What are Business Registration Requirements in the Philippines?

February 9, 2026

Setting up a business in the Philippines involves more than just choosing a name and signing a lease. To operate legally, you must complete a series of registrations with national agencies and local government units, and many of these steps must follow a specific order. Understanding the business registration requirements upfront helps you plan timelines, prepare documents, and avoid delays once you start hiring employees or issuing invoices.

Securing a Company Name with the SEC

The business registration process usually starts with the company name. Before you can incorporate, you must ensure that your proposed name is available and acceptable to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The SEC requires a name reservation, which is done while your Articles of Incorporation and By‑laws are being drafted. The name must not be confusingly similar to existing entities, and certain words (such as those implying regulated activities) may require supporting licenses or approvals. Once the name is reserved and your constitutional documents are in progress, you can proceed to prepare for banking and capitalization requirements.

Opening a Corporate Bank (TITF) Account

Before submitting your incorporation papers, you need to set up a temporary corporate bank account known as a “Treasurer‑In‑Trust For” (TITF) account. This account serves as the initial depository for the paid‑up capital of the corporation.

Banks typically ask for draft Articles of Incorporation and By‑laws, completed account opening forms, a specimen signature card for the treasurer‑in‑trust, valid IDs, and a minimum initial deposit.
The minimum deposit requirement generally ranges from about ₱10,000 to ₱50,000, depending on the bank’s policy.

Once the funds are deposited, the bank issues a certificate of deposit. This certificate is a key document you must later present to the SEC to prove that the subscribed capital has been paid in. For foreign investors, proof of inward remittance may also be required to show that capital was brought into the Philippines in accordance with foreign exchange rules.

SEC Registration: Core Corporate Requirements

After you have a reserved name and a bank certificate of deposit, you can submit your application for incorporation to the SEC. This step formally creates the corporation as a legal entity under Philippine law.

The SEC generally requires:

Name Reservation and Payment Form
Notarized Articles of Incorporation and By‑laws
Treasurer’s Affidavit (confirming capital subscriptions and payments)
Bank Certificate of Deposit or proof of inward remittance
SEC Form F‑100 for corporations with more than 40% foreign equity

Processing typically takes around 10 to 15 working days once complete documents are submitted, assuming there are no holidays or additional questions. For foreign‑owned corporations, this stage also confirms compliance with foreign ownership limits in specific sectors. After approval, the SEC issues the Certificate of Incorporation and related registration documents, which you will reuse in subsequent registrations.

BIR Registration and Tax Setup

Once the corporation is formed, the next step is to register with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), which administers national taxes. Without BIR registration, you cannot legally issue official receipts, file tax returns, or claim expenses.

BIR registration usually includes:

Obtaining a corporate Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) if one has not already been assigned
Registering your books of accounts (manual, loose‑leaf, or computerized, subject to approval)
Applying for Authority to Print (ATP) or registering a Computerized Accounting System for official receipts and invoices

The BIR will issue a Certificate of Registration indicating your tax types (e.g., income tax, VAT or percentage tax, withholding taxes) and annual registration obligations. Proper setup at this stage helps avoid common issues later, such as incorrect tax type registration or delayed ATP approvals.

SSS Registration: Employer Enrollment and Reporting

Any business that intends to employ staff must register as an employer with the Social Security System (SSS). This ensures you can remit social security contributions for your employees and comply with labor law obligations.

The SSS commonly requires:

Employer Registration Form (R‑1)
Employment Report Form (R‑1A) listing initial employees
SEC Registration documents, including Articles of Incorporation and By‑laws

Upon approval, the company receives an employer number, which serves as the reference for all monthly contribution remittances. Timely registration is important because contributions accrue as soon as you start hiring, and late remittances can result in interest and penalties.

PhilHealth Registration for Health Insurance Coverage

PhilHealth administers the national health insurance program under laws such as the National Health Insurance Act. All employers are required to register and report their employees with PhilHealth, so that health contributions can be made and employees can access benefits.

PhilHealth typically requires:

Employer Data Record (ER1)
Report of Employee‑Members (ER2)
SEC Registration documents, including Articles of Incorporation and By‑laws

Once registered, the employer obtains a PhilHealth employer number and begins remitting the appropriate share of contributions for each employee, matched with their individual PhilHealth numbers. This is a statutory obligation separate from SSS and coordinated in practice with payroll processes.

Pag‑IBIG Fund Registration for Housing and Savings

The Pag‑IBIG Fund, also known as the Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF), is a mandatory savings and housing fund covering employees who are also members of SSS. Employers must register with Pag‑IBIG so that employees can contribute and later access housing and multi‑purpose loans.

The typical process mirrors SSS and PhilHealth: the employer registers, submits basic corporate documents and employee lists, and receives an employer ID to use for monthly remittances. Integrating SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag‑IBIG registration with overall payroll setup prevents duplication of effort and helps ensure that employee benefits are properly funded from the start.

