A partnership registers with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You reserve the name for ₱100 (good for 30 days), then file the cover sheet, the reservation payment confirmation, the Articles of Partnership and a joint undertaking to change the name. The filing fee is 1/5 of 1% of the partnership's capital, at least ₱2,000, plus 1% as legal research fee.[1]
What you file
The SEC's processing page lists these basic requirements:[1]
- Cover sheet
- Reservation payment confirmation for the partnership name
- Articles of Partnership
- Joint undertaking to change the name
How much does it cost?
The filing fee is 1/5 of 1% of the partnership's capital, but not less than ₱2,000, plus 1% of that amount as legal research fee. Name reservation is ₱100 per reservation for 30 days.[1]
Example only, using round numbers. Two partners put in ₱250,000 each, for ₱500,000 capital. 1/5 of 1% of ₱500,000 is ₱1,000, which is below the minimum, so the filing fee is ₱2,000. Add ₱20 legal research fee and ₱100 name reservation: ₱2,120. With ₱3,000,000 capital, the filing fee is ₱6,000, the legal research fee ₱60, and the total with name reservation ₱6,160.[1]
The counter steps
These are the SEC's own estimates "under normal circumstances". Service hours are Mondays to Fridays, 8:00am to 5:00pm, without a noon break.[1]
The SEC's OneSEC one-day online service covers domestic stock corporations. Its user guide does not cover partnerships, so check the SEC's site or call ahead about filing a partnership online.[2]
- Verify or reserve the nameAbout 10 minutes under normal conditions.
- Have the documents checkedPresent the articles at the Green Lane Unit for checking, about 10 to 15 minutes. If complete, you are told to pay.
- Pay and filePay at the Cashier and file with the CRMD Receiving Unit, about 1 minute. The Certificate of Recording and the Unified Registration Report are generated.
- Claim the certificateShow the official receipt at the Releasing Unit, about 5 minutes.
What to settle with your partners first
The Articles of Partnership are the document the SEC records, so agree on the hard questions before you write them. These are practical points to discuss, not SEC requirements:
- How much puhunan each partner puts in, and in cash or in kind
- How profits and losses are shared
- Who signs cheques and contracts, and spending limits without the other's approval
- What happens if a partner wants out, falls ill or dies
- How a new partner can join
Your business name as a partnership
Partnerships and corporations registered with the SEC may use "company" in their name; DTI-registered sole proprietors may not. Your partnership name is reserved with the SEC, not on DTI's business name system.[3,1]
After the SEC certificate, a partnership still needs a barangay clearance, a mayor's permit and BIR registration before it opens.
SEC partnership fees at different capital amounts
| Partnership capital | Filing fee | Legal research fee (1%) | Total with ₱100 name reservation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ₱500,000 | ₱2,000 (minimum) | ₱20 | ₱2,120 |
| ₱1,000,000 | ₱2,000 | ₱20 | ₱2,120 |
| ₱3,000,000 | ₱6,000 | ₱60 | ₱6,160 |
| ₱5,000,000 | ₱10,000 | ₱100 | ₱10,200 |
Before you go to the SEC
- Agree on the partnership name and a back-up
- Write down each partner's contribution and profit share
- Draft the Articles of Partnership and have every partner review them
- Prepare the joint undertaking to change name
- Bring valid IDs of all partners
- Bring cash or a card for the filing fee and legal research fee
Questions people ask
- How long is an SEC partnership name reservation good for?
- The SEC lists name reservation at ₱100 per reservation for 30 days.
- What is the minimum SEC fee for a partnership?
- The filing fee is at least ₱2,000, plus a legal research fee of 1% of the filing fee, plus ₱100 for name reservation.
- Can two people just register under one DTI name instead?
- A DTI business name belongs to one owner as a sole proprietorship. If both of you own the business, talk to the SEC or a lawyer about the right structure, and see our comparison of business types.
- What certificate does the SEC issue?
- The SEC generates a Certificate of Recording together with a Unified Registration Report once you pay and file.
Sources
Checked 13 November 2026. We link the agency's own page for every requirement. Rules change; confirm with the office before you pay.
- Processing of Applications for Partnerships · Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
- User Guide of OneSEC Processing of ESPARC · Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
- BNRS - Frequently Asked Questions · DTI