Verifying a Company’s SEC Registration Number Online in the Philippines
(Comprehensive legal guide updated to July 2025)
1. Why this matters
An SEC registration number is the birth certificate of a Philippine corporation, partnership, foundation, or association. It:
- Confers juridical personality (Revised Corporation Code § 18).
- Appears on every official document, contract, website, invoice, or advertisement a company issues (RCC § 13 (j)).
- Is required by banks, BIR, LGUs, and foreign counterparties for KYC and AML checks.
- Lets the public detect shell companies, suspended entities, or outright scams early.
Verifying the number is thus essential for investors, suppliers, lenders, journalists, and ordinary consumers.
2. Legal framework
| Instrument | Key provisions relevant to online verification |
|---|---|
| Revised Corporation Code (R.A. 11232, 2019) | SEC must maintain a “registry of names and registration numbers” (§§ 13, 18, 180) and make it “reasonably accessible to the public.” |
| Ease of Doing Business & Efficient Gov’t Service Delivery Act (R.A. 11032, 2018) | Imposes 3–7-day deadlines and mandates digitisation of frontline services, compelling SEC to put search and document-ordering facilities online. |
| E-Commerce Act (R.A. 8792, 2000) | Recognises legal validity of electronic records/certifications issued by SEC portals. |
| Data Privacy Act (R.A. 10173, 2012) | Registration data (name, reg. no., status) are public under “journalistic/legitimate interests,” but personal data of incorporators are partially redacted online. |
| SEC Memorandum Circulars | MC No. 28-2020 (mandatory email addresses), MC No. 21-2021 (eSPARC & OneSEC roll-out), MC No. 1-2023 (revamp of CRS public search). |
3. Anatomy of a Philippine SEC registration number
| Prefix | Entity type | Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| CS | Corporation, Stock | CS2023-00001 |
Post-2013 format: CS YYYY-nnnnn |
| CN | Corporation, Non-stock | CN2022-00015 |
NGOs, homeowners’ assns., etc. |
| FDN | Foundation | FDN-2005-00072 |
Older foundations may still carry CN |
| PG | Foreign corporation (branch/rep. office) | PG2021-00123 |
Sometimes shown as F + |
| number on old certificates. | |||
| A | Partnership | A2020-00089 |
Two-letter variants (ASA, AAR) for specific partnership classes. |
Numbers issued before 2013 often appear as plain six- or seven-digit strings (e.g., 123456). Those remain valid and searchable.
4. Online verification channels (2025 edition)
| Channel | What you can check | Cost | Access path |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEC Company Registration System (CRS) – “Search” tab | Name, reg. no., company status (active, revoked, dissolved), principal office address, incorporation date. | Free | crs.sec.gov.ph → Search |
| SEC eSPARC Public Search | Same as CRS but updated every midnight; integrates OneSEC entities. | Free | espsec.sec.gov.ph/public/search |
| SEC View (a/k/a i-View) | View or download filed Articles, GIS, AFS. | ₱12/pg + ₱100 service fee, payable via eGovPay, GCash, Maya, debit/credit. | secview.sec.gov.ph |
| SEC Express System | Order certified true copies (CTCs) of docs, delivered via courier or pick-up in 3–5 days. | ₱1 per page + ₱350 handling + courier. | express.sec.gov.ph |
| SEC CheckApp (Android/iOS) | Scan a printed reg. no. or QR on a certificate to confirm authenticity. | Free | App stores; QR code auto-launches. |
| Email & Hotline Verification | Complex names, homonyms, very old numbers not in digital database. | Free | corpinfo@sec.gov.ph / 02-5317-9341 |
Tip: The CRS and eSPARC databases mirror each other nightly; if one is offline, use the other.
5. Step-by-step guide (CRS version)
Go to
https://crs.sec.gov.ph/and click “Proceed to CRS”.In the top menu choose “Search” → “Search Registered Name”.
Input either
- the exact registration number (e.g.,
CS2023-00001without spaces), or - the company name (use “Starts with” for partial names).
- the exact registration number (e.g.,
Solve the CAPTCHA and press Search.
The system returns a card showing:
- Registered name, reg. number, company type
- Date of incorporation / licence issuance
- Company status (Active, Suspended, Revoked, Expired, Dissolved)
- Link to “View Docs (i-View)” if available.
