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Doing business in the Philippines

Identity and business verification requirements for accounts that do business in the Philippines, including foreign-registered businesses, and the rules for accounts registered in the Philippines.

This page covers what an account needs to do business in the Philippines: the IDs you submit,
the business information and documents PayMongo asks for, and the rules for accounts
registered in the Philippines. These requirements help PayMongo meet Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas (BSP) regulations.

Requirements that apply to every account, such as the authorized representative, enhanced due
diligence and website guidelines, are on
Verification requirements.

Who this applies to

What you submit depends on where your business is registered.

Your business is registeredFollow these sections
In the PhilippinesIdentity verification, Business information, Registered in the Philippines or Government entities, and Rules for accounts registered in the Philippines
Outside the PhilippinesIdentity verification, Business information, Registered outside the Philippines and Foreign document authentication

Identity verification (KYC)

Submit a valid government-issued ID as part of PayMongo's KYC (Know Your Customer) process and
account upgrades.

Accepted IDs

You can submit 1 primary ID or 2 secondary IDs.

Primary IDs (Select one)
  • Driver's License
  • UMID
  • SSS ID
  • PRC ID
  • Firearms License
  • Philippine Passport
  • PhilSys National ID (front & back) or ePhilID
  • Foreign/non-Philippines Passport
Secondary IDs (Select two)
  • Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR)
  • NBI Clearance
  • Police Clearance
  • PhilHealth ID
  • TIN ID
  • Pag-IBIG ID (digitized)
  • Postal ID (digitized)
  • Barangay Clearance
  • Voter's ID

ID guidelines

  • Ensure all submitted IDs are clear, valid, and not expired
  • Name and birthdate must match the business registration documents (if applicable)
  • For partnerships and corporations, submit IDs of the authorized representative or relevant incorporators
  • If you're unsure which ID to use, reach out to [email protected]
❗️

Submitting unclear or mismatched documents may delay your activation process.

Business information

You provide this business information:

  • Legal/trade name and business description
  • Industry, business size, operating history, estimated monthly volume
  • Business address and customer-facing contact channels
  • TIN and tax gross remittances classification
  • Sworn declaration acknowledgement when applicable

Required documents

Registered in the Philippines

Your account starts as Individual. To upgrade to a registered business type, submit the documents for that type in Settings > Business Information after activation.

Individual

No business documents. Identity verification (KYC) covers an Individual account. You may be asked for additional proofs based on your account profile.

An Individual account must upgrade to a registered business type within 30 days of activation, or PayMongo disables it. See Individual accounts: 30 days to register.

Sole Proprietorship

📃 Required Documents:

  1. DTI Certificate of Business Name Registration
  2. Government-issued ID of the registered owner (1 primary or 2 secondary IDs)
    • If the owner is not the one signing up, then a Notarized Special Power of Atty and a Government-issued ID of the authorized representative signing up (1 primary or 2 secondary IDs) is needed
  3. BIR Certificate of Registration (Form 2303)
Partnership

📃 Required Documents:

  1. SEC Certificate of Partnership
  2. Articles of Partnership
  3. Partner's Resolution authorizing:
    • The person transacting with PayMongo
    • The designated bank account for payouts
  4. Government-issued ID of any partner (1 primary or 2 secondary IDs)
  5. BIR Certificate of Registration (Form 2303)
Corporation

📃 Required Documents:

  1. SEC Certificate of Incorporation
  2. Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws (all pages)
  3. Latest General Information Sheet (GIS) submitted to and received by SEC (all pages)
  4. Beneficial Ownership Declaration filed through SEC-HARBOR (for a GIS filed before 2026, its Ultimate Beneficial Owner Declaration pages serve as the declaration)
  5. Government-issued ID of the authorized representative (1 primary or 2 secondary IDs)
  6. BIR Certificate of Registration (Form 2303)
  7. Duly Notarized Secretary's Certificate* (Template)
📘

The Secretary's Certificate must:

  • Authorize the person transacting on behalf of the Company registering with PayMongo
  • Confirm the official settlement account (may be a business bank account or PayMongo Wallet)
  • Be notarized
  • Be signed by the Corporate Secretary or any member of the board
  • If the Corporate Secretary is the authorized representative, then it should be signed by someone other than the Corporate Secretary or attach a Board Resolution signed by officers if the Secretary Certificate is self-certified
One Person Corporation (OPC)

📃 Required Documents:

  1. SEC Certificate of Incorporation
  2. Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws (all pages)
  3. Form of Appointment of Officers stamped as received by the SEC or a cover page from the SEC stating that the document has been received.
  4. Beneficial Ownership Declaration filed through SEC-HARBOR
  5. BIR Form 2303
  6. Government-issued ID of the owner
  7. Duly Notarized Secretary's Certificate* (Template)
📘

The Secretary's Certificate must:

  • Authorize the person transacting with PayMongo
  • Confirm the official business bank account
  • Be signed by someone other than the Corporate Secretary if they are the representative
  • If it is self-certified, a notarized Board Resolution containing the authorized rep should be attached. The Board Resolution should be signed by 3 officers.

Government entities

These are the required documents for merchants affiliated with government agencies or institutions who wish to activate a Fully Verified PayMongo account with payment gateway functionalities.

This process ensures compliance with regulatory standards while accommodating the unique structure and documentation typically associated with public sector entities.

📌

Government entities do not need SEC or DTI registration, but must submit legal documents proving their identity and authority to transact.

Local Government Unit (LGU)

Required Documents:

  1. Creation document, ordinance, or national law establishing the LGU
  2. Sanggunian Resolution or Authorization Letter confirming:
    • The designated signatory
    • The authorized bank account
  3. List of elected and appointed officials (e.g. Mayor, Treasurer, Accountant)
    • Can be sourced from DILG or LGU website
  4. Government-issued ID of the authorized signatory
  5. Authorization Letter (if not signed by Mayor or Treasurer)
  6. BIR Certificate of Registration (Form 2303), if available
  7. Bank Certificate for official depository account (e.g. Landbank, DBP)
  8. Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), signed by authorized LGU official
  9. PhilGEPS Registration (recommended; required if procurement is involved)

Before You Submit:

  • Ensure the Sanggunian Resolution is signed, clearly names the signatory, and matches the account name.
  • Make sure the ID of the signatory is valid, unexpired, and matches the resolution.
  • The MOA is signed by the Mayor or a properly authorized official.
  • The bank certificate matches the LGU's official name.
  • You're using a valid LGU email domain or your agency is publicly listed (e.g. on the DILG site).
State University or College (SUC)

Required Documents:

  1. Enabling law or CHED-issued charter
  2. Board of Regents Resolution or equivalent authorizing:
    • The signatory
    • The use of the bank account
  3. List of university officials (e.g. President, VP Admin, Budget Officer) — from official website or internal documents
  4. Government-issued ID of the authorized signatory
  5. Authorization Letter (if not signed by President or Treasurer)
  6. BIR Certificate of Registration (Form 2303), if the SUC collects student fees
  7. Bank Certificate for official school account (Landbank, DBP)
  8. Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), signed by an authorized school official
  9. PhilGEPS Registration (recommended)

Before You Submit:

  • Check that the Board Resolution is recent, signed, and matches the ID of the signatory.
  • Confirm that the signatory's ID is valid and clear.
  • Ensure the MOA is signed by the University President or Treasurer.
  • Verify that the bank account is under the school's official name.
  • Your school or domain can be publicly verified (CHED list or official site).
Government-Owned or Controlled Corporation (GOCC) / Government Financial Institution (GFI)

Required Documents:

  1. Charter, Republic Act, or SEC Certificate of Registration (if applicable)
  2. Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws (if SEC-registered)
  3. Board Resolution or Secretary's Certificate confirming:
    • The authorized signatory
    • The official bank account
  4. List of officers or directors (from GIS or internal documents)
  5. Government-issued ID of the authorized signatory
  6. Authorization Letter (if the signatory is not named in the board resolution)
  7. BIR Certificate of Registration (Form 2303)
  8. Bank Certificate for official depository account
  9. Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), signed by an authorized officer
  10. PhilGEPS Registration (required if involved in procurement)

Before You Submit:

  • Double-check that the Board Resolution or Secretary's Certificate is properly signed.
  • The authorized signatory's ID is valid and matches the name in the resolution.
  • The MOA is signed by an officer listed in your resolution or GIS.
  • The bank certificate is in the organization's official name.
  • The entity can be verified via SEC, PhilGEPS, or public documents.
  • PhilGEPS registration is included if you're onboarding via procurement.

Submission guidelines

  • All uploaded documents must be clear, complete, and signed
  • The signatory must match the person named in the resolution or MOA
  • Your documents may be verified using your official domain email or public agency listing
  • If requirements are incomplete or unclear, the Onboarding Team may reach out for clarification

Registered outside the Philippines

A business registered outside the Philippines can do business in the Philippines, but must submit additional corporate documentation.

