Quick answer

Use the registry that matches the business structure:

Sole proprietorship: Search the exact business name in the DTI’s official Business Name Registration System.
Corporation or partnership: Search the exact legal name or SEC registration number through the SEC’s official Check with SEC service.
Cooperative: Verify with the Cooperative Development Authority, not the SEC or DTI.

A registry match is only the first step. Compare the registered name, owner or entity, registration number, address, validity or status, and authorized activity against the contract, invoice, website, bank account and person dealing with you. Registration does not guarantee that the business is trustworthy, financially sound, properly permitted or authorized to offer investments.

Know whether to check the SEC or DTI

Claimed business structure	Correct primary registration	Document to request
Sole proprietorship	DTI	Certificate of Business Name Registration
Domestic corporation, including an OPC	SEC	Certificate of Incorporation
Partnership	SEC	Certificate of Recording and Articles of Partnership
Foreign corporation doing business in the Philippines	SEC	License to Do Business
Cooperative	CDA	Certificate of Registration

A brand, store name, Facebook page or app name may differ from the registered legal name. Ask the business to state both names clearly and explain their relationship.

A sole proprietorship has no legal personality separate from its owner. The person named as the DTI business-name owner is generally the contracting party. A corporation, by contrast, acquires corporate existence and juridical personality when the SEC issues its Certificate of Incorporation under Section 18 of the Revised Corporation Code.

How to verify a DTI business-name registration

1. Obtain the exact registered details

Ask the proprietor for:

The complete approved business name;
The proprietor’s full name;
The Business Name Number or reference code;
A clear copy of the Certificate of Business Name Registration;
The registered territorial scope and business address; and
The certificate’s registration and expiration dates.

Do not rely on a cropped screenshot. Ask for the complete certificate or original PDF, with all pages, identifiers and security features visible.

2. Search the exact name in BNRS

Go directly to the official DTI Business Name Search. The portal currently limits verification to an exact-name search, so enter the complete approved name rather than a shortened brand name. Check spelling, punctuation and descriptive words carefully.

If you do not know the exact name, the DTI’s NegosyoKonek search can help identify possible records using broader search criteria. Treat that as a preliminary lead, then confirm the exact record through BNRS or an official certification.

3. Compare the official record with the certificate and transaction

Check whether the following are consistent:

Approved business name;
Name of the registered proprietor;
Territorial scope;
Validity period;
Business location and line of business, where shown;
Name appearing on the contract or invoice; and
Name of the bank or e-wallet account receiving payment.

A material mismatch is not a minor technicality. For a sole proprietorship, payment requested in another person’s name should be explained and documented before you proceed.

4. Confirm that the registration is still valid

A DTI business-name registration is valid for five years from its registration or issuance date, as confirmed by the DTI BNRS FAQ and DTI Department Administrative Order No. 18-07’s Revised Business Name Rules.

Current DTI renewal periods are:

Early filing: within 180 calendar days before expiration;
Regular filing: within 90 calendar days after expiration; and
Late filing or grace period: within the next 90 calendar days, with a 50% surcharge on the registration fee.

Registration not renewed within the grace period is cancelled and the name may become available to others. If the printed expiration date has passed, ask for the renewed certificate or current DTI confirmation. The fact that renewal may still be allowed does not change the expiration date printed on the old certificate.

DTI business-name ownership is not transferable. If the business was sold, the previous registration must be cancelled and the new owner must apply for a new registration. An owner mismatch therefore requires correction or a satisfactory documentary explanation before any transaction.

5. Request formal certification when necessary

For procurement, lending, litigation, a substantial purchase or another high-value transaction, use the BNRS Request for Certification service. The official process allows a search by business name, owner’s name or both; a negative certification may be requested when no record is found.

The proprietor may also retrieve the certificate through Transaction Inquiry using the reference code and the verification code sent to the registered email. A third party ordinarily should not ask for the proprietor’s email password or one-time verification code.

How to verify an SEC registration

1. Ask for the legal name and SEC number

Request:

Complete registered name, including “Inc.,” “Corporation,” “Corp.,” “OPC” or the partnership designation;
SEC registration number;
Certificate of Incorporation, Certificate of Recording or License to Do Business, as applicable;
Articles of Incorporation or Articles of Partnership and amendments;
Latest General Information Sheet, when applicable;
Principal office address; and
The name and authority of the person signing the transaction.

