Quick answer

Use the official registry that matches the business’s legal form:

Sole proprietorship: Search the exact business name in the DTI Business Name Registration System.
Corporation, One Person Corporation, partnership, or Philippine-licensed foreign corporation: Search the company name or SEC registration number through Check with SEC.

A registry match is only the first check. Compare the registered name, registration number, status, owner or entity details, territorial scope, and certificate dates with the business’s documents. For significant payments, investments, loans, employment, franchises, or long-term contracts, obtain official records and verify any required secondary license.

DTI or SEC registration does not by itself prove that a business is trustworthy, financially sound, tax-compliant, properly permitted, or authorized to conduct every activity it advertises.

First identify which registry should contain the business

Business form	Proper registry	Important point
Sole proprietorship using a business name	DTI	The proprietor and the business are not separate legal persons.
Stock or non-stock corporation	SEC	Includes ordinary corporations and foundations organized as non-stock corporations.
One Person Corporation (OPC)	SEC	An OPC is a corporation, not a sole proprietorship.
General, limited, or professional partnership	SEC	Search under the partnership’s complete registered name.
Foreign corporation doing business in the Philippines	SEC	Verify its Philippine license and the name under which it is licensed.
Cooperative	Cooperative Development Authority	A cooperative is not verified through DTI or SEC merely because it uses a business name.

DTI’s BNRS is intended for business names used by sole proprietors. The Supreme Court has repeatedly explained that a sole proprietorship has no juridical personality separate from its owner. By contrast, under Section 18 of the Revised Corporation Code, a private corporation acquires corporate existence and juridical personality when the SEC issues its certificate of incorporation.

How to verify a DTI business-name registration

1. Obtain the complete business name

Ask for a clear copy of the Certificate of Business Name Registration. Note the:

approved business name;
name of the proprietor;
business-name or BN number;
territorial scope;
registration and expiration dates; and
QR code, if the certificate has one.

A nickname, store sign, Facebook-page name, product brand, or abbreviated name may differ from the registered business name.

2. Search the exact name in BNRS

Open the official DTI Business Name Search. Enter the exact business name and select the exact-match criterion.

DTI restricts verification to exact-name searches. If there is no result, check spelling, punctuation, spacing, numbers, and the descriptor at the end of the name. Do not substitute broad or random keywords.

Compare the result with the certificate, particularly the business name, status, and territorial scope. A reservation, unpaid application, reference code, or pending transaction is not the same as a completed registration.

3. Validate the certificate’s QR code

DTI guidance states that certificates issued from 20 May 2019 onward carry a QR code. Scan it using your phone and confirm that the displayed information matches the certificate.

A QR code that opens an unrelated website, displays different details, or leads to a non-government domain is a warning sign. Certificates issued before May 2019 should be checked through the BNRS search instead.

4. Check whether the registration remains effective

Under DTI Department Administrative Order No. 18-07, a Certificate of Business Name Registration is valid for five years from issuance.

The 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: during the next 90 calendar days, with a surcharge equal to 50% of the registration fee.

A registration not renewed by the end of the grace period is cancelled and the name becomes available for another qualified applicant. The controlling rules are available from the DTI BNRS downloads page and the Supreme Court E-Library’s copy of DAO No. 18-07.

5. Request a DTI certification when stronger proof is needed

For a bank transaction, major purchase, litigation, procurement, or other high-value matter, use the BNRS Request Certification service. The certification issued will depend on whether the name is registered with DTI when the request is made.

A certified true copy of the proprietor’s own certificate is subject to DTI’s documentary and authorization requirements. Third parties generally receive only information that may lawfully be disclosed.

How to verify an SEC registration

1. Search through Check with SEC

Open Check with SEC and enter either:

the complete registered company or partnership name; or
the SEC registration number shown on its documents.

Use the legal name, including “Inc.,” “Corporation,” “Corp.,” “OPC,” or the partnership designation. If several results appear, narrow the search with the SEC number or more specific name wording.