Mayor’s / Business Permit and Local Licensing

Beyond national agencies, every business must secure a Mayor’s Permit (or Business Permit) from the local government unit (LGU) where it operates. This local permit is essential to legally conduct business at your chosen address.

The application for a business permit normally bundles several LGU‑related clearances and may require:

SEC Registration, Articles of Incorporation, and By‑laws
Locational Clearance
Lease Contract or proof of property ownership
Barangay Clearance
Completed Business Permit Application Form

Fees depend on factors such as paid‑up capital, projected gross receipts, and the specific fee schedule of the city or municipality. Once approved, the Mayor’s Permit is typically valid for one year and must be renewed annually within the prescribed period (often in January or around the anniversary of issuance, depending on local rules).

Barangay Clearance: The First Local Step

Before obtaining a Mayor’s Permit, you generally need a Barangay Clearance from the Barangay (the smallest local government unit) where your registered office or place of business is located. This clearance confirms that the Barangay has no objection to your operations and that you have complied with their requirements.

The main document often required is the notarized lease contract between the company and the lessor of its registered office.
Fees are usually based on paid‑up capital and may include additional charges for local taxes and other barangay‑level assessments, which vary from one Barangay to another.

The Barangay Clearance forms part of the package submitted for the Mayor’s Permit and locational clearance, making it an early and important local compliance step.

Locational Clearance and Zoning Compliance

Locational Clearance ensures that your chosen office or facility complies with local zoning ordinances and land‑use plans. Not all locations are zoned for all types of business activity, so this clearance checks whether your business type fits the area.

Typical requirements for locational clearance include:

Location map of the premises
Barangay Clearance
Lease Contract or proof of property ownership
SEC Registration documents
Occupancy Permit for the building or unit
Business Permit Application Form

Local zoning or planning offices evaluate these documents to confirm that your business fits the allowable use for the address. Securing locational clearance early reduces the risk of being forced to move or reapply because of zoning conflicts.

Sequencing and Dependencies Among Requirements

An important point often overlooked is that many of these registration requirements cannot be completed simultaneously. The process has dependencies and must generally follow a specific sequence.

For example:

You must reserve a company name before opening a TITF account and drafting final Articles of Incorporation.
You need a bank certificate of deposit before SEC registration to show proof of paid‑up capital.
You need SEC documents before you can register with BIR, SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag‑IBIG.
You often need SEC and BIR registration plus a lease contract before securing Barangay Clearance, locational clearance, and the Mayor’s Permit.

Understanding this sequence helps in planning realistic timelines and coordinating deliverables. Consulting firms like Triple i Consulting typically map out these milestones in a project plan so that foreign investors can track progress from incorporation to “go‑live” operations.

Practical Tips for Managing Business Registration Requirements

Even with a clear list of requirements, actual registration can feel complex without a structured approach. Several practical habits can make the process smoother and help you avoid common pitfalls.

Prepare and organize corporate documents early, including passport copies for foreign directors, proof of inward remittances, and board resolutions for authorized signatories.
Align your lease start date with your anticipated permit application window so that you are not paying rent long before you can operate.
Keep multiple certified copies of SEC documents and notarized lease contracts, as many agencies will require their own set.
Track expirations and renewal dates for permits and registrations (e.g., Mayor’s Permit, BIR registration, business name reservations) using a centralized calendar.
Clarify the foreign ownership limits and any sector-specific licenses required before finalizing your corporate structure.

For companies unfamiliar with Philippine procedures, working with a local corporate services provider can significantly reduce the learning curve and help keep all these moving parts in sync.

Final Thoughts

Business registration requirements in the Philippines span multiple agencies and levels of government, from SEC incorporation and BIR tax setup to SSS, PhilHealth, Pag‑IBIG, and local permits. Each step has its own documents, timelines, and dependencies, but together they form a clear regulatory pathway from concept to fully compliant operations.

By understanding the required sequence and preparing documents systematically, investors and founders can avoid unnecessary delays and ensure that their new entity is ready to hire, invoice, and operate without legal uncertainty. Coordinating these requirements with professional support, especially when foreign ownership or multiple locations are involved, helps transform a potentially complex process into a manageable, predictable project.

Is Assistance Available?

Yes. Triple i Consulting works with both local and foreign investors to manage business registration requirements in the Philippines—from name reservation, SEC and BIR registration, and payroll-related agency enrollments, to Barangay Clearance, locational clearance, and Mayor’s/Business Permits. By providing a single point of coordination across all these steps, our team helps you complete registrations efficiently and focus on building your operations once the entity is in place.

To learn more about how we can support your setup or expansion plans, you can contact our team through our official channels: