Quick answer

A lost NBI clearance is generally not “replaced” by issuing another copy of the same certificate. The NBI’s published procedures do not provide a separate lost-clearance or duplicate-copy service. In practice, you must obtain a new clearance—usually through online renewal if you are eligible, or through a new online application and personal appearance at an NBI clearance center.

An affidavit of loss or police report is not listed among the standard requirements for obtaining another clearance. However, make a police report promptly if the document was stolen or may be used for identity fraud.

If you need the clearance for an employer, school, visa, licence, or government transaction, ask whether it will temporarily accept a saved scan, photocopy, or verifiable digital record while the new original is being processed. Acceptance depends on the receiving organization.

What to do first

Before applying again:

Check your email, phone, cloud storage, and printed records for a scan or clear photograph of the lost clearance.
Log in to the official NBI Clearance portal using your existing account.
Review your previous transactions and determine whether the portal offers online renewal for your record.
Ask the organization requesting the clearance whether it needs a newly issued original or will temporarily accept a copy.
If the loss involved theft, preserve details of when and where it happened and consider reporting it to the police.

A copy may help explain the loss or confirm information, but it is not automatically equivalent to a newly issued original. The recipient decides whether a copy is acceptable.

Option 1: Use online renewal if you are eligible

The NBI states that a clearance issued from 2014 onward may be eligible for renewal. Its current application guide also says online renewal may be available when the applicant has no changes to personal information.

To check:

Open the official NBI Clearance portal.
Use the online-renewal option shown on the portal.
Enter the information requested by the system.
Carefully verify your name, birth details, address, and other personal information.
Follow the displayed payment and delivery or release instructions.
Save the reference number, payment confirmation, and screenshots of the completed transaction.

Online renewal is not guaranteed for every applicant. The portal may require a regular application or personal appearance if it cannot locate or validate the old record, if personal details have changed, or if further verification is necessary.

Do not create altered information simply to make the portal accept the transaction. If your name, civil status, address, or other material details have changed, use the process directed by the NBI and bring supporting documents if requested.

Option 2: Apply for a new NBI clearance

If online renewal is unavailable—or if you need to update your details—follow the regular application process published by the NBI.

1. Register or log in

Go only to the official NBI Clearance portal. Register if necessary, or sign in using your existing account.

Use an active email address and mobile number because the system may require one-time-password verification.

2. Complete and review your profile

Enter the requested personal information exactly as it appears on your valid identification documents. Pay particular attention to:

Complete name, including suffix
Date and place of birth
Sex and civil status
Current address
Parents’ names
Any legally documented change of name

Correct errors before proceeding. A mismatch may cause delay or require additional proof.

3. Select a clearance center and schedule

Choose an available NBI clearance center, date, and session through the portal. The NBI’s office locator says applicants should apply and pay online before visiting a clearance office. Check the official clearance-office locator because locations and operating arrangements may change.

4. Pay through the portal’s authorized channel

The NBI currently lists a basic clearance fee of ₱130, plus the service charge imposed by the selected electronic-payment channel. Treat the total displayed by the official portal at checkout as controlling.

Save:

The transaction reference number
Proof of payment
Appointment details
Confirmation emails or text messages
Screenshots showing that the transaction is marked paid

Never pay a person who promises to remove a “hit,” bypass biometrics, or guarantee release.

5. Bring the required documents

The NBI’s published application guide requires:

The reference number or QR code
Proof of payment
Two original, unexpired government-issued identification documents

The identification documents should match the information in your application. Consult the portal for the currently accepted ID options before your appointment.

The NBI does not list the lost clearance, an affidavit of loss, or a police report as standard requirements for a regular application. Still, bring a photocopy or scan of the old clearance if available; it may be useful if the staff needs to check a previous record.

6. Complete biometrics and verification

At the clearance center, NBI personnel will ordinarily capture or verify your:

Photograph
Fingerprints
Electronic signature
Personal information

Review the information shown to you before the certificate is printed. Ask for a correction immediately if anything is wrong.

7. Wait for release or name verification

If there is no record requiring further verification, the clearance may be printed after processing. If the application receives a “hit,” the NBI will provide instructions and a return or release date.

A hit does not by itself mean that you have a criminal case or conviction. It may arise because another person has the same or a similar name, but the actual reason and outcome depend on the NBI’s records and verification. Follow the date and instructions given by the clearance center rather than relying on unofficial estimates.

Do you need an affidavit of loss?

Ordinarily, no. The NBI’s published standard application requirements do not include an affidavit of loss merely because the previous clearance disappeared.

An employer, embassy, licensing authority, school, court, or another receiving organization may nevertheless require an affidavit to account for a document previously submitted or entrusted to you. That is the recipient’s documentary requirement, not necessarily an NBI requirement.

If an affidavit is requested, it should truthfully state the material facts, such as:

Your identity and address
A description of the lost document
Its identifying details, if known
When and where you last had it
The circumstances of the loss
The efforts made to find it
The purpose for executing the affidavit

Do not state that a document was lost if it was retained, confiscated, or submitted elsewhere. A false sworn statement can create legal consequences.

When to make a police report

Consider reporting the loss immediately if:

Your wallet, bag, or files were stolen
Other identification documents were lost with the clearance
Someone has attempted to use your identity
You are receiving suspicious loan, SIM-registration, account, or employment messages
An unauthorized person has posted or circulated an image of the clearance
A receiving organization requires an incident report

Keep the police blotter or report number and copies of any supporting evidence. Also notify affected banks, mobile providers, government agencies, or online platforms when other credentials may have been compromised.

