National ID Registration: Steps, Documents and Ages
Philippine Statistics Authority · identification
Quick answer
National ID registration is open to all Filipinos aged 1 and above at PSA offices, malls and LGU registration centres. Bring a PSA birth certificate plus a government ID, or a passport, UMID, or LTO licence. For Filipino citizens the ID has no expiration.
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); PSA | Home (https://psa.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.
Registration for the National ID runs under Republic Act 11055, the Philippine Identification System Act. It is open from age 1, the ID does not expire for Filipino citizens, and an establishment that refuses it without cause faces a fine of ₱500,000.00.
Who can register, and what gets captured
The age rules are more layered than most people realise.
| Age at registration | What PhilSys captures |
|---|---|
| 1 to 4 years old | Demographic information and a front-facing photograph only. The National ID Number is linked to a parent or legal guardian |
| From 5 years old | Complete biometric information: fingerprints, iris scan and front-facing photograph, as required by law |
| At 15 years old | Biometrics captured again |
PhilSys states plainly that registration is currently open to all Filipinos, ages 1 and above.
What to bring
The registrant brings the original copy of any one of these primary documents.
| # | Primary document | Issued by |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PSA-issued Certificate of Live Birth and one government-issued identification document bearing full name, front-facing photograph, and signature or thumb mark | PSA, plus the issuing agency |
| 2 | Philippine Passport or ePassport | Department of Foreign Affairs |
| 3 | Unified Multi-purpose Identification Card (UMID) | GSIS or SSS |
| 4 | Student’s Licence Permit, or Non-Professional or Professional Driver’s Licence | Land Transportation Office |
Option 1 needs two documents; options 2, 3 and 4 need one. If you are getting the PSA birth certificate specifically for this, the PSA birth certificate guide covers the request routes and the ₱130.00 online-copy fee.
Options 3 and 4 are worth noting for anyone who already deals with SSS or LTO. The SSS UMID and MySSS Card guide covers the card in option 3, and the LTO student permit guide covers option 4.
The four steps
PhilSys publishes registration as four steps or processes. Step 1 is the one that needs planning.
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 | Go to any registration centre and bring your supporting documents |
| 2 to 4 | The remaining capture and verification steps at the centre |
Registration centres are found at three kinds of site:
- PSA Regional and Provincial Offices
- Malls
- Local Government Units (LGUs)
PhilSys publishes the current list of National ID registration centres on its own site.
If you are an OFW
PhilSys states that, in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Migrant Workers, the PSA is developing strategies for the registration of Overseas Filipino Workers. For returning or departing OFWs, the PSA and DMW have set up registration centres in select DMW offices.
That is the same DMW office network an OFW already visits for an OEC, so it is worth asking on the same trip.
Validity and formats
| Format | Validity |
|---|---|
| National ID card | No expiration for Filipino citizens; renewed only on updating demographic or biometric information |
| ePhilID, the paper format | Same recognition under RA 11055 |
| Digital National ID | No expiration; same validity and functionality as the card and the ePhilID |
PhilSys is explicit that a registered person still receives the physical card even after obtaining an ePhilID or paper-format National ID: a National ID is allocated for every registered person. The ePhilID guide covers the paper and digital formats.
The ₱500,000 rule
This is the figure worth knowing if a bank, an office or a shop turns your ID away.
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. Non-acceptance of the National ID without just and sufficient cause is subject to fines amounting to ₱500,000.00.
PhilSys asks that non-acceptance be reported to its official email with the details of the incident.
Where the programme stands
| Milestone | Figure | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Registered and verified | 90,737,910 | 31 December 2025 |
| Delivered physical cards | 54,918,895 | 15 September 2025 |
The gap between those two figures is the reason the ePhilID and the Digital National ID exist: registration has run well ahead of card delivery, and both alternative formats carry the same legal recognition.
Those dates are PhilSys’s own, and its FAQ page was last updated 13 February 2026.
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 | |
| Digital National ID | Through the eGovPH App, after registering and getting verified |
What this page does not cover
PhilSys does not publish, on the pages read for this guide, a registration fee, a processing time from registration to card delivery, the appointment booking mechanics for a registration centre, the replacement fee for a lost card, or the full four-step breakdown beyond step 1. None of those are stated here.
Related
The ePhilID guide covers the paper and digital formats and how to get them. The PSA birth certificate guide covers the document most first-time registrants need, and the PSA marriage certificate guide the one needed for a change of civil status.
Frequently asked questions
- Who can register for the National ID?
- All Filipinos aged 1 and above. For children aged 1 to 4 only demographic information and a front-facing photograph are captured, and the National ID Number is linked to a parent or legal guardian. Full biometrics are captured at age 5, and biometrics are updated again at age 15.
- What documents do I bring?
- The original of any one primary document: a PSA-issued Certificate of Live Birth plus one government-issued ID bearing full name, front-facing photograph and signature or thumb mark; a Philippine passport or ePassport from the DFA; a GSIS or SSS-issued UMID card; or an LTO-issued student permit or non-professional or professional driver's licence.
- Where do I register?
- At registration centres located at PSA Regional and Provincial Offices, in malls, and at Local Government Units. PhilSys publishes a registration centre list on its site.
- Does the National ID expire?
- PhilSys states that for Filipino citizens the National ID has no expiration and will only be renewed upon the updating of demographic and biometric information.
- Can an establishment refuse it?
- Not without cause. 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.
- How many Filipinos have registered?
- As of 31 December 2025 the PSA recorded 90,737,910 registered and verified. As of 15 September 2025 it recorded 54,918,895 delivered physical cards.
- How do OFWs register?
- PhilSys states that in coordination with the DFA and the DMW, the PSA is developing strategies for OFW registration, and that for returning or departing OFWs the PSA and DMW have set up registration centres in select DMW offices.
- Do I still get the card if I already have the paper ePhilID?
- 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.
More PSA guides
Sources
- PhilSys | Frequently Asked Questions, retrieved
- PSA | Home, retrieved
- National Bureau of Investigation | Citizen's Charter Handbook 2025, retrieved
- Social Security System | SSS Contribution Table, retrieved