Search the legal entity named on the certificate—not merely the brand, website, mobile app or project name.

2. Use Check with SEC

Open Check with SEC, which is linked among the SEC’s official online services. Search using the exact company name and, preferably, the SEC registration number.

Review:

Whether the entity appears as a corporation or partnership;
The registered legal name;
Registration status;
Registration number and date;
Any secondary licence shown; and
Whether the results match the business making the offer.

Try both the SEC number and exact legal name if one search produces no result. Older records, amendments, former names and encoding differences can require further checking. A blank search alone should not be treated as a conclusive government certification that no registration exists.

3. Obtain the documents filed with the SEC

For deeper verification, use SEC eSEARCH, the Commission’s research and document-download channel. You may be required to sign in through the SEC’s electronic account system.

Depending on availability, obtain and compare:

Original and amended Articles of Incorporation or Partnership;
Latest General Information Sheet;
Latest available audited financial statements;
By-laws and amendments;
Certificates relating to changes in name, purpose or capital;
Certificate of dissolution, revival or other status-related records; and
Relevant secondary licences.

Official plain or authenticated copies may also be ordered through the SEC Express System. Use an authenticated copy when the document will be relied on in litigation, formal due diligence or a transaction where authenticity is disputed.

The SEC also maintains an API Marketplace with company-information services. Its SEC-number lookup can return the company name, approval date, licences and registration status. This is useful for automated or repeated checks, but its access rules and subscription limits should be confirmed on the portal.

4. Interpret the status carefully

An old Certificate of Incorporation proves that a certificate was issued; it does not necessarily establish the entity’s status today.

Under the Revised Corporation Code:

Corporations generally have perpetual existence unless their articles provide otherwise;
A corporation that fails to organize and commence business within five years from incorporation may have its certificate deemed revoked;
A corporation inoperative for at least five consecutive years may, after notice and hearing, be placed under delinquent status; and
Certificates may also be suspended, revoked or affected by dissolution, merger, amendment or revival.

Treat “delinquent,” “suspended,” “revoked,” “dissolved” or an unexplained status as requiring written clarification from the SEC and legal review before contracting or paying. Do not assume that every status can be cured, or that a pending application restores authority.

The SEC’s CRS or eSPARC “application status” tools are principally for applicants who have the transaction number, reference number or authorized representative’s email. A pending or approved application is not a substitute for an issued Certificate of Incorporation, Certificate of Recording or License to Do Business.

5. Verify digital documents properly

An SEC certificate may be digitally issued. SEC ZERO documents can carry SEC digital authentication and a unique QR code, and an electronically authenticated Certificate of Incorporation may have the same validity as its original counterpart. The SEC explains this in its SEC ZERO guidance.

For a digital document:

Open the original PDF rather than a screenshot;
Check the digital-signature information in a reliable PDF reader;
Scan the QR code using a separate device;
Confirm that the destination uses an official sec.gov.ph domain;
Compare the returned entity details with the document; and
Obtain an authenticated SEC copy if the QR code fails or the document appears altered.

A QR code that merely opens the seller’s website, social-media profile or cloud-storage folder does not authenticate an SEC certificate.

Registration is not the same as permission to operate

DTI business-name registration only registers the name used by a sole proprietor. The DTI itself states that the proprietor still needs the required Business or Mayor’s Permit before operating. Tax registration, zoning, fire-safety clearances and industry-specific approvals may also apply.

SEC primary registration establishes or records the entity. It does not automatically prove that the entity:

Has a current local business permit;
Is registered for the particular tax obligations involved;
Holds a professional or industry licence;
May operate a lending, financing or other regulated business;
May sell securities or solicit investments;
Owns the brand, property or project it advertises; or
Has authorized the person communicating with you.

If the business offers investments, guaranteed returns, profit sharing, passive income or securities, verify the specific authority for that offer. Section 8 of the Securities Regulation Code generally prohibits the sale or public offering of securities without an effective SEC registration statement, subject to statutory exemptions for particular securities and transactions. Brokers, dealers and other regulated participants may also require registration under the Code.

Do not accept “SEC registered” as the complete answer. Ask for the exact secondary licence, registration statement, certificate of authority or claimed exemption. Match it to the activity being offered. A lending-company authority, for example, is not automatically authority to solicit public investments. If an exemption is claimed, obtain the supporting documents and, for a substantial investment, independent legal advice.