2. Compare the result with the company’s documents

Check the registry result against the documents presented to you, including:

exact registered name;
SEC registration number;
entity type;
registration status;
date of registration, if shown; and
any secondary license or authority relevant to the advertised activity.

Do not treat a proposed-name reservation, SEC application reference, payment assessment, or draft articles as proof of incorporation. Corporate existence begins when the SEC issues the certificate of incorporation—not when a name is reserved or an application is filed.

3. Read the status carefully

A current registered status is materially different from a suspended, revoked, expired, or delinquent status. If the wording is unfamiliar, do not guess at its legal effect; ask the SEC for confirmation before proceeding.

Corporations generally have perpetual existence unless their articles provide a fixed term. They do not renew their SEC incorporation every five years like DTI business names. However, registration can still be affected by dissolution, revocation, non-use, inoperation, noncompliance, or a fixed corporate term.

Section 21 of the Revised Corporation Code provides, among other things, that:

a corporation that does not formally organize and commence business within five years from incorporation has its certificate deemed revoked after that period; and
a corporation that becomes inoperative for at least five consecutive years may, after notice and hearing, be placed under delinquent status and given two years to resume operations and comply with SEC requirements.

The displayed status should therefore be checked as of the date of the proposed transaction.

4. Verify required secondary authority

Ordinary SEC registration does not authorize every regulated activity. Check with SEC can indicate certain secondary licenses, but important transactions should be supported by copies of the actual authority.

Examples include:

Investment solicitation: Corporate registration alone does not authorize a company to solicit investments from the public. Verify the applicable SEC Order of Registration of Securities and Certificate of Permit to Sell Securities, unless a lawful exemption applies.
Lending or financing: Verify a valid SEC Certificate of Authority to Operate as a lending or financing company.
Other regulated businesses: Banks, insurers, payment operators, recruitment agencies, schools, health facilities, real-estate projects, utilities, and similar businesses may require authority from another regulator.

The company name on the secondary license must match the SEC-registered entity. Also check the permitted activity, branches, conditions, and validity stated in the document.

5. Obtain filed documents for substantial due diligence

The SEC’s eSEARCH service allows the public to obtain available documents submitted to the Commission. Depending on what is available and relevant, request or inspect:

Certificate of Incorporation or Certificate of Recording;
Articles of Incorporation or Articles of Partnership;
amendments to the articles;
latest available General Information Sheet;
recent financial statements;
certificate of authority or permit for a regulated activity; and
orders affecting registration or authority.

The latest General Information Sheet can help identify reported officers, directors, trustees, stockholders, or the principal office. It does not automatically prove that a particular employee or agent is authorized to sign a specific contract. For that, request a board resolution, secretary’s certificate, power of attorney, or other appropriate proof of authority.

If a company cannot be found, the record is incomplete, or the online status conflicts with official documents, contact the SEC through its iMessage ticketing system. The SEC cautions that online verification data may be incomplete or subject to ongoing processes and evaluations.

What registration does—and does not—prove

A valid DTI registration generally proves that a business name was registered to a sole proprietor for the stated period and scope. It does not create a corporation or shield the proprietor from personal liability.

A valid SEC certificate proves the registration or recording of the entity described in it. It does not, standing alone, prove that:

every advertisement or representation is true;
the entity is solvent or profitable;
the person contacting you is connected with the entity;
the entity owns a website, social-media account, trademark, or bank account using a similar name;
taxes and annual filings are current;
the business has an LGU permit for the location concerned; or
it holds all licenses required for the transaction.

DTI itself emphasizes that business-name registration is not a license to operate. A business may also need BIR registration, a barangay clearance, a mayor’s or business permit, and sector-specific permits.

Practical verification checklist

Before paying or signing, preserve and compare:

the registry result, with the date and time of search;
the complete registration certificate, not a cropped screenshot;
the proprietor’s name for a sole proprietorship;
the SEC or BN registration number;
current business address and contact details;
BIR Certificate of Registration and current invoices;
current LGU business permit for the operating location;
relevant secondary license;
identification and authority of the person signing;
written contract, quotation, invoice, payment instructions, and receipts; and
emails, messages, advertisements, and website addresses.

