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We found no current national licence for an academic tutoring center or a board exam review center. In 2009 the Supreme Court declared void EO 566 and CHED Memorandum Order No. 30 of 2007, which had required CHED indorsement for review centers. TESDA rules apply only if you offer fee-charging technical-vocational courses to the public: each program then needs UTPRAS registration, with a ₱2,000 application fee per program.[1,3]
Is your center tutoring or TVET?
TESDA administers the accreditation system for technical-vocational education and training (TVET) institutions under RA 7796. Academic tutoring is not TVET.[2,3]
- Homework help, reading, math and entrance exam prep: standard permits
- Board exam review: standard permits, since the CHED indorsement rule was voided
- Fee-charging skills courses open to the public under TESDA training regulations: UTPRAS program registration
If you add TESDA courses
TESDA says UTPRAS registration is compulsory for fee-charging TVET programs open to the public. Each program application carries a non-refundable ₱2,000 fee. TESDA inspects tools, equipment, books and workshops against the training regulations, and a center with gaps gets 30 calendar days to fix them before re-inspection.[3]
Running a TVET program without registration can bring a fine of ₱2,000 to ₱10,000, up to two years in prison, or both, under Sec. 68 of the Education Act of 1982.[3]
Buy the tools and set up the workshop before you apply, since the inspection checks them against the training regulations.
Starting from home
Many tutors start in their own living room. You still register the business and get a barangay clearance and mayor's permit. Check your subdivision or condo rules on visitors, and see our home-based business guide.
Tutoring center prep list
- Write down every subject or course you will offer
- Flag any course that leads to a TESDA qualification
- Register the business through DTI, barangay, mayor's permit and BIR
- Budget ₱2,000 per TESDA program if you add TVET courses
- Set up tools and workshops before any TESDA inspection
- Prepare an enrollment form and a payment log for each student
Questions people ask
- Does a review center need CHED approval?
- The Supreme Court declared void, in 2009, the executive order and CHED memorandum that required CHED indorsement for review centers.
- Do I need TESDA accreditation for tutoring?
- Not for academic tutoring. TESDA's UTPRAS registration covers fee-charging technical-