Police Clearance vs NBI Clearance: Which One
Philippine National Police · clearances
Quick answer
A National Police Clearance costs ₱150.00, needs one valid ID, and renews without appearance for 3 years. An NBI clearance costs ₱160.00 all-in, needs two IDs, and renews online if the previous one was issued after 16 October 2016. Employers usually name which they want.
Last verified
Where these figures come from
About these figures: the numbers below come from PNP's official published sources: PNP NPCS | How to Apply for a National Police Clearance (https://pnpclearance.ph/how_to_apply_v2.pdf, retrieved 2026-09-01); PNP NPCS | Terms and Conditions (https://pnpclearance.ph/register, retrieved 2026-09-01); National Bureau of Investigation | Citizen's Charter Handbook 2025 (1st Edition) (https://nbi.gov.ph/uploads/2025/04/2025-CITIZENS-CHARTER-HANDBOOK-1st-EDITION.pdf, retrieved 2026-08-31). Agencies change fees and rates without notice, so confirm with PNP before you rely on them. Last verified: 2026-09-01.
They are different documents, from different agencies, checking different databases. Neither publishes a statement that it replaces the other, so the short answer is: get the one you were actually asked for.
Side by side
| National Police Clearance | NBI clearance | |
|---|---|---|
| Issued by | Philippine National Police | National Bureau of Investigation |
| Published fee | ₱150.00 plus an unstated convenience fee | ₱130.00 plus a ₱30.00 e-payment convenience fee, ₱160.00 total |
| Valid IDs required | 1, from a list of 26 | 2 valid government IDs |
| Published validity | 6 months | Not published in the sources read |
| Renewal without re-enrolment | Without appearance for 3 years from the last appearance | Online where the previous clearance was issued after 16 October 2016 |
| Delivery | Not published | ₱200.00 within NCR, ₱350.00 outside |
| Delivery time | Not published | 5 working days in NCR, 7 to 10 working days outside |
| First-time job seekers | No exemption published | Free under RA 11261 |
| If you have a record | All hit records reflected on the printout with status | Tagged WITH HIT returns on a scheduled date 8 working days later |
| Where you collect it | Printed at the police station, or downloaded on non-appearance renewal | Branch pickup or delivery |
The fee difference is ₱10.00, and it is not the point
₱150.00 against ₱160.00 is close enough that price should not decide it. What differs materially is the paperwork and the renewal terms.
| Police clearance | NBI clearance | |
|---|---|---|
| IDs to assemble | 1 | 2 |
| Published processing total | Not published | 15 minutes 13 seconds on-site for first-timers; 1 day and about 13 minutes for online renewal |
| Mailed option | Not published | ₱200.00, covering the ₱130.00 fee plus ₱70.00 mailing |
NBI publishes its timings to the second in its Citizen’s Charter. PNP publishes none at all for the clearance, which is the single biggest information gap between the two.
Renewal is where they now resemble each other
Both agencies have moved to one in-person enrolment followed by remote renewals, and both put a hard boundary on it.
| Boundary | What happens inside it | |
|---|---|---|
| PNP | 3 years from the last in-person appearance | Update the account, upload a 2x2 white-background photo and a selfie holding a government ID, pay, download from the account profile |
| NBI | Previous clearance issued after 16 October 2016 | Online renewal against the biometrics already held |
With a 6 month validity and a 3 year window, one PNP appearance can carry up to six renewals. The renewal guide covers the PNP side, and NBI clearance renewal the other.
If you are abroad
| Route | |
|---|---|
| PNP | Clearance Certification, for a Filipino citizen working or based in another country. Stated to be for first-time applicants. Needs a passport photocopy, proof of being an OFW, and an ID bearing a Philippine address |
| NBI | Covered in NBI clearance abroad |
PNP publishes no fee, processing time or validity for the Clearance Certification, so none is stated here.
What each costs alongside the usual paperwork
| Document | Published fee |
|---|---|
| National Police Clearance | ₱150.00 plus a convenience fee |
| NBI clearance | ₱160.00 all-in |
| NBI clearance, delivered in NCR | ₱200.00 |
| NBI clearance, delivered outside NCR | ₱350.00 |
| PSA birth certificate, viewable online | ₱130.00 |
| PSA CENOMAR, viewable online | ₱185.00 |
| DI/PNP clearance | ₱80.00 |
Getting both clearances costs ₱310.00 before convenience fees, which is what many employers effectively ask for.
A third document people confuse with both
The DI/PNP clearance at ₱80.00 is issued by the PNP Directorate of Intelligence and used in firearms licensing. It is not a general employment clearance and is not interchangeable with either document above. The firearms licence guide covers where it fits.
What this page does not cover
Neither agency publishes a statement of which databases the other searches, nor any equivalence between the two documents. NBI does not publish a validity period in the sources read for this site, and PNP publishes no processing time. None of those gaps are filled with estimates here.
Related
The main clearance guide covers the PNP process. NBI clearance requirements covers the NBI side. The blotter guide covers the incident record that is a different thing again.
Frequently asked questions
- Which is cheaper, police clearance or NBI clearance?
- The police clearance, marginally. PNP publishes ₱150.00 plus an unstated convenience fee. NBI publishes ₱130.00 plus a ₱30.00 e-payment convenience fee, ₱160.00 in total.
- Which one does my employer want?
- Whichever they name. They are separate documents from separate agencies checking separate databases, and neither publishes a statement that it substitutes for the other. If the requirement does not say, ask before paying.
- How many IDs does each need?
- PNP requires one valid ID from its published list of 26. NBI requires two valid government IDs.
- Which is easier to renew?
- Both now support renewal without a fresh enrolment, on different terms. PNP allows renewal without appearance for 3 years from the last appearance. NBI's online renewal route applies where the previous clearance was issued after 16 October 2016.
- How long is each valid?
- PNP states the National Police Clearance is valid for 6 months. NBI does not publish a validity period in the sources read for this site, so none is stated here.
- Is either free for first-time job seekers?
- NBI is. It publishes that first-time job seekers are free of charge under RA 11261. PNP publishes no equivalent exemption for the National Police Clearance on the documents read for this guide.
- What happens if I have a record?
- PNP states all hit records found in its crime databases are reflected on the printout with the status of each. NBI publishes that an applicant tagged WITH HIT returns on a scheduled date 8 working days later, with a Quality Control interview adding about 10 minutes.
- Can I get either from abroad?
- Both publish a route. PNP has a Clearance Certification for a Filipino citizen working or based in another country, stated to be for first-time applicants. NBI publishes its own route for applicants abroad.