People do business to make a living, serve their community, and pursue their dreams. It is good to hear a person who’s taking risk to start his or her business, whether small, medium or big. However, the process of starting and registering a business can be one of the most crucial stages of doing business. Getting the right permits and licenses should be done before running a business, otherwise, you may end up operating a business without a license, which can be punishable under certain business laws. That is why if you are an aspiring business person or entrepreneur, and if you want to conform with the government’s rules on establishing and legalizing a business, you have to be aware of the following list of business permits and licenses in the Philippines.
Basic permits
The following are the business permits and licenses that are generally required to all business industries.
1. Barangay Clearance – The barangay clearance is a certificate that your business complies with the requirements of the barangay where your business is located. To get a barangay clearance, you may visit the barangay office where your business is located.
2. DTI Business Name (BN) Registration Certificate – This is the certificate of registration of your business trade name. It gives you the power to use your registered business trade name for business operation. It also protects your business name against being used and registered by other business establishments. However, take note that DTI registration only gives you the authority to use your business trade name, but it doesn’t give you the license to start operating your business without getting the required licenses from other government offices, such as BIR and Local Government Office (Mayor’s Office). Check out our post on how to register a business trade name with the DTI.
3. SEC Certificate of Registration – Corporations (stock or non-stock) and partnerships have to secure a certificate of incorporation or certificate of partnership with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to be considered as legal or juridical entities. These certificates are also used as a requirement for registering with the BIR, Mayor’s Office, and other government offices. Take note that sole proprietorship businesses are not registered with SEC, but they are registered with the DTI. To register with SEC, you may reach the following SEC address and contact information.
SEC Building, Edsa, Greenhills, Mandaluyong City
Tel. Nos.: (+632) 726.0931 to 39
Email: mis@sec.gov.ph
Website: www.sec.gov.ph
or http://iregister.sec.gov.ph/MainServlet (for online registration)
4. Mayor’s Business Permit. Businesses have to secure a Mayor’s Business Permit or the Local Government Office where their business are located and operated. Requirements in obtaining a Mayor’s Business permit vary from different cities or municipalities. This permit is also a requirement by the BIR in issuing a BIR certificate of registration. You may read our post on how to get a Mayor’s Business Permit for more information.
5. BIR Certificate of Registration. Any business must be registered with the Bureau of Internal Revenue to comply with the Philippine tax requirements. BIR registration will assign a TIN (Taxpayer Identification Number) to the company or business owner, will give the business authority to print its official receipts and invoices, and registered its books of accounts. To register with the BIR, you have to go to the BIR office which has the jurisdiction of the place where your business is located. You may check out our post here about registering a business with the BIR.
6. SSS Employer’s Registration. Republic Act No. 8282 or otherwise known as the Social Security Act of 1997 requires businesses or business owners who use the services of another person or employees in business, trade, industry, or any undertaking to be registered with the SSS (Social Security System). For more information, check out our post on how to register a business with the SSS.
7. PhilHealth Employer’s Registration. All businesses and employers are also required to register with PhilHealth to enable them to provide social health insurance coverage to their employees. To check the requirements of registering your business with PhilHealth, please visit this page.
8. Pag-IBIG Employer’s Registration. Employers also have to register with the Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF) to secure their Pag-IBIG Employer ID Number and to provide the required benefits to their employees, who should be Fund members. Please visit Pag-IBIG website for the registration process.
9. DOLE Registration. Businesses with five or more employees are encouraged to register with the Department of Labor of Employment (DOLE) for the purpose of monitoring their compliance with labor regulations. For companies with 50 or more workers, they are required to register with DOLE, under the Bureau of Local Employment which administers the registration of establishments.
Special permits
The following are the special or secondary permits that are usually required for business establishments with special operation or industry.
10. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) – for banks, financing companies, pawnshops, money changers, and other financial institutions.
11. Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) – for business related in the manufacturing, trading, repacking, importing, exporting, distributing of any products related to food and drugs.
12. Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) – for business related to animals.
13. Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) – for business related in fishing and aquatics products.
14. Bureau of Forest Development – for exporters of forest products (e.g. logs, lumber products, plywood, etc.).
15. Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) – for business related to plants and vegetable crops.
16. Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Department of Education (DepEd) – for entities involved in providing education.
17. DTI-Bureau of Product Standards (BPS) – For commodity clearance for producers, manufacturers or exporters, whose product quality after due inspection, sampling, and testing, is found to meet established standards.
18. Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA) – for business related in fiber producing products.
19. Forest Management Bureau (FMB) – for business related in lumber, logs, and other wood product.
20. Garments and Textile Industry Development Office (GTIDO) – For all manufacturers of garments and textile for exports.
21. Insurance Commission (IC) – for insurance and other IC regulated entities.
22. Intellectual Patent Office (IPO) – for registering your trademarks, logos, slogans, processes and secret formulas.
23. National Food Authority (NFA) – for rice, corn and flour dealers.
24. National Subcontractors Exchange (SUBCONEX) – for those interested to tie up with export oriented firms as sub-contractors/suppliers, provided they fall under any of the following sectors: garments and handwoven fabrics, gifts and housewares, furniture and fixtures, footware and leather goods, fresh and processed foods, and jewelry.
25. National Tobacco Administration (NTA) – for business related to tobacco products.
26. Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) – for businesses related in grain-rice farming and trading.
27. Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) – for institutions involve in technical education and skills development.
There are maybe other business permits that are required for certain types of businesses aside from what we have listed and mentioned above. Moreover, please remember that legalizing your business doesn’t only extend to registering it and securing a license or permit. A legalized and compliant business is one that consistently complies with the government’s laws and regulations from registration, to operation, and until cessation.
Reference: Department of Trade and Industry
Disclaimer
The information published on this page is for general information use only. New and subsequent laws and regulations may render the whole or part of the article incorrect or obsolete. This post doesn’t also constitute professional advice. For more information, please make an inquiry or consult with the government agencies that have authority or jurisdiction on your certain business.
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.
Thanks man! I really appreciate your effort in building this website and keep it running.
Whenever I have technical questions about transactions with the Philippine Government, your website always comes up. I have used this website as a guide a number of times. Your articles are very helpful. Thanks for all you do.
Thank you Sigrid. You may also connect with us on our Facebook Page Facebook.com/freebusinesstips to receive our latest updates and also to drop some specific questions in there. 🙂
Good day, I am from Philippines and currently living in Turkey. Me and my husband are planning to build a dating site in Philippines. My question is, how can we get a business license for our online business? What are the requirements? Do I need just to register the name of our online business at DTI? We will not having a working place or let’s just say just managing the website at home. I hope you can help me. Thanks and may the God bless you.
Hello Sir,
In our locality,there were 3 Cell Communication Company with their respective cell sites. My question is are they required to file business permit in our locality? If so what type of business permit and how are they charged? Besides the business permit, are they obliged to comply the Annual Electronics Inspection?
Sincerely Yours,
Mariabuna R. Perez
Building & Industrial Safety Division
City Engineer’s Office
Hello sir
My wife is philipino . both we want to open our restaurant . can u guide us. Wat kind of permit we need. Please
Hello!
As a foreigner (European Union Citizen) married with a Philippina that are looking after to run our own food store business in the Philippines, can you pls give me a few more tips -if that’s not much of a trouble- so when we get there we’ll be better prepared at least in theory to search for the requirements that apply in this case?
Thank you in advance.
Best regards.
Hi sir, I just want to ask if do I need a permit( if yes what kind of permit) in doing a dropshipping business here in the philippines but I’m selling on amazon or ebay. I am a college student and i’m doing this business as part time only. Thank you for your answer.
what are the requirements of multi level business? Does it need multi level business permit?
Hi Sir!my big boss is operating their furniture shop here in manila and she likes to do a buy and sell of lumber under the name of the same name of their furniture shop because she likes her company to be known over the Philippines..selling Furnitures and at the same time is selling lumbers..her furniture business is licensed and registered already..so what I want to know now is how can we attach this buy and sell of lumbers of the same business name.pls guide me sir!!
Thank you so much and god bless..
hello, me and my husband want to start business in Cebu is a security alarm and security cameras electronically all electronic. surveillance cameras and monitoring we registered our business in Australia as security and we are active and running what type of permit for security we have in cebu.
Thank you,
Are special licenses needed to:
1. provide catering services
2. provide supplies and materials
3. provide logistics
Sir how about government facilities like birthing homes, what local permits need to be secured if there are any? Is these annually?
Thank you for your information, I hope to review it regularly over the next few weeks in order to discover all I need to start a small business in the Philippines. I am in the business planning stage and you are exactly what I needed.
Respect and very best regards.
