The real cost of registering a company in the Philippines has two parts: government fees, which are set by law and are small, and the professional work of filing at the SEC, the BIR and city hall, which is most of the bill. For a domestic corporation with ₱1,000,000 of authorized capital, the SEC filing fee is ₱2,000. Minimum capital is not a registration cost: it is money the shareholders put into the company, which the business then uses for its operations. It is still worth checking before choosing a structure, since it sets how much has to be invested up front; the rules for each entity type are in the capital section below. Korp's full registration, from SEC incorporation to the mayor's permit with a corporate secretary and a registered address for the first quarter, is ₱142,500, VAT included, for a Filipino-owned corporation; SEC incorporation alone is ₱45,000.
Key Takeaways
- The SEC filing fee is 1/5 of 1% of authorized capital stock, never less than ₱2,000, plus ₱1,000 for the by-laws and a legal research fee of 1% of the filing fee.
- Documentary stamp tax on newly issued shares is 0.75% of their par value, since 1 July 2025.
- A Filipino-owned corporation, or one up to 40% foreign-owned, has no minimum capital. A company more than 40% foreign-owned that sells to the Philippine market needs US$200,000 paid in, or US$100,000 if it qualifies for a reduction.
- An export enterprise, earning 60% or more of its revenue abroad, has no minimum capital and can be 100% foreign-owned if its activity is not on the Negative List.
- BIR registration carries ₱30 of documentary stamp tax on the Certificate of Registration. The ₱500 annual registration fee was abolished on 22 January 2024.
- The business permit fee is set by each city and is the one government cost that cannot be quoted nationally.
Government fees, step by step
Fees and rules below were read from the statutes and SEC, BIR and LGU issuances between 7 and 10 October 2026.
| Step | Government fee | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| SEC filing fee | 1/5 of 1% of authorized capital stock (or of the subscription price of subscribed capital, if higher), minimum ₱2,000 | SEC MC No. 3, s. 2017 |
| SEC by-laws | ₱1,000 | SEC MC No. 3, s. 2017 |
| SEC legal research fee | 1% of the filing fee, minimum ₱10 | SEC MC No. 3, s. 2017 |
| Foreign Investments Act application (above 40% foreign equity) | ₱3,000 | SEC MC No. 3, s. 2017 |
| Documentary stamp tax on original issue of shares | 0.75% of par value (₱1.50 per ₱200) | NIRC §174 as amended by RA 12214 |
| BIR Certificate of Registration | ₱30 documentary stamp tax | RR 7-2024; BIR Citizen's Charter 2026 |
| Community tax, corporation | ₱500 to ₱10,500 a year, collected with the business permit | Local Government Code §158 |
| Business permit and local clearances | Set by each city's revenue code | Local Government Code |
The SEC fees are paid online when the application is submitted. A corporation with ₱1,000,000 of authorized capital pays a ₱2,000 filing fee, a ₱20 legal research fee and ₱1,000 for the by-laws. Above ₱1,000,000, the filing fee rises with the capital: it is 0.2% of the authorized amount. The schedule is in SEC Memorandum Circular No. 3, series of 2017.
Documentary stamp tax is paid on the shares the corporation actually issues, not on its authorized capital. ₱250,000 of shares issued at par carries ₱1,875 of stamp tax. The rate was cut from ₱2.00 to ₱1.50 per ₱200 by the Capital Markets Efficiency Promotion Act, effective 1 July 2025.
BIR registration is due before the company starts business: at its first sale, or 30 days after the SEC certificate or the mayor's permit, whichever comes first. The steps are on our BIR tax registration page.
The business permit is a single application at city hall. The barangay clearance, the community tax certificate and, where required, the sanitary permit are processed by the city and issued with the permit, and the community tax is billed with it. Each city sets its own fees, so a national figure for this step would be a guess. Our page on LGU business permits covers what the city asks for.
When it takes on employees, the company registers as an employer with SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG, and registers its establishment with DOLE. SSS coverage is compulsory from the first day of operation. New hires are reported to SSS and PhilHealth within 30 days, and to Pag-IBIG immediately. The steps are in our employer registration guide.
Capital requirements by entity type
The government fees above change little from one company to another. Capital is where entity types differ, and it is usually the larger number.
| Entity type | Minimum capital | Other requirement | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic corporation, Filipino-owned | None | At least two incorporators | Revised Corporation Code §12 |
| One Person Corporation | None | A treasurer's bond of at least ₱1,000,000 if the single stockholder is also treasurer | Revised Corporation Code §122; SEC MC No. 10, s. 2026 |
| Domestic corporation, up to 40% foreign | None, unless a special law sets one | Activity must be open to foreign equity at that level | Revised Corporation Code §12; Foreign Investment Negative List |
| Domestic corporation, above 40% foreign, selling to the Philippine market | US$200,000 paid in; US$100,000 with DOST advanced-technology certification, a startup endorsement under RA 11337, or at least 15 direct employees, most of them Filipino | FIA application, ₱3,000 | RA 7042 as amended by RA 11647 |
| Export enterprise, 60% or more of revenue from exports | None | Up to 100% foreign if the activity is not on the Negative List; the export ratio is a continuing condition | RA 7042 §6 as amended by RA 11647 |
| Branch office | US$200,000 inward remittance, with the same reductions and export exemption | ₱500,000 securities deposit; SEC license fee of 1% of the remittance, minimum ₱3,000 | RA 11647; Revised Corporation Code §143 |
| Representative office | US$30,000 inward remittance, every year | Cannot earn income in the Philippines; SEC license fee of 1/10 of 1% of the remittance, minimum ₱2,000 | SEC minimum paid-up capital list, 7 March 2024; Revised Corporation Code §§140–145; SEC MC No. 3, s. 2017 |
Capital rules were read from RA 7042 as amended by RA 11647, the Revised Corporation Code and SEC issuances, last confirmed between 14 August and 7 October 2026. Three points in this table decide most foreign founders' budgets.
