How to register your business name with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in the Philippines? If you are planning to establish a business, a trade name is an essential part of your business existence. That is why you should take time for brainstorming to come up with a company name that is both unique and appealing to your potential customers. Your trade name is what you will always use when dealing with your clients or customers. It is the name that will be stated in your certificates of registration with different agencies, in your official receipts and invoices, in your contracts and in other business forms.
If you are forming a single proprietorship business, it is required that you secure a certificate of registration with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Otherwise, if you’re forming a partnership or a corporation, you should first register your business with the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC). After securing a SEC certificate of registration, although not required, you may also wish to register your name with the DTI to ensure that no other individuals or organizations would register a name similar to yours.
The DTI is the primary government agency with the dual mission of facilitating the creation of a business environment wherein participants could compete, flourish, and succeed and, at the same time, ensuring consumer welfare. DTI also governs the registration of business and trade names in the Philippines. The following are steps and guidelines to register your business name with the DTI:
Choose your proposed business name
Before you register your business with the DTI, you should be ready with your proposed business name. The following are guidelines for an acceptable and not acceptable business name:
Acceptable business names:
- The root word or words of the name shall be considered.
- Describes the nature of business
- Comprised solely of letters and/or numerals
- Punctuation that are part of English and Filipino language
Names that are not acceptable:
- Those which are or whose nature of business is illegal, offensive, scandalous, or contrary to propriety.
- Those which are identical or which nearly resemble business names already registered with government office authorized to register names.
- Names composed purely of generic words.
- Names by which by law or regulation cannot be appropriated.
- Distinguished or suggestive of quality of any class of goods, articles merchandise or service.
- Abbreviation of names of any nation, inter-governmental or international organization
- Names which are misleading, deceptive or which misrepresent the nature of business
Steps for over-the-counter registration
A. Obtain application forms (duplicate copy) and fill these up completely. Only the owner of the business or his/her Attorney-in-Fact (who is authorized in a proper legal instrument) is authorized to sign all the forms.
B. Meet the following requirements (For Single Proprietorship):
• Must be a Filipino citizen, at least 18 years old. Filipinos with names suggestive of alien nationality must submit any of the following proof of citizenship: birth certificate, PRC ID, voter’s ID, or valid passport. If the applicant has acquired Filipino citizenship by naturalization, election, or by other means provided by law, he must submit any of the following proof of his Filipino citizenship: naturalization certificate and oath of allegiance, card issued by the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation and affidavit of election, or ID card issued by the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation.
• Certain types of business may have other requirements such as service and repair shops, real estate brokers, dental/medical clinic/hospitals, pawnshops, manpower services, engineering/architectural services and other services provided by professionals.
C. Submit application form to the DTI Processor. The DTI Processor will check if the Business Name is still available, if yes, you will be asked to pay the application fee.
D. Pay the required registration and processing fee.
New BN registration fees in effect
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is now implementing the following registration fees for business name registration (original and renewal) depending on the territorial jurisdiction covered in the application:
a. Barangay: PHP 200.00
b. City / Municipality: PHP 500.00
c. Regional: PHP 1,000.00
d. National: PHP 2,000.00
For more information, please call DTI Direct at 751.3330.
E. After showing the receipt to the Processor, the Business Name Certificate will be released.
F. Your Business Name Certificate is valid for 5 years from date of registration.
Register Online at www.bnrs.dti.gov.ph
1. Fill out application form by typing the required information (proposed business name, TIN, name of registrant, address, etc.,).
2. Submit online and you will receive transaction reference number acknowledgment via e-mail.
3. Submit the necessary documentation mention in the acknowledgment in DTI office in your area. The reserve business name online is only up to 3 working days.
4. Pay your application. Payment can be through GCash or at the DTI teller. Fees will depend on the territorial jurisdiction covered in the application (barangay, City/municipality, regional or national).
Victorino Q. Abrugar is a marketing strategist and business consultant from Tacloban City, Philippines. Vic has been in the online marketing industry for more than 7 years, practicing problogging, web development, content marketing, SEO, social media marketing, and consulting.
Sir, we are in the process on registering a family corporation with the SEC thru its e-system. The name has been approved but the certificate of registration is still on process. Based on our plan, the trade name to be used will be different from the name of the corporation. Can we apply for the registration of the trade name with the Corporation as the registrant/owner? Please advice us on the revistration process. Thank you.
pwd po ba na mag open ng bussiness while in abroad . i mean , s pagkuha ng permit pwede po name ng nag aabroad? kc po kapatid ko po un maghahandle ng bussiness .
how to change business name that didn’t use already?
Sir, my mother and I am both dentists and we have our own dental clinic. We are egistered individually in BIR but not in agencies like the DTI or SEC since we were advised by a BIR personnel that it is not necessary as long as we won’t use a business name. Now, we are being told otherwise. That it is imperative that we register our dental clinic because it would seem like we are only freelancers. Is this true? If so, what should our next steps be? Thank you.
Thank you for this relevant information. I hope you’ll spare me a little of your time sir. Just want to ask is it allowed to register agri supply, meat shop and grocery store under one business name?