Online business registration checklist

Start with your business type

If you are a	You register with
Sole proprietor	DTI, the Department of Trade and Industry
Partnership or corporation	SEC, the Securities and Exchange Commission
Cooperative	CDA, the Cooperative Development Authority

This checklist follows the sole proprietor route. If you use the SEC or the CDA, replace step 1 with that office and keep the rest.

At a glance

Step-by-step guide to selling online — DigitalFilipino’s step-by-step guide to selling online. The checklist below covers the registration steps in order.

Checklist

Saved in this browser only.

Requirements and the order of visits differ by city and municipality. Use this list to plan, then ask your Revenue District Office and your local hall what they need now.

0 of 12 steps done

1. DTI

Check that your business name is available Names are checked in DTI’s online business name system. Pick one you can use on your shop, page and receipts.

Register your business name with DTI This is the route for sole proprietors. Partnerships and corporations register with the SEC instead, and cooperatives with the CDA.

Keep a copy of your DTI certificate Later steps usually ask for it. Keep a digital copy and a printed one.

2. BIR

Find your Revenue District Office It is the BIR office that covers your registered business address.

Register your business with the BIR Bring your DTI certificate and a valid ID. Ask what else the office needs from you this year.

Ask how to issue receipts or invoices Ask the office what you must issue to buyers, how to get it, and how it applies to online sales.

Start a record of sales and expenses A simple sheet is enough to begin. Your accountant or the office can tell you which books you must keep.

3. Barangay and city or municipal hall

Get a barangay clearance for your business address Ask your barangay hall what it needs from you.

Apply for a business permit at your city or municipal hall Requirements and fees differ by city and municipality. Ask yours. You will usually need your DTI certificate and barangay clearance.

Ask about any other clearances your location needs Some places ask for zoning, sanitary or fire-safety clearances, depending on where you work and what you sell.

4. For an online business

Check the DTI website for the RA 11967 implementing rules The Internet Transactions Act sets up an E-Commerce Bureau and an Online Business Database under DTI. The rules say what applies to you.

Read the Data Privacy Act basics if you keep customer addresses RA 10173 is enforced by the National Privacy Commission. It matters once you keep names and addresses on file.

Your progress is saved in this browser only.

What this list leaves out

No fees, deadlines or form numbers appear here, because they change and differ by place. Confirm each one with DTI, the BIR and your local hall before you pay or file.

The list also does not cover permits for regulated products, such as food or cosmetics. If you sell those, ask the agency that regulates them.

Sources

Department of Trade and Industry
Business name registration, and the implementing rules for RA 11967.
Bureau of Internal Revenue
Registration and receipt requirements, through your Revenue District Office.
Securities and Exchange Commission
Registration of partnerships and corporations.
Cooperative Development Authority
Registration of cooperatives.
National Privacy Commission
Guidance on the Data Privacy Act, RA 10173.

Search DigitalFilipino

Start with these

Start with your business type

At a glance

Checklist

What this list leaves out

Sources

Read and use next

Top Live Selling Tips in the Philippines: Boost Your Digital Sales