General rules:

  • Documents should be apostilled or consularized, unless an approved alternative applies. See Foreign document authentication.
  • Non-English documents must include certified English translations.
  • A working website and clear ownership/authorization records are expected.
Sole Proprietor

Required Documents:

  • Signed Statement of Acceptance
  • Working website
  • Valid Passport (with signature specimen) or ACR I-Card
  • Foreign equivalent of DTI certificate
  • Local bank account (optional at start) or PayMongo Wallet
Partnership

Required Documents:

  • Signed Statement of Acceptance
  • Working website
  • Valid Passport (with signature specimen) or ACR I-Card
  • Foreign equivalent of SEC Partnership Certificate
  • Foreign equivalent of Articles of Partnership
  • Local bank account (optional at start)
  • Partnership Resolution (if payout account name differs), or PayMongo Wallet
Corporation

Required Documents:

  • Signed Statement of Acceptance
  • Working website
  • Valid Passport (with signature specimen) or ACR I-Card of authorized representative
  • Foreign equivalent of Certificate of Incorporation
  • Foreign equivalent of Articles of Incorporation
  • Foreign equivalent of By-Laws
  • Foreign equivalent of GIS (or accepted alternatives such as draft GIS if less than 1 year old, or UBO declaration)
  • Secretary's Certificate (apostilled/consularized or notary equivalent)
  • Local bank account (optional at start) or PayMongo Wallet
One Person Corporation (OPC)

Required Documents:

  • Signed Statement of Acceptance
  • Working website
  • Valid Passport or ACR I-Card
  • Foreign equivalent of Certificate of Incorporation
  • Foreign equivalent of Articles of Incorporation
  • Foreign equivalent of Form of Appointment of Officers
  • Secretary's Certificate (apostilled/consularized or notary equivalent)

Submission checks

  • Business documents should clearly show legal name, registration number, ownership, and capital structure
  • ID details must match business records
  • A Philippine payout destination (bank or wallet) is needed before payout release

Foreign document authentication

If your business is registered outside the Philippines, some of your corporate documents need to be authenticated. This ensures compliance with the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA).

There are two main ways depending on your country: Apostille or Consularization. In special cases, there is an alternative option (see below).

1. Apostille (Hague Member Countries)

If your country is part of the Hague Apostille Convention:

  1. Prepare your documents

    • Original corporate documents (e.g., Certificate of Registration, Articles of Incorporation).
    • If not in English, add a certified English translation.

  2. Submit to the Apostille Authority

    • Usually your Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Court/Registry.
    • Request an Apostille Certificate.

  3. Get your Apostilled documents

    • Once issued, they're automatically valid for use in the Philippines.
    • No need to go to the Philippine Embassy/Consulate.

2. Consularization (Non-Hague Countries)

If your country is not part of the Apostille Convention:

  1. Prepare your documents

    • Original corporate documents (+ certified English translation if needed).

  2. Authenticate locally

    • Get them verified by your local authority (e.g., Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

  3. Go to the Philippine Embassy/Consulate

    • Submit the authenticated documents.
    • Request for consular authentication (sometimes called a "red ribbon").

  4. Get your Consularized documents

    • Once sealed/ribboned, they're valid for use in the Philippines.

3. Alternative to Apostilled / Consularized Documents

If apostilled or consularized documents are not reasonably obtainable, we may accept:

  1. Publicly Available Documents

    • Must be published on an official government or corporate registry website.
    • The site must be accessible to the public without login or restriction so registration can be verified.

  2. Senior Officer Authentication

    • A senior company officer (Vice President level or higher) must certify/authenticate the documents in lieu of apostille/consularization.
    • The officer must appear in the official list of company officers (e.g., board filings, company profile).
    • Must provide a signed certification or cover letter confirming the document's validity.
ℹ️

These alternatives are subject to PayMongo Risk & Compliance approval and may require additional checks.

Important Note on Secretary's Certificate

Senior officer authentication does not replace Secretary's Certificate requirements. The certificate must still:

  • Authorize the person transacting on behalf of the company with PayMongo
  • Confirm the official settlement account (must be a Business Bank Account — not a personal account)
  • Be notarized — for Non-Philippine Entities: it should be the Notary Equivalent or Apostilled / Consularized
  • Be signed by the Corporate Secretary or another board member
  • Not be self-certifying — if the Corporate Secretary is the authorized representative, the certificate must be signed by another officer or a notarized Board Resolution containing the authorized representative

Quick Notes

  • Translations: Non-English docs must always come with a certified translation.
  • Processing times: Varies per country (average 1–4 weeks).
  • Fees: Set by the local Apostille/Consulate, paid by the merchant.
  • Start early: We can't activate your account until your documents are authenticated.

