How to Register a Business Name with DTI (BNRS) — Sole Proprietors

DTI registers the business name of sole proprietorships only. If you are one person running a business under a name other than your own legal name, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is your registering agency. Corporations and partnerships do NOT register their name with DTI — they register with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

This distinction matters because DTI registration does not create a separate legal entity. A sole proprietorship and its owner are legally one and the same person — you and your business share the same tax liabilities and the same legal responsibility. A DTI Business Name Certificate simply gives you the legal right to use a trade name; it is not a license to operate on its own.

If you intend to form a corporation (including a One Person Corporation) or a partnership, skip DTI and go to SEC. Everything below applies to sole proprietors registering a business name through the DTI Business Name Registration System (BNRS).

Which agency registers your name

• Sole proprietorship (one owner) → DTI, via the BNRS portal
• Partnership (two or more partners) → SEC
• Corporation, including One Person Corporation (OPC) → SEC
• Cooperative → Cooperative Development Authority (CDA)

Before opening the BNRS portal, confirm you meet DTI's eligibility rules and have a valid name in mind. The applicant must be at least 18 years old and a Filipino citizen. Foreign nationals follow separate rules and additional documentary requirements (covered below).

There is no minimum capital requirement for a Filipino sole proprietor, and almost the entire process is done online — you generally do not need to visit a DTI office for a standard application. What you do need is a working email address, a valid government-issued ID, and a proposed business name that is not already registered or restricted.

Eligibility and prerequisites

• At least 18 years old at the time of application
• Filipino citizen (foreign nationals: see the separate-rules section below)
• A proposed business name that is not already registered and not on DTI's restricted/protected list
• A valid government-issued ID and a working email address
• A decided territorial scope (Barangay, City/Municipality, Regional, or National) — this sets your fee

Your registration fee depends entirely on the territorial scope you choose. Territorial scope is the geographic area within which your business name is protected and within which you may locate offices, stores, branches, or plants. A wider scope costs more but protects your name across a larger area and lets you operate more freely as you expand.

Scope is about name protection and where you may set up, not a hard limit on where you can transact business or accept customers. A barangay-scope baker can still sell online nationwide — but their registered NAME is only protected within that barangay, so someone in another city could register the same name. If you plan to grow or franchise, a wider scope is cheaper than re-registering later.

Register entirely online at the official BNRS portal, bnrs.dti.gov.ph. The Business Name Registration System (BNRS) lets you search availability, fill out the application, pay, and download your certificate without visiting a DTI office. The whole process typically completes within the same day once payment clears, or within a few days at most.

Use only the official portal — bnrs.dti.gov.ph. There is no fee to check name availability, and DTI does not charge separately for online filing beyond the registration fee and the ₱30 DST.

The registration steps in order

1. Search the name: On bnrs.dti.gov.ph, run a free name search to confirm your proposed name is available and not restricted before you commit.
2. Create an account / sign in: Register with a valid email address and verify it.
3. Fill out the application: Enter the proposed business name, business address, the owner's personal details, and your chosen territorial scope.
4. Confirm the name and scope: Review DTI's name rules (no generic-only names, no protected terms) and your scope choice, which determines the fee.
5. Pay the fee online: Pay the registration fee for your scope plus the ₱30 Documentary Stamp Tax using the portal's accepted payment channels (e.g., GCash, credit/debit card, or over-the-counter reference).
6. Download your certificate: Once payment is confirmed, download and print your DTI Business Name Certificate and the Transaction Reference Number. Keep both — you will need them for the next registrations.

A DTI certificate is only the first of several steps to operate legally. The DTI Business Name Certificate registers your name — it does not, by itself, authorize you to operate or to issue official receipts. To run a sole proprietorship legally, you still need a barangay clearance, a Mayor's / business permit, and BIR registration, in that order.

Process these in sequence because each one usually asks for the document before it. The barangay clearance and Mayor's permit are local government requirements tied to your business address; BIR registration is what lets you issue BIR-registered official receipts/invoices and file taxes. Most sole proprietors file BIR Form 1901 to register and later file their annual income tax on BIR Form 1701.

Post-DTI registration sequence

1. Barangay clearance — from the barangay where your business is located; usually requires the DTI certificate.
2. Mayor's / Business Permit — from your city or municipal hall; requires the DTI certificate and barangay clearance.
3. BIR registration (Form 1901) — register with the Bureau of Internal Revenue, get your Certificate of Registration (Form 2303), and register your books and receipts/invoices.
4. Ongoing tax filing — most sole proprietors file annual income tax on BIR Form 1701 and may owe percentage tax or VAT depending on registration and revenue.

A DTI Business Name Certificate is valid for five (5) years from the date of registration and is renewable. You must renew before it expires to keep your registered name protected. Renewal is done through the same BNRS portal.

Renew on time. A 50% surcharge of the registration fee applies to late filing. If a certificate lapses and is not renewed within the allowed window, the name can become available for others to register, so set a calendar reminder for the five-year mark. You should also file changes (such as a new business address or owner details) with DTI so your certificate stays accurate.

Renewal essentials

• Valid for 5 years from the date of registration
• Renew online via bnrs.dti.gov.ph before expiry
• Late renewal carries a 50% surcharge on the registration fee
• Update DTI when your address, scope, or owner details change

Foreign nationals cannot register a DTI business name the same way a Filipino citizen can. While any Filipino citizen aged 18 or older may register, a non-Philippine national must first secure the appropriate authority to engage in business in the Philippines — typically a Certificate of Registration / Certificate of Authority to engage in business pursuant to Republic Act No. 7042 (the Foreign Investments Act), as amended.

Refugees and stateless persons may register if they hold written recognition from the Department of Justice. Because foreign-ownership rules, capital thresholds, and restricted economic activities vary by industry, foreign applicants should confirm requirements with DTI directly and seek professional advice before applying.