For corporations, payment instructions should make sense in light of the registered entity and the contract. A demand to send corporate funds to an unrelated personal account requires an explanation and independent confirmation. For a

Quick answer

Use the registry that matches the business’s legal form:

For a sole proprietorship, search the exact business name through the DTI’s Business Name Registration System.
For a corporation, One Person Corporation, partnership, or Philippine-licensed foreign corporation, use the SEC’s Check with SEC service.
For an important transaction, do not stop at a successful search result. Compare the registration number, exact legal name, status, owner or entity details, and required secondary licences against official documents.

Registration alone does not prove that a business is trustworthy, financially sound, authorized to offer investments, or fully licensed to operate. DTI registration is not a mayor’s permit or a separate legal personality. Ordinary SEC incorporation does not by itself authorize investment solicitation, lending, financing, or another specially regulated activity.

Choose the correct registry

Business claims to be a	Primary registry to check	Key proof
Sole proprietorship	DTI	Certificate of Business Name Registration
Corporation or One Person Corporation	SEC	Certificate of Incorporation
Partnership	SEC	Certificate of Recording or registration documents
Foreign corporation doing business in the Philippines	SEC	Licence to Do Business
Cooperative	Cooperative Development Authority, not DTI or SEC	CDA certificate of registration

A trade or brand name may differ from the legal name. Ask the business for its complete registered name—including “Inc.,” “Corp.,” “OPC,” or another suffix—and its DTI business-name number or SEC registration number before searching.

How to verify a DTI business name

The DTI’s BNRS is intended principally for business names used by sole proprietors. Under Act No. 3883 and DTI Department Administrative Order No. 18-07, a person using a business name different from their true name must register that name.

Online verification

Open the official DTI Business Name Search. Navigate to it yourself instead of relying on a link supplied by the seller.
Enter the exact registered business name. The BNRS limits verification to exact-name searches, so spelling, spacing, punctuation, and the descriptor matter.
Review the matching record and its status and territorial scope.
Ask for the Certificate of Business Name Registration and compare:
- the complete business name;
- the registered owner;
- the BN number;
- the territorial scope;
- the issuance and validity dates; and
- any QR-generated information.
For certificates issued from 20 May 2019 onward, scan the certificate’s QR code and confirm that the displayed information matches the document. Older certificates may not have a QR code and should be checked through BNRS.

A DTI business-name registration is valid for five years from issuance. Under the 2018 Revised Implementing Rules, renewal may be filed:

as early as 180 calendar days before expiry;
within 90 calendar days after expiry as the regular filing period; or
during the next 90 calendar days as the grace period, subject to a surcharge equal to 50% of the registration fee.

If the registration is not renewed within the grace period, it is cancelled and the name becomes available for another qualified applicant. The current BNRS record—not an old certificate alone—should therefore be checked.

If the DTI search finds nothing

Do not immediately conclude that the document is fake. First:

copy the name exactly as printed on the certificate;
remove unregistered marketing phrases or branch descriptions;
check for spelling, spacing, hyphens, initials, and descriptors;
ask the owner for the BN number and original electronic certificate; and
confirm whether the business is actually a corporation or partnership that should be searched with the SEC.

For stronger proof, request a DTI certification through the BNRS Request Certification service. The certification reflects whether the business name is registered at the time of the request. Access to personal or confidential information remains subject to privacy and disclosure rules.

What DTI registration does—and does not—prove

A valid result proves that DTI registered the stated business name for the named sole proprietor within the indicated scope and validity period. It does not create a corporation or shield the owner from personal liability. The Supreme Court has repeatedly held that a sole proprietorship has no juridical personality separate from its owner, including in Ejercito v. Sandiganbayan.

It also does not prove that the business has:

a current barangay clearance or mayor’s/business permit;
completed BIR registration;
authority to sell regulated goods or professional services;
ownership of a trademark;
no complaints, debts, or legal cases; or
a genuine social-media account, website, or bank account.