Rules for accounts registered in the Philippines

📘

These rules take effect on November 27, 2026.

Individual accounts: 30 days to register

An account registered in the Philippines can stay Individual (unregistered) for only 30 days after
activation:

  1. Within the 30 days, register your business (DTI + BIR, or SEC + BIR) and upgrade your
    account to a registered business type: sole proprietorship, partnership, one person
    corporation or corporation. See
    After activation: upgrade your business type.
  2. After the due date, if the account is still Individual, PayMongo disables it.

Sales Endorsed accounts and fully managed linked accounts are exempt. For exemptions and what
happens after the due date, see
After activation: registration window.

While it is Individual, what the account can do with its wallet depends on how it was set up:

Individual accountWallet
Signed up directly (not a linked account)Closed-loop. You can receive payments but can't send money out.
Linked account under a parent accountCan send money out, up to PHP 50,000, unless the parent's agreement with PayMongo sets a higher limit. A linked account can also request additional payment methods.

Who these rules apply to

Merchant accounts whose country of registration is the Philippines, or not set, and that are
activated on or after November 27, 2026. This covers accounts that sign up through the Dashboard
and sub-accounts created through the API. Consumer accounts are not affected.

These accounts are not affected:

  • Accounts activated before November 27, 2026. They aren't asked the sign-up questions below.
  • Fully managed linked accounts, which a parent account creates and manages through the API.
    They don't go through the Dashboard sign-up screens. For them, the new sign-up fields are
    optional until December 31, 2026.
  • Accounts registered outside the Philippines, including those that do business in the
    Philippines. See Registered outside the Philippines.

At sign-up: basic Business Information

During sign-up, you must complete the basic Business Information step. You can't skip it.
You need it to activate your account and to access the Dashboard. Your account is activated as
soon as you submit it, and you then get your wallet and QR Ph.

This step collects the basic business profile only. Business type documents come later, after
activation.

Basic Business Information includes three questions, and you also need a business website
before activation.

Price range

Business Information shows a Price range block after Estimated Monthly Transactions. Enter the
lowest and highest PHP prices your business charges for a single product or service.

FieldRule
Lowest priceAt least PHP 0.01
Highest priceEqual to or greater than the lowest price

Both fields accept up to 9 digits before the decimal point and 2 after, for example 1,500.50.
Thousands separators are added for you. The currency is PHP.

Business address type

Business Information asks for your Business address type after your address. Choose the
option that describes where your business operates.

OptionChoose it when
Virtual, co-working or shared officeYou use a rented desk, mailing address or shared workspace.
Permanent office addressYou own or lease the space long-term for this business.
Branch addressThis is one of several locations. Your main office is elsewhere.

Registration status

Under Business registration, Business Information asks "Is your business registered?"

AnswerWhat it means
Already registered (DTI + BIR, or SEC + BIR)Your business is registered. After activation, upgrade your business type to match it.
I will register within 30 daysRegister, then upgrade your business type within 30 days of activation.

Business website

Your business needs a website before your account can be activated. Make sure it meets the
Website Guidelines.

After activation: upgrade your business type

Your account starts as Individual. To upgrade to a registered business type, submit the
documents for that type in Settings > Business Information. See
Registered in the Philippines.

An Individual account must upgrade by its registration window due date.

After activation: registration window

An account whose business type is Individual or not set has a 30-day registration window
to upgrade to a registered business type (sole proprietorship, partnership, one person
corporation or corporation). The due date is 30 days after the account is activated.

These accounts have no registration window:

  • Accounts already registered as a sole proprietorship, partnership, one person corporation or
    corporation.
  • Fully managed linked accounts: child accounts a parent account manages on the child's
    behalf, with no Dashboard access of their own.
  • Sales Endorsed accounts: accounts created through a PayMongo sales invitation link.

A child account that is not fully managed, for example one that joined through a linking
invite and has its own Dashboard, has a registration window like any other individual account.
Likewise, an account you signed up for yourself keeps its registration window even if it is
later linked to a PayMongo sales organization.

After the due date

If your account is still Individual after its due date, PayMongo disables it. Payment
processing and other features that need an enabled account stop.

If your account was disabled

You don't need to sign up again. For inquiries about a disabled account, contact
[email protected].

Updated about 1 hour ago

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