Search and document delivery at a glance
- Search online
- Check with SEC provides a status view without an account. Document copies are obtained separately. [1]
- Search language
- The Check with SEC search form is available in English. [16]
- Digital documents
- The DTI Affirmative/Negative Certification and receipt are delivered by email. [12]
- Document language
- Not specified
- Paper and collection
- SEC Express delivers ordered paper copies to the specified address. [1] [2] [4] [5] [6]
- International delivery
- Not specified
- Fees at a glance
- Free SEC company check. Digital SEC copy: PHP 280 plain or PHP 470 authenticated. Standard SEC Express documents: PHP 775.22 or PHP 993.60 plus shipping.
- Access
- No account for the free SEC search. Personal SEC services use eSECURE, with identity checks and a separate registration route for people living abroad.
Choose the right register
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) registers corporations and partnerships. “Check with SEC” displays registration and lists additional licences for regulated activities separately. [1]
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) registers sole proprietors’ business names, allowing an individual to trade under a name other than their own. The Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) is responsible for cooperatives. An unsuccessful SEC search does not resolve a search for either of these groups. [12] [13]
Free search by company name or SEC number.
SEC access to company documents and copies.
Order paper documents for delivery.
Personal account and credentialing for SEC online services.
Sole proprietors’ business names and electronic certificates.
Dated lists of registered and operating cooperatives.
Application-based access for automated data requests.
Names and abbreviations explained
- SECSecurities and Exchange Commission
- The registrar for corporations and partnerships and the regulator for activities such as securities offerings. [1]
- eSECUREElectronic SEC Universal Registration Environment
- A personal account for SEC online services. Credentialing combines identity-document information with a live photograph. [7]
- eSEARCHElectronic SEC Education, Analysis, Research Computing Hub
- The SEC service for company documents. The free company-check service directs users here to obtain copies. [1] [7]
- GIS / AFSGeneral Information Sheet / Audited Financial Statements
- GIS is the general company information filing for a reporting period. AFS are audited financial statements. They are separate filings and can cover different periods. [1] [10]
- AOI / By-LawsArticles of Incorporation / By-Laws
- AOI contain incorporation provisions such as the corporate name, purposes and principal office. By-Laws govern internal arrangements such as meetings and officer appointments. [15]
- BOD / HARBORBeneficial Ownership Declaration / Hierarchical and Applicable Relations and Beneficial Ownership Registry
- BOD is the beneficial ownership filing. HARBOR is the separate SEC system handling it. Beneficial owners are individuals with significant control or ownership interests. [10] [11]
- BNRS / DSTBusiness Name Registration System / Documentary Stamp Tax
- BNRS is the DTI service for business names. DST is the tax added to specified documents. The DTI certificates below cost PHP 50 plus PHP 30 DST. [12]
Search step by step
Check a corporation or partnership for free
Search by name or number
Open “Check with SEC”. Enter a company name or SEC registration number in “Enter Company Name or SEC Number”. The results are limited to ten entries. Narrow a common name instead of treating the short list as evidence of non-registration. [1]
Match the legal entity
Compare the company name and SEC number. Then read the registration date, status and address under “Company Details”. The search can be used without signing in or paying. [1]
Read additional permissions separately
Check “Secondary License Details” for the licence type and its separate status. Investment or lending activities require the relevant permission in addition to incorporation. [1]
Check the reporting period before ordering
Expand “Reportorial Submission/s”. GIS and AFS can show different periods. Identify the period you need and follow the document route to eSEARCH. The date displayed is not a copy of the filed document. [1]
Order paper copies through SEC Express
Identify the company and document
Search the order form by registered company name or SEC number. Choose an available document and copy type. Select “Articles of Incorporation” for incorporation provisions, “By-Laws” for internal rules, or “General Information Sheet” for the period’s company filing. [6] [15] [10]
Choose plain or authenticated
A “Plain Copy” is an ordinary copy. An “Authenticated Copy” is the SEC-authenticated version. Where a recipient specifies a form of evidence, select the required version. The fee table distinguishes both. [2]
Check the total including shipping
SEC Express lists PHP 775.22 for a plain copy and PHP 993.60 for an authenticated copy of the specified standard documents. Shipping is additional. Financial statements and other volume-assessed documents are priced during ordering. [2]
Keep the delivery details and reference
Enter your contact details and delivery address. SEC Express lists credit cards, bank payments, payment counters, GCash and Maya as payment options. Keep the order reference for tracking. The stated delivery period starts after release by the SEC. Check the current delivery advisories on the order page. An authorised recipient must show identification on delivery. [4] [5] [6]
Obtain evidence of a sole proprietor’s business name
Use the DTI route
Open BNRS. For evidence of whether a business name is registered, use the “Affirmative/Negative Certification” application. The current DTI service charter provides this certificate service entirely online. [12]