Click the company name to open a sidebar with the latest General Information Sheet (GIS) and Articles of Incorporation links (if the entity has filed them electronically).
For official use (visa, due diligence, court filing), press “Request CTC” to jump to SEC Express.
6. Reading the results
| Status flag | Meaning | Usual causes / next steps |
|---|---|---|
| Active | Good standing; latest GIS & AFS filed. | Normal transactions OK. |
| Suspended | Temporary halt of authority to do business. | Late GIS/AFS, pending investigation; entity may cure by paying penalties. |
| Revoked | Juridical personality lost. | 5 years non-filing, fraudulent acts, SEC order; contracts after revocation void. |
| Dissolved | Voluntary or involuntary dissolution; winding-up period. | Check Liquidation Team and claims procedure. |
| Expired (foreign) | Licence for branch/rep. office lapsed. | Renewal must be filed; cannot sign new contracts. |
7. Getting certified true copies online
| Document | Typical uses | How to order online |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Incorporation | Bank account opening, BOI, PEZA, court evidence | i-View → Add to Cart → Pay → Download (electronic) or Express → CTC courier |
| Latest GIS | Ultimate beneficial ownership (UBO) checks | Same as above |
| Audited FS | Credit appraisal, bidding | i-View / Express |
The SEC digital CTC bears a QR code and e-signature of the Director, valid nationwide under the E-Commerce Act.
8. Troubleshooting & edge cases
| Scenario | Fix |
|---|---|
| “No records found” but you have a printed certificate | Remove spaces/dashes; try old numeric format; search by name; email corpinfo@sec.gov.ph. |
| “Database maintenance” banner | Use the mirror database (espsec.sec.gov.ph), usually up even during CRS downtime 00:00-02:00 PH T. |
| Very old partnership (pre-1990) | Not yet digitised; request manual verification via SEC Records Division (Main Office) or regional satellite. |
| Multiple companies with nearly identical names | Cross-check the incorporation date, principal office, or tax ID. |
| Certificate looks genuine but number returns another entity | Possible counterfeit; report to Enforcement and Investor Protection Dept. (eipd@sec.gov.ph). |
9. Penalties for false or misleading SEC numbers
- Use of an unregistered or revoked corporation name/number – Fine up to ₱2 million + dissolution (RCC § 158).
- Issuing documents with fake reg. numbers – Criminal liability for estafa or falsification (Revised Penal Code Arts. 171-172), and administrative sanctions.
- Failure to display the reg. number on official docs – ₱10 000 per violation + ₱1 000/day of continuing breach (SEC MC 28-2020).
10. Linking with other registries
| Registry | Covered entities | When to check |
|---|---|---|
| DTI Business Name Search | Sole proprietors (no SEC reg. number) | Market stalls, small e-commerce sellers |
| Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) | Construction firms (must also be SEC/DTI-registered) | Government infrastructure bids |
| BSP Financial Institutions Portal | Banks, EMI, MSBs (have separate BSP cert no.) | Fin-tech & lending transactions |
11. Best-practice checklist for due diligence
☑ Verify SEC reg. number online via CRS/eSPARC. ☑ Confirm status is Active (or licence current for foreign branch). ☑ Pull latest GIS to identify ultimate beneficial owners. ☑ Match principal office address with trade documents. ☑ Order CTCs for high-value contracts or court submission. ☑ For NGOs/foundations, cross-check with DSWD accreditation. ☑ Keep timestamped screenshots/PDFs as audit trail.
12. Future developments (announced 2024-2025)
- Integration with eGov PH Super App – one-tap entity search and CTC ordering (pilot Q4 2025).
- Blockchain-anchored digital certificates with instant public verification via Merkle hash (proof-of-concept with DICT).
- Real-time API for banks and fintechs under SEC MC 07-2025 to automate KYC.
13. Conclusion
Online verification of an SEC registration number has evolved from a Manila-only manual process to a nationwide, near-real-time service. By using the CRS/eSPARC search and, where necessary, the i-View and Express channels, anyone can confirm a firm’s legal existence in minutes, obtain certified copies without lining up at the SEC, and avoid fraudulent dealings. The law now requires public bodies and private businesses alike to recognise these electronic certifications, making online verification not just convenient but legally conclusive.
Always consult a Philippine lawyer for deal-specific advice. This article is for general guidance as of 8 July 2025.