First-time jobseekers

Under the First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act, an eligible first-time jobseeker may obtain an NBI clearance without the ordinary government fee by presenting the required barangay certification. The benefit may be availed of only once.

If your free clearance was already issued and later lost, the law does not create a second fee waiver for a replacement. Expect the next application or renewal to be chargeable unless the NBI confirms that another exemption applies.

Eligible applicants should use the first-time-jobseeker route identified on the NBI portal and bring the original barangay certification and other documents required by the NBI. Do not use that route if you are not qualified; the law expressly addresses fabrication or falsification of eligibility documents.

If you are outside the Philippines

Applicants abroad follow a different process. The NBI’s official mailed-clearance procedure permits new applications and renewals through mail or a designated representative.

For a new overseas application, the NBI instructs applicants to obtain NBI Form No. 5 from a Philippine embassy or consular office, complete rolled fingerprinting before an authorized office, and provide a recent 2×2 photograph and a copy of the passport biodata page. The form must be completed and authenticated as directed.

For renewal, only clearances issued from 2014 onward qualify under the NBI’s published mailed-renewal procedure; an older clearance is treated as a new application. Overseas applications are processed through the Mailed Clearance Section at the NBI Clearance Building on United Nations Avenue in Manila.

Because mailing arrangements, fees, and consular procedures can change, confirm them before sending original documents. The NBI lists current mailed-clearance contact details on its official contact page.

Evidence and records to preserve

Keep a secure digital and paper record of:

A scan or photograph of the old clearance, if available
The old NBI identification or reference number
The email address and mobile number connected to your account
Appointment and transaction reference numbers
Payment receipts
Screenshots of the portal’s transaction status
Any NBI claim slip or return-date instruction
Messages exchanged with the organization requesting the clearance
A police report or affidavit, if one was made
Proof of delivery for an online renewal

Store copies securely. An NBI clearance contains personal information that can be misused if openly posted or sent to an unverified recipient.

Common mistakes to avoid

Using a website that merely resembles the official NBI portal
Paying an unauthorized fixer or social-media account
Creating multiple profiles with inconsistent personal details
Misspelling a name or omitting a suffix
Using expired or mismatched identification documents
Assuming that a photocopy must be accepted as an original
Assuming that a “hit” means guilt or an outstanding warrant
Paying someone who claims to clear a hit
Failing to save the reference number and payment receipt
Applying through the first-time-jobseeker channel after already using the one-time benefit
Mailing overseas documents without checking the latest NBI instructions
Posting the full clearance, QR code, or identifying details publicly

When help is urgent

Contact the NBI promptly if a deadline is near, the portal shows an unexplained payment or account problem, or your record appears to contain incorrect information. The NBI’s official contact page lists clearance-inquiry and delivery-helpdesk channels.

Seek legal assistance promptly if:

The NBI confirms a record that may actually concern you
You learn of a warrant, criminal complaint, or pending case
Another person appears to be using your identity
A recruiter or fixer demands money to alter NBI records
A false record is causing loss of employment, travel, or another legal right
You are asked to sign an inaccurate affidavit or explanation
An employer or agency is retaining or using your personal documents improperly

A lawyer can review the actual clearance, court records, identity documents, and correspondence. Do not rely on a verbal claim that a case exists; the appropriate response depends on authenticated records and the facts.

Frequently asked questions

Can the NBI simply print another copy of my lost clearance?

The NBI’s published procedures do not identify a general duplicate-printing service for lost clearances. Use online renewal if the portal permits it; otherwise, submit a new application.

Can I use a photocopy or scanned copy?

Only if the employer, agency, or other recipient accepts it. A copy may help temporarily, but it is not automatically a substitute for a newly issued original.

Must I bring the lost-clearance reference number?

It is useful but not listed as an absolute requirement for a new application. Bring or save it if available.

Is an affidavit of loss mandatory?

Not under the NBI’s published standard application requirements. A separate organization may require one for its own records.

How much will I pay?

The NBI currently publishes a basic fee of ₱130, with an additional charge depending on the selected payment channel. Verify the total shown by the official portal before paying.

Can I walk in without applying online?

The NBI’s current office-locator guidance tells applicants to apply and pay through the official portal before going to a clearance office. Follow the portal’s appointment instructions unless the NBI announces a specific exception.

What if my application has a hit?

Follow the verification and return instructions issued by the NBI. A hit is not, by itself, proof that you committed an offence.

Can someone else process it for me?

A regular local application ordinarily requires your personal appearance for biometrics. Applicants abroad may use the NBI’s separate mailed-clearance or designated-representative procedure, subject to its documentary requirements.

Does losing the clearance cancel it?

Physical loss does not necessarily change the information printed on the certificate, but without the document you may be unable to satisfy a requirement for an original. The recipient may also require a recently issued clearance. Apply again rather than assuming an old scan will be sufficient.

Should I wait until the old clearance expires?

No. If you need an original now, you may apply for a new clearance or check whether online renewal is available. Ask the receiving organization about its own recency or validity requirement.

Official sources

This article provides general legal information, not legal advice for a particular case. Requirements may depend on the NBI portal, the clearance center, the receiving organization, and the applicant’s records. Official sources and procedures were checked on July 27, 2026.