Good afternoon – I am in the process of putting up a small café in the Philippines, the location is at Vista Mall in Santa Rosa, Laguna. I will have my two nephews manage and operate the business. We are in the process of registering the business with SEC. How much does it usually cost? Because the agency we are currently using is asking us to pay P60,000.00 for the SEC and Processing. Is that reasonable price or can I go direct with SEC to register to save some money? Please advice. Thank you so much!
Hi.
Is there any license or permits required for government offices like Department of Education?
Thank you
Hello po,ask ko lang po kong legal po ang BEST PRODUCT PHILS.Kasi po nagkalat po sa social media ang kanilang business strategy..like buying there products 1st so u can join there raffle.thank you po sana matugunan nyo ako.God bless po!
What about telecommunications related businesses? Which on my case im planning on importing two-way radios from china. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.
Hi Elmer,
In my opinion, with that kind of business, it would be better if you consult first with the NTC (National Telecommunications Commission) or other related government agencies that govern telecommunications related businesses since there might be an additional license or requirement for that.
Hi sir,
Do you have a complete requirements for towing business?
for feasibility purposes only .,
-thanks
Hi josh. Sorry we don’t have a complete requirements for towing business, as we don’t have any experience yet in processing such kind of business. However, just like other businesses, the basic requirements above in the article will apply. But additional requirements, such as accreditation from the LTFRB, MMDA, and the LGU may be required. To get more information, you may visit the City Mayor’s office and get a list of requirements specific for a towing business.
what permits does my filipina gf need to start up a rice distributor stall ? other than the licence mentioned here are ther any other permits idd require or just the one i would be very grateful if yoou could tell me i intend to help my girlfriend set up a small business in calamba laguna
Hello, she has to secure a permit/license from the National Food Authority (NFA) to sell/retail rice in the Philippines.
Hi sir, I just want to ask if do I need a permit( if yes what kind of permit) i am planning for a drop-shipping business here in the Philippines, like buy and sell online like Lazada or amazon. I want to do this as part time business only. Thank you for your answer.
You have to register with the BIR as usual to ensure that you will be paying the right taxes to the government. You will also need to have Official Receipts/invoices so you can issue them to your customers, whether you’re doing it part-time or full-time.
HELLO… can I use this information to our business plan project??? thank you so much…
Hello Dino,
Yes, you can. Thank you for asking.
Hello tanong ko lang po if what kind of permit and license im gonna need to open a body boutique business about po ito sa counturing loss weight but non surgical process lahat po machine ang gagawa.. Thank you po i really appreciate your response..
You need the basic permits and licenses as stated in the article, that is, DTI registration (if proprietorship, SEC registration (if corporation or partnership), Mayor’s Permit, BIR, SSS/Philhealth, Pag-Ibig. It would also be better if you will also inquire with the DOH to confirm if you will need an additional permit since your business operation may involve pharmaceutical/medical services.
Hello,
I am planning to buy bananas in Minandao and sell them here in Manila. It will be picked up at the port of Manila by the buyers or be delivered to them. There will be no storage or building area. From your article, I understand I would be needing the following permits: BIR Form, Barangay Clearance, DTI Certificate, SEC, BFAD and BPI. Do I still need a barangay clearance and mayor’s permit since there will be no storage or building area?
Thank you
Hi,
Once we have already processed the business permit, what are the documents required by law to post in the wall visible to eye? Likewise, is there a specific location required by law where to display these?
Appreciate your prompt response.
hello we are now doing feasibility study and we are looking fro a supply concept. we are now looking for the number of registered furnitures in the province of laguna.
Magandang araw kabayan!
Plano po namen mg banchetto of food bazaar sa bakanteng lote namen, mga dalawang beses sa isang linggo lang naman. Kelangan ko pa po ba ng business permit pag ka ganun?
Maraming salamat po at mabuhay ka!
Hello Dhon. If this operation is continuous, even if it’s only twice a week, it’s better to get business permit. Since there is business operation and income will be earned, taxes may be imposed. You may also need to get barangay clearance and mayor’s permit. Also, since your customers may ask for your official receipts or invoices, you have to register with the BIR and have BIR ORs and invoices.
Good am sir, need ko po advice . . . planning to get cctv and solar installation and supplies sa mga barangay and to get PHILGEPS po. what pepers do i need ? TIA
Hi Reynaldo,
Please find the answer in our forum
https://businesstips.ph/forum/starting-and-running-a-business/planning-to-get-cctv-and-solar-installation-and-supplies/
We will disable comments on the posts and don’t answer the questions here. If you have a question, please post it to our forum. Thank you.