Complete the reference and payment steps
BNRS generates a reference code after the application. The fee is PHP 50 plus PHP 30 Documentary Stamp Tax, totalling PHP 80. The electronic certificate and receipt are sent by email. [12]
Apply separately for a certified copy of the owner’s certificate
An authenticated or certified true copy of the Business Name Registration Certificate is a different service. The DTI specifies a counter application. A representative needs the owner’s authorisation, the required IDs and the form signed by the owner. The price is PHP 80 per copy. [12]
Documents and fees
| Document / information | Contents and purpose | Fee | How to get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free SEC search result [1] | Company name, SEC number, registration date, status and address; additional licence details and displayed GIS/AFS reporting periods. | Free. | Check with SEC, no account. An orientation result; order document copies separately. |
| Articles of Incorporation / By-Laws [2] [3] [15] | Incorporation provisions covering name, purposes and office; internal rules such as meetings and officer arrangements. Check amendments when interpreting dates. | Digital SEC base fee: PHP 280 plain or PHP 470 authenticated. SEC Express specified standard documents: PHP 775.22 or PHP 993.60 plus shipping. | SEC document service or SEC Express. Select the individual document or the combined product offered. |
| General Information Sheet (GIS) [1] [2] [3] [10] | General company information filing for the stated period. Separate from accounts and the beneficial ownership declaration handled separately in 2026. | Digital SEC base fee: PHP 280 plain or PHP 470 authenticated. SEC Express: PHP 775.22 or PHP 993.60 plus shipping. | Choose the required period from available filings; obtain it through SEC document services or SEC Express. |
| Audited Financial Statements (AFS) [1] [2] [3] [10] | Audited accounts for the specified financial year. The search shows the reported period; obtain the actual filing as a document. | SEC Express assesses the particular order. SEC paper-copy rates for other documents are PHP 20 per page plain or PHP 35 authenticated, plus order and shipping charges. | Select “Audited Financial Statement” in SEC Express and use the assessment for the particular order. |
| DTI Affirmative/Negative Certification [12] | Evidence of registration or a negative business-name result. Relevant to sole proprietors. | PHP 80: PHP 50 fee + PHP 30 DST. | Apply online in BNRS, pay using the reference code, and receive the electronic certificate by email. |
| DTI authenticated or certified true copy of BNR Certificate [12] | A confirmed copy of the owner’s business-name registration certificate. | PHP 80 per copy: PHP 50 fee + PHP 30 DST. | Counter application. Owner-signed form and ID; a representative also needs the owner’s authorisation and their own ID. |
| CDA masterlists [13] | Dated lists of registered, operating or delisted cooperatives. Registered list: 31 December 2024; operating list: 2023. | Publicly linked lists with no retrieval charge stated. | Open the appropriate list from the CDA masterlist page. Preserve its date alongside each result. |
Which authority to use
Start with the SEC for corporations and partnerships. Its document routes also cover local branches and representative offices of foreign corporations. For these entities, Philippine documents concern their local licence and reporting obligations. [1] [10]
Use the DTI business-name route for a sole proprietor. For a cooperative, use the CDA masterlist. The linked registered-cooperative list is dated 31 December 2024; the operating-cooperative list with status is dated 2023. Keep these dates with any result you use. [12] [13]
Accounts and access from abroad
The public SEC company check does not require an account. For personal account-based services, eSECURE expressly offers “For applicants residing abroad”. Selection depends on residence: foreign nationals living in the Philippines choose the local route, while Filipinos living overseas choose the abroad route. [1] [7] [8]
The first contact step for overseas applicants asks for a personal email address. eSECURE also describes credentialing using a live photograph and accepted government-issued identification; “Passport” appears on that list. [7] [9]
SEC Express is a delivery service. Its documented delivery periods cover Metro Manila and other Philippine provinces. For a requirement abroad, consider the digital SEC document route first. If you need paper copies, resolve the specific delivery address during ordering; shipping costs depend on destination and weight. [2] [6]
Understanding current document fees
SEC Memorandum Circular No. 18, Series of 2026 took effect on 1 June 2026. The base rate for the digital copies it lists is PHP 280 plain or PHP 470 authenticated, including AOI, By-Laws and GIS. These are official document rates, not an all-inclusive price for additional payment or delivery services. [3]
The SEC base paper-copy rates for these standard documents are PHP 565 plain or PHP 750 authenticated. A plain SEC Express copy totals PHP 775.22: PHP 565 document fee, PHP 184 service fee and PHP 26.22 payment fee. An authenticated copy totals PHP 993.60: PHP 750 document fee, PHP 180 service fee, PHP 30 documentary stamp tax and PHP 33.60 payment fee. Shipping is additional. [2] [3]
For other paper documents, the SEC tariff is PHP 20 per page plain or PHP 35 per page authenticated. SEC Express expressly lists audited financial statements as “For assessment”. Page count, copy count and other order charges therefore matter to the final price. [2] [3]
Distinguish accounts from company information filings
Audited Financial Statements (AFS) are the audited accounts. The General Information Sheet (GIS) is a separate company filing. The free search can show the reported period for both. Select financial statements by their financial year-end rather than a GIS date. [1] [10]