DTI itself states in its official service FAQs that business-name registration is not a licence to operate. Verify the current LGU permit, BIR registration, and any industry-specific authorization separately.

How to verify an SEC-registered entity

Under Section 18 of the Revised Corporation Code, a private corporation begins its corporate existence and juridical personality when the SEC issues its Certificate of Incorporation. A proposed name, name reservation, payment receipt, application reference number, or pending application is not equivalent to incorporation.

Initial online check

Open the official Check with SEC portal.
Search using the complete company name or, preferably, its SEC registration number.
Select the exact entity rather than a similarly named company.
Review the displayed registration information, status, and any listed secondary licences.
Compare the result with the Certificate of Incorporation, Certificate of Recording, or Licence to Do Business presented by the company.

Pay close attention to:

the exact legal name and suffix;
SEC registration number;
entity type;
present registration status;
registered purposes, where available;
secondary licence or authority relevant to the transaction; and
whether the person dealing with you is connected with or authorized by that entity.

The SEC cautions that information generated by its verification service may be incomplete or subject to ongoing Commission processes. Treat the online result as an initial check, especially when substantial money, property, employment, credit, or investment is involved.

Obtain supporting SEC records

Use the SEC’s eSEARCH service to obtain available documents submitted to the Commission. Depending on the transaction, useful records may include:

Certificate of Incorporation or Certificate of Recording;
Articles of Incorporation or Articles of Partnership;
amendments changing the name, purpose, address, capital, or other material terms;
the latest available General Information Sheet; and
relevant orders, permits, or certificates of authority.

The latest General Information Sheet can help identify reported directors, trustees, officers, stockholders, and the principal office, but it does not automatically prove that a particular employee, agent, broker, or account holder may bind the company. For a major contract, request a secretary’s certificate, board authority, special power of attorney, or comparable proof appropriate to the act.

If the portal result is missing, ambiguous, or inconsistent with the documents, submit an inquiry through the SEC’s official iMessage system before proceeding.

Check the SEC status, not only the company name

Most corporations now have perpetual existence unless their articles provide a fixed term, but they remain subject to dissolution, delinquent status, suspension, revocation, and other Commission action.

Section 21 of the Revised Corporation Code provides that a corporation that fails to organize and commence business within five years from incorporation has its certificate deemed revoked after that period. A corporation that began business but later remains inoperative for at least five consecutive years may, after notice and hearing, be placed under delinquent status and generally receives two years to resume operations and comply with SEC requirements.

Accordingly, an old Certificate of Incorporation does not answer whether the entity’s status remains acceptable today. If the portal shows “revoked,” “suspended,” “delinquent,” or another adverse or unclear status, obtain the underlying SEC order and proof of any later lifting, revival, or reinstatement. Do not rely solely on the company’s statement that an appeal or compliance filing is pending.

Registration is not a secondary licence

This distinction is critical when money is being solicited from the public.

The SEC’s verification guidance states that incorporation alone does not permit a company to solicit investments. Depending on the transaction and applicable exemptions, the company may need an Order of Registration of Securities and a Certificate of Permit to Sell Securities. A lending or financing company must also have a valid Certificate of Authority to Operate for that activity.

Check the relevant secondary authority when a business offers:

investments, profit-sharing arrangements, or pooled funds;
securities or public fundraising;
loans or financing;
investment-management or brokerage services; or
another activity regulated by the SEC or a different government agency.

A company’s stated corporate purpose is not a substitute for the required operational licence. Likewise, SEC registration is not an endorsement, guarantee, accreditation, or finding that the business is profitable or scam-free.

