March 29, 2024

The Department of Trade and Industry has made it easier for business owners who are renewing their permits to register trade names with the agency.
Republic Act 3883 or the Business Name Law requires solely owned businesses to register any name other than the owner’s true name with the DTI. This is entirely different and separate from securing a business permit from the local government unit that has jurisdiction over the location of the establishment.  
Business name is the identity of a business which describes its nature and purpose, while a business permit is a license to operate. 
A sole proprietor may register their business on any working day of the year at any DTI office near them. 
Tagged as a simple transaction, any Filipino citizen, non-Philippine national who has obtained a certificate of registration/certificate of authority to engage in business pursuant to RA 7042 or the Foreign Investment Act or refugee or stateless person who has been issued a written recognition from the Department of Justice and at least 18 years old, may register. It only takes filling up of the DTI-prescribed application form and the presentation of one government-issued identification card.  
For those who would be transacting through their representatives, an authorization letter and the IDs of both owner and representative must be presented. 
To ease up on queuing at the time of processing business permits, sole proprietors may register/renew its business name online by logging on to bnrs.dti.gov.ph. The online system provides a user-friendly process to facilitate registration. 
The registrability of the business name is subject to the following: dominant portion includes word, group of words or combination of letters and numerals and the descriptor composed of word/s describing the nature of business based on the Philippine Standard Industrial Classification (e.g. Tomas Rice Farm, Chedeng Shoe Manufacturing).
Business names that are not registrable include the following:  those that connote activities that unlawful, immoral, scandalous (e.g. Sabungan Betting Place); suggestive of quality/class (e.g. Madel’s Best Pastry Shop); registered trademarks, business name issued by any authorized government agency (e.g. Jollibee); composed of purely generic name (e.g. The Bakeshop); and abbreviation of any nation, government entity of international organizations (e.g. Unesco Repair Shop).
Corresponding fees are dependent on the territorial scope of the business name:  barangay – P200; city/municipality – P500; regional – P1,000; and national – P2,000. A P30 documentary stamp shall be included in the fees.  
The validity of registration is five years and subject to renewal every five years. Non-renewal of the business name six months after its expiration would delist the name from the database and therefore subjected to new registration.  
A business owner may renew as early as six months prior to its expiration date. – Press release