ePhilID: The Paper National ID and the Digital One
Philippine Statistics Authority · identification
Quick answer
The ePhilID is the National ID in paper format. Go to the nearest registration centre with your transaction slip and ask for it to be printed. Under RA 11055 it is valid proof of identity, and you still receive the physical card afterwards.
Last verified
Where these figures come from
About these figures: the numbers below come from PSA's official published sources: PhilSys | Frequently Asked Questions (https://philsys.gov.ph/faq-frequently-asked-questions/, retrieved 2026-08-31); National ID | Digital National ID (https://national-id.gov.ph/, retrieved 2026-08-31); National Bureau of Investigation | Citizen's Charter Handbook 2025 (https://nbi.gov.ph/uploads/2025/04/2025-CITIZENS-CHARTER-HANDBOOK-1st-EDITION.pdf, retrieved 2026-08-31); Social Security System | SSS Contribution Table (https://www.sss.gov.ph/sss-contribution-table/, retrieved 2026-08-31). Agencies change fees and rates without notice, so confirm with PSA before you rely on them. Last verified: 2026-08-31.
The ePhilID is the National ID printed on paper. It is not a downgrade or a placeholder: under RA 11055 it carries the same recognition as the card, and PhilSys treats it as one of three equal formats.
The three formats
| Format | What it is | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| National ID card | The physical PhilID card | No expiration for Filipino citizens; renewed only on updating demographic or biometric information |
| ePhilID | The National ID in paper format | Recognised under RA 11055 as valid proof of identity |
| Digital National ID | Accessed on the eGovPH App after registering and getting verified | No expiration; same validity and functionality as the card and the ePhilID |
The reason all three exist is visible in PhilSys’s own numbers. As of 31 December 2025 the PSA recorded 90,737,910 registered and verified persons. As of 15 September 2025 it recorded 54,918,895 delivered physical cards. Registration has run far ahead of card delivery, and the paper and digital formats close that gap without waiting for plastic.
How to get the ePhilID
PhilSys’s instruction is one sentence: go to the nearest Registration Center and bring your transaction slip to request the printing of your ePhilID or National ID in paper format.
| What you need | Where |
|---|---|
| Your transaction slip from registration | Issued when you registered |
| A registration centre | PSA Regional and Provincial Offices, malls, and Local Government Units |
PhilSys publishes a separate FAQ for retrieving a lost transaction slip. That procedure was not read from the source for this guide, so it is not described here.
You still get the card
This is the question people ask most, and PhilSys answers it directly: yes. For every registered person a National ID is allocated, and a registered person will still receive their physical card even if they have already obtained an ePhilID or National ID in paper format.
So collecting the paper version costs you nothing in the queue for the card.
What it is worth legally
| Rule | What PhilSys publishes |
|---|---|
| Recognition | Under RA 11055, the National ID and the ePhilID in paper format shall be recognised as valid proof of identity in transactions with public and private establishments |
| Refusal | Non-acceptance of the National ID without just and sufficient cause is subject to fines amounting to ₱500,000.00 |
| Reporting | PhilSys asks that the details of a non-acceptance be sent to its official email |
That ₱500,000.00 figure is the answer to being turned away at a counter. It is not a fee you pay; it is the penalty on the establishment refusing without cause.
The Digital National ID
| What PhilSys publishes | |
|---|---|
| Where | The eGovPH App, after registering and getting verified |
| Expiration | None |
| Validity | The same validity and functionality as the National ID card and the ePhilID |
| Use | Shall be honoured and accepted in all transactions requiring proof of identity and age, subject to proper authentication |
PhilSys also publishes FAQs on the Digital National ID’s security features, on printing it, on offline access, on whether another person can download it for you, and on the “Verification Failure” error. Those answers were not read from the source for this guide and are not stated here.