The SEC service page gives a baseline of 120 calendar days after the financial year-end for AFS, bearing the received stamp of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), the tax authority. It also lists a separate unaudited-financial-statements template for certain non-stock corporations. Select the document type appropriate to the entity. [10]
For incorporation provisions, examine the AOI and amendments. They can document the company name, purposes and principal office. By-Laws govern internal arrangements. [15]
Beneficial ownership is filed separately in 2026
The SEC uses the Beneficial Ownership Declaration (BOD) for beneficial owners. This is submitted through HARBOR. The 2026 GIS forms apply from 30 January 2026, and the current SEC page lists BOD as a separate filing alongside GIS. [10]
HARBOR collects information about individuals with significant control or ownership interests. Its privacy notice provides access for authorised SEC personnel and relevant government agencies. Authorised filers can also access the amended and previous BOD versions they submitted. HARBOR does not offer a general public ownership search. [11]
Automated requests
The SEC offers an API Marketplace for repeated technical requests. Its official guide lists a free plan with ten API calls per day, Package A with 100 calls for PHP 10,000 and Package B with 1,000 calls for PHP 50,000. The two paid packages are also retained in the 2026 tariff. [14] [3]
Access uses eSECURE and an application process. The SEC reviews the application and sends a subscription agreement and, where applicable, a payment assessment. An API package is a separate data-access product and should not be confused with charges for individual document copies. [14]
Official samples and reading guides
Official 2026 GIS forms
The SEC links blank GIS forms here for domestic corporations and foreign establishments. Use them to understand the document type; a blank template is not a report on a particular company. [10]
Shell Pilipinas: audited financial statements for 2025 in English
The published financial statements include the independent auditor’s report. You can download the PDF directly from the company. [17]
Avoid common mistakes
- “Registered” and an active additional licence are different fields. For financial offers, check the required licence type as well as the corporate name. [1]
- The SEC search returns no more than ten results. A more precise name or SEC number can expose an entity absent from a broad search’s short list. [1]
- SEC Express delivery starts after release by the SEC. The order form quotes three to five working days for Metro Manila and up to seven for provincial deliveries. These periods do not start on the payment date. [6]
- SEC base fees fell on 1 June 2026. Compare current prices using the new tariff and add the ordering charges of the chosen service. [2] [3]
- The SEC warns that search information may be incomplete or subject to ongoing proceedings. A contradictory status calls for follow-up with the responsible SEC department. [1]
Frequently asked questions
Can I check a company without a Philippine account?
Yes. The public “Check with SEC” search works without signing in. Additional personal SEC services use eSECURE, whose registration selection expressly includes applicants residing abroad. [1] [7] [8]
Is SEC Express the same as the free search?
No. Check with SEC supplies a public status display. SEC Express takes orders for paper copies and adds document, service, payment and applicable tax items, plus shipping. [1] [2] [6]
Which document should I obtain for financial information?
Look for Audited Financial Statements (AFS) for the relevant financial year. A General Information Sheet (GIS) is a different document. SEC Express prices AFS according to the particular order’s volume. [1] [2] [10]
Can the public retrieve beneficial owners through HARBOR?
No. The HARBOR privacy notice provides access for authorised SEC personnel, relevant government agencies and authorised filers in relation to their own filings. It does not provide a general public lookup. [11]
How do I research a small sole-proprietor business?
Use the DTI business-name route. The Affirmative/Negative Certification is offered online for PHP 80. A certified copy of the owner’s registration document has separate access requirements, including the owner’s authorisation for a representative. [12]
Original sources
Sources reviewed: 15 September 2026. The guidance is based on the linked information published by registers and public authorities.
- Check with SEC: public company search Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
- SEC Express: service fees SEC Express System
- SEC Memorandum Circular No. 18, Series of 2026 Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
- SEC Express: ordering and announcements SEC Express System
- SEC Express: frequently asked questions SEC Express System
- SEC Express: order form SEC Express System
- eSECURE: account and credentialing Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
- eSECURE: residency selection Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
- eSECURE: overseas contact step Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
- Corporations with Primary Licenses: reportorial requirements Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
- HARBOR privacy notice Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
- DTI Citizen’s Charter 2025, 7th edition Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
- Cooperative Masterlist Cooperative Development Authority (CDA)
- SEC API Marketplace Subscription User Guide Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
- eAMEND: coverage Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
- Check with SEC: Suchmaske Check with SEC
- Audited Financial Statements (2025) Shell Pilipinas Corporation