Business Name Registration Is Only the First Step to Legalizing Your Business

A name reservation doesn’t give you a legal business yet

Photo by Emre Gencer on Unsplash

The most common misconception among Filipinos is they think that a business name registration means they already have a legitimate business. But this name reservation is only the first step.

So, let me be clear: the SEC or DTI certificate you receive doesn’t give you the license to operate as a business legally. Yet.

Business name registration is exactly as it sounds—a registration for your business name. There are other permits and licenses you need to acquire first before you can legally operate a business in the Philippines.

Completing a business name registration, either through the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) or the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), is simply the first step of legalizing your business. You can do this process both online and offline. Of course, with the pandemic and in the interest of time, doing it online is the better alternative.

What the business registration process looks like

The complete business registration process involves four key steps:

1. Name reservation and approval via the governing…