Where the ePhilID gets used
The National ID in any format is on the accepted-document list across the agencies covered on this site.
| Agency | Where the National ID or PhilSys ID appears |
|---|---|
| PhilSys itself | A PSA Certificate of Live Birth plus a government ID, or a passport, UMID or LTO licence, are the primary documents to register in the first place |
| SSS | The PhilSys ID or ePhilID is on the list of government-issued IDs accepted for an SS number application |
| NBI | The PhilSys or National ID is among the two valid government IDs an NBI clearance applicant brings |
| PSA civil registry | A valid ID with photo and signature, including the National ID, is accepted from a requester or authorised representative |
| SSS employer registration | The PSA Philippine Identification Card or National ID is on the primary ID list |
What it costs to assemble the paperwork around it
Nothing on this page has a PSA fee attached, but the documents it sits beside all do. These are the published figures from the other agencies on this site.
| Document | Published fee | Where it is covered |
|---|---|---|
| NBI clearance | ₱130.00 plus a ₱30.00 e-payment convenience fee, ₱160.00 in total | NBI clearance requirements |
| NBI clearance, delivered | ₱200.00 within NCR or ₱350.00 outside | NBI clearance renewal |
| PSA viewable online certificate | ₱130.00, or ₱185.00 for a CENOMAR | PSA birth certificate |
| Pag-IBIG Loyalty Card Plus | ₱125 | Loyalty Card Plus |
| SSS monthly contribution | 15% of a Monthly Salary Credit running ₱5,000 to ₱35,000, so ₱760.00 to ₱5,280.00 | SSS contribution table |
| Pag-IBIG monthly contribution | ₱400 a month since February 2024 | Pag-IBIG contribution table |
| OWWA membership | USD $25.00, valid until the contract ends or 2 years | OWWA membership |
| DMW Balik-Manggagawa OEC | None | Balik-Manggagawa OEC |
Contacts
| Channel | Detail |
|---|---|
| Hotline | 1388 |
| info@philsys.gov.ph | |
| FAQ last updated | 13 February 2026 |
What this page does not cover
PhilSys does not publish, on the pages read for this guide, a printing fee for the ePhilID, a processing time at the registration centre, the transaction slip retrieval procedure, the replacement procedure for a damaged or lost ePhilID, or the Digital National ID’s security features in detail. None of those are stated here.
Related
National ID registration covers who can register, what to bring and where. The PSA birth certificate guide covers the document most first-time registrants need.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the ePhilID?
- The National ID in paper format. PhilSys treats it as one of three formats alongside the physical card and the Digital National ID.
- How do I get one?
- Go to the nearest Registration Center and bring your transaction slip to request the printing of your ePhilID or National ID in paper format.
- Is it as valid as the card?
- Yes. Under RA 11055 the National ID and the ePhilID in paper format are recognised as valid proof of identity in transactions with public and private establishments, and non-acceptance without just and sufficient cause is subject to fines amounting to ₱500,000.00.
- Will I still get the physical card?
- Yes. PhilSys states that a National ID is allocated for every registered person, and that a registered person will still receive their physical card even if they have obtained an ePhilID or National ID in paper format.
- What is the Digital National ID?
- A third format, accessed after registering and getting verified on the eGovPH App. PhilSys states it has no expiration and the same validity and functionality as the card and the ePhilID, and shall be honoured in all transactions requiring proof of identity and age, subject to proper authentication.
- I lost my transaction slip. Can I still get an ePhilID?
- PhilSys publishes a separate FAQ on retrieving a lost transaction slip. This guide does not state the retrieval procedure because it was not read from the source; check the PhilSys FAQ or contact PhilSys directly.
- Does the ePhilID cost anything?
- PhilSys does not publish a fee for printing an ePhilID on the pages read for this guide, so this page does not state one.
- What if an establishment refuses it?
- PhilSys asks you to report the non-acceptance to its official email with the details of the incident. The ₱500,000.00 fine under RA 11055 applies to refusal without just and sufficient cause.
More PSA guides
Sources
- PhilSys | Frequently Asked Questions, retrieved
- National ID | Digital National ID, retrieved
- National Bureau of Investigation | Citizen's Charter Handbook 2025, retrieved
- Social Security System | SSS Contribution Table, retrieved