are not.

Select yes if, during the last five years, you have been fired from any job for any reason, quit after being told you would be fired, left

Select yes if you are delinquent on any Federal debt. Select no if you are not.

Page 3 9 fields

Select yes if you have relatives working for the agency or organization to which you are submitting this form. Select no if you do not.

Select yes if you receive or have ever applied for retirement pay, pension, or other retired pay. Select no if you do not or have not.

Use this space to give additional explanations for questions 7 thorough 15 and 18c, if applicable.

The date you left your last Federal job (MM/DD/YYYY).

If you answered "yes" to question 18b, select yes if you later canceled the waiver. Select no if you did not. Select do not know if you

Select yes if you waived Basic Life Insurance (or any type of optional life insurance) the last time you worked for the Federal Government.

The date the applicant signed this form (MM/DD/YYYY).

For the Appointing Officer only. Enter the date of appointment of conversion (MM/DD/YYYY).

The date the appointee signed this form (MM/DD/YYYY).

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Frequently asked questions

Does a yes answer on the OF 306 disqualify me?

Not automatically. Agencies weigh the nature of the issue, how long ago it happened, and its relevance to the job. Leaving something out is far more damaging than disclosing it, because a false statement is independent grounds for removal.

Why do I have to sign the OF 306 twice?

Many agencies collect one signature when you apply and a second at appointment. The appointment signature certifies the answers are still true on the day you actually enter federal service.

OF 306 Declaration for Federal Employment

What is OF 306?

Who files OF 306?

How to fill out OF 306

Quick fill OF 306 on this page

Frequently asked questions

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