A practical due-diligence checklist

Before paying, investing or signing:

Identify the legal structure and correct registry.
Obtain the exact registered name and registration number.
Search only through official government domains.
Compare the proprietor or entity, address, business activity and status.
Verify the original PDF, QR code or authenticated copy.
Check the certificate’s validity or current SEC status.
Confirm the local business permit and necessary sector-specific licences.
Ensure that the contract names the registered proprietor or entity.
Verify the signatory’s authority. For a corporation, request a secretary’s certificate or board resolution when appropriate.
Confirm that the payment account belongs to the proprietor or entity, or obtain written proof authorizing another payee.
Search official SEC advisories and enforcement records if investments, loans or financial services are involved.
Do not proceed until material inconsistencies are resolved in writing.

Evidence to preserve

Save contemporaneous copies of:

The complete certificate or original PDF;
Official registry results showing the URL, date and time;
Articles, GIS, amendments and licences obtained from official sources;
Contracts, quotations, invoices and official receipts;
Advertisements and representations about registration or licences;
Emails, messages, phone numbers and social-media profiles;
Payment instructions, account names and transaction receipts; and
Any SEC or DTI ticket, certification or written response.

Preserve original files where possible. Screenshots are useful, but they may omit metadata, digital signatures, hyperlinks and portions of a document.

Common mistakes

Searching a brand name instead of the registered legal name;
Treating a reserved or approved name as completed registration;
Assuming a certificate remains current indefinitely;
Confusing a DTI sole proprietorship with an SEC corporation;
Accepting another company’s registration as authority for the seller;
Assuming “SEC registered” means authorized to solicit investments;
Ignoring an owner, address, licence or bank-account mismatch;
Rejecting a legitimate certificate merely because it is digital;
Trusting a QR code without checking its destination; and
Relying solely on a third-party directory or social-media badge.

When help is urgent

Stop the transaction and seek assistance before sending more money if:

The registered owner or entity differs from the payee;
The SEC status is revoked, suspended or delinquent;
A claimed licence does not appear or covers a different activity;
The business refuses to provide its exact legal name or registration number;
Documents appear edited, cropped or inconsistent;
You are pressured to pay immediately or keep the transaction secret;
An investment promises guaranteed or unusually high returns;
You are asked for an OTP, password or access to your government account; or
Money has already been sent based on a false registration claim.

SEC-related inquiries, complaints and tips may be filed through the official SEC iMessage system. Consumer complaints involving business-to-consumer transactions may be filed through the DTI Consumer CARe System. Suspected fraud, identity theft or cybercrime may also require immediate contact with the relevant bank or e-wallet provider and law-enforcement authorities. Preserve evidence before accounts, pages or messages disappear.

Frequently asked questions

Does a DTI search prove that the seller is legitimate?

No. It proves only what the official DTI record shows about the registered business name and proprietor. You must still check validity, permits, identity, transaction documents and payment details.

Does SEC registration mean a company may accept investments?

No. Primary registration alone does not authorize every securities offering or investment-taking activity. Verify the specific securities registration, secondary licence or legally applicable exemption.

Why can’t I find the business?

You may be searching a brand rather than the legal name, using the wrong registry, omitting part of an exact DTI name, or dealing with a former or amended name. Ask for the certificate and registration number. If the record remains unclear, request formal DTI certification or submit an SEC inquiry instead of guessing.

Can a business have both an SEC and DTI registration?

A corporation or partnership is registered with the SEC, while DTI business-name registration under BNRS is for sole proprietors. A group should not use a DTI certificate issued to an individual as proof that a claimed corporation is SEC-registered.

Is an expired DTI certificate still acceptable during the renewal period?

It shows historical registration, but its stated validity has expired. Ask for proof of renewal or current DTI certification before treating the business name as presently registered.

How recent should the documents be?

There is no universal freshness period for private due diligence. Match the document to the risk: a small retail purchase may require only a current registry check, while an investment, property transaction, distributorship, loan or large procurement should justify authenticated records, current permits, recent filings and written confirmation of signatory authority.

Is a registration match enough if the bank account belongs to another person?

No. Obtain a documented explanation and independent confirmation from the registered proprietor or corporation. Do not rely solely on instructions sent by the same person requesting payment.

This article provides general legal information, not legal advice or a guarantee about any particular business. Registration, licensing and authority depend on the entity’s current records, documents and activities. Official sources and online procedures were checked as of 7 August 2026.