The Revised Corporation Code sets no minimum capital for stock corporations unless a special law does. A Filipino-owned corporation, or one up to 40% foreign-owned, can be capitalized at whatever the business needs.
The US$200,000 attaches to being a foreign-owned company that sells in the Philippines, not to the legal form. A branch office pays the same threshold as a domestic subsidiary and posts a ₱500,000 deposit on top. The routes below the threshold are in our guide to the minimum capital for a foreign-owned company.
The export route has no minimum, but the 60% ratio is tested continuously. A company that falls below it is ordered by the SEC to bring its domestic sales back to 40% or less, and one that does not comply can have its registration cancelled. Some activities are closed to foreign equity at any capital level, and exporting does not open them; check the Negative List before choosing a structure. A full cost breakdown for the foreign-owned case is in what it costs to set up a foreign-owned corporation, and the two foreign-office forms are compared in representative office vs branch office.
How professional fees are quoted
Most of the cost of registering a company is the work, not the fees. Providers quote it in one of two ways.
Professional fee only. The quote covers the service. Government fees, stamp tax, notarization, courier and printing are billed separately as they arise.
All-in. One price covers the service and a defined set of government fees.
Neither model is cheaper by design. Compare them on the same scope: which steps are included (SEC only, or SEC, BIR and the business permit), which government fees are included and up to what capital, and whether the price includes 12% VAT.
The costs that recur every year
Registration is paid once. These are paid every year:
- Business permit renewal, in most cities within the first 20 days of January, with the local business tax on the previous year's gross sales.
- SEC reportorial filings: the General Information Sheet and the audited or certified financial statements. The dates are in our annual compliance calendar.
- BIR returns, monthly, quarterly and annual, depending on the company's tax types.
- SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG contributions, once the company has employees; SSS is remitted by the last day of the following month.
- Community tax, ₱500 to ₱10,500, billed with the permit.
- A corporate secretary and a registered address, where the company does not provide its own. Our corporate secretary service handles the SEC filings above.
What Korp charges
Korp's full registration takes a company from SEC incorporation through BIR registration to the mayor's permit, with a corporate secretary and a registered address in place, so it is ready to open a bank account and trade. Prices include VAT; the provision for the city's permit fees is passed through to the city and carries none.
| Filipino-owned | Mixed, up to 40% foreign | Foreign-owned, above 40% | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEC incorporation, SEC fees included | ₱45,000 | ₱90,000 | ₱120,000 |
| BIR registration | ₱30,000 | ₱30,000 | ₱30,000 |
| LGU business permit | ₱20,000 | ₱20,000 | ₱20,000 |
| Provision for the city's permit fees | ₱10,000 | ₱10,000 | ₱10,000 |
| Corporate secretary, first quarter | ₱30,000 | ₱30,000 | ₱30,000 |
| Virtual office, first quarter | ₱7,500 | ₱7,500 | ₱7,500 |
| Full registration | ₱142,500 | ₱187,500 | ₱217,500 |
After the first quarter, the corporate secretary and the virtual office continue at ₱37,500 a quarter: ₱10,000 a month for the corporate secretary, an annual subscription, and ₱2,500 a month for the virtual office, both billed quarterly. The standard registered address is in Daet, Camarines Norte, outside Metro Manila. A Makati CBD address, inside Metro Manila's business district, adds ₱3,000 a quarter.
Optional lines, quoted when the structure needs them: employer registration with SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG (₱20,000), a non-resident TIN for each foreign incorporator (₱12,000 each), and a treasurer-in-trust (₱15,000). Each service is also sold on its own.
SEC and BIR registration fees are included where authorized and subscribed capital is up to ₱1,000,000. Documentary stamp tax on the shares, SEC fees on capital above ₱1,000,000, the SEC's eSECURE account fee, city fees beyond the provision and any other government fees are paid by the client. Branch offices, representative offices and companies with a corporate shareholder are quoted as custom packages. See SEC incorporation with Korp or the full pricing.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to register a corporation with the SEC?
The SEC filing fee is 1/5 of 1% of authorized capital stock, never less than ₱2,000, plus ₱1,000 for the by-laws and a legal research fee of 1% of the filing fee. A corporation with ₱1,000,000 of authorized capital pays ₱3,020 in SEC fees.
Is there a minimum capital to register a company in the Philippines?
Not for a Filipino-owned stock corporation or one up to 40% foreign-owned; the Revised Corporation Code sets no general minimum. A company more than 40% foreign-owned that sells to the Philippine market needs US$200,000 paid in, or US$100,000 if it qualifies for a reduction. An export enterprise has no minimum.
How much must a representative office remit each year?
A representative office remits US$30,000 to the Philippines when it is licensed and again every year. It cannot earn income in the Philippines and is funded entirely by its head office.
Does the BIR still charge an annual registration fee?
No. The ₱500 annual registration fee was abolished on 22 January 2024. A new corporation pays ₱30 of documentary stamp tax on its Certificate of Registration.