A practical verification checklist

Before paying, signing, investing, supplying goods on credit, or sending identification documents:

Identify the legal form. Determine whether the counterparty is a sole proprietor, corporation, partnership, cooperative, or foreign entity.
Get the exact legal details. Ask for the registered name, registration number, owner or authorized representative, business address, and official contact information.
Search independently. Type the government portal address yourself and save a dated screenshot or PDF of the result.
Compare documents line by line. Names, numbers, dates, status, owner, address, scope, and licences should agree.
Verify the operating permits. Request the current mayor’s/business permit, BIR Certificate of Registration, and any permit required for the industry.
Confirm authority. Check that the signatory or collector is authorized by the registered owner, board, partnership, or foreign corporation.
Check payment instructions. A corporate transaction paid to an unrelated personal account needs a clear, documented explanation. For a sole proprietorship, a personal account may belong to the owner, but the owner’s identity must still match the DTI record.
Use a written contract and official invoice. The contracting party and payment recipient should be clearly identified.
Escalate discrepancies before paying. Ask DTI, SEC, the relevant LGU, BIR, or sector regulator to confirm doubtful information.

Evidence worth preserving

Keep copies of:

registry results with the date and time of access;
certificates and QR-validation results;
current permits and secondary licences;
contracts, quotations, invoices, receipts, and payment instructions;
the representative’s authority and identification;
emails, text messages, chat logs, advertisements, and social-media profiles;
bank, e-wallet, or remittance details; and
any SEC, DTI, LGU, or regulator inquiry and response.

Preserve original electronic files where possible. A forwarded screenshot can be altered and usually contains less verifiable information than the original digitally issued document.

Common mistakes

Searching DTI for a corporation or searching the SEC for a sole proprietorship.
Treating name availability, reservation, or a pending application as completed registration.
Searching a shortened brand name instead of the exact registered name.
Assuming that a matching name proves the person contacting you represents that business.
Accepting an expired DTI certificate without checking the current BNRS record.
Treating ordinary SEC incorporation as authority to solicit investments or offer loans.
Assuming DTI or SEC registration replaces BIR registration and the mayor’s permit.
Relying on a logo, registration number printed in an advertisement, or a certificate image without independently checking the registry.
Ignoring small mismatches in registration numbers, suffixes, owner names, addresses, or payment recipients.

When help is urgent

Stop the transaction and seek prompt legal or government assistance if:

the registry shows no record, revocation, suspension, delinquency, cancellation, expiry, or an unexplained mismatch;
an investment promoter cannot produce the necessary securities authority;
a lender or financing company cannot show a current SEC certificate of authority;
you are pressured to pay immediately or conceal the transaction;
money must be sent to an unrelated person or rapidly moved through several accounts;
the certificate, QR result, permit, or official receipt appears altered;
the business refuses to identify its legal owner or authorized signatory;
substantial funds, land, a franchise, employment placement, personal data, or long-term obligations are involved; or
you have already paid and suspect fraud.

Contact the relevant agency and consider consulting a Philippine lawyer. If money has already been transferred, notify the bank or e-wallet provider immediately and preserve all records; recovery options can become harder as time passes.

Frequently asked questions

Can I verify a business using only its name?

Yes, but a registration number is safer. DTI requires an exact-name search, while the SEC may return similarly named entities. Always compare the result with the certificate and the person or entity named in the contract.

Is DTI registration enough for a sole proprietor to operate?

No. It registers the business name. The proprietor must still comply with BIR, LGU, and industry-specific requirements.

Does SEC registration prove that an investment is legitimate?

No. Verify both the corporation’s current status and the specific authority for the securities or investment offering. Incorporation alone is insufficient.

What if the certificate is genuine but the online status is adverse?

The current status requires investigation. Ask for the SEC or DTI order and any later official order lifting, reinstating, or reviving the registration. A pending request or appeal is not the same as an approved reinstatement.

Does a matching registry result prove that the seller is authorized?

No. It proves only that a corresponding registration record exists. Independently confirm the seller’s identity and authority to act for the registered owner or entity.

Should I reject a business immediately if no online result appears?

Not automatically. Exact-name errors, older records, amendments, and incomplete online data may explain the absence. Ask for the registration number and official documents, then seek agency confirmation. Do not release money or sensitive information until the discrepancy is resolved.

Official sources

This article provides general legal information, not advice for a particular transaction or dispute. Registration status and licensing requirements can depend on current agency records, the business activity, and the documents involved. Official sources were checked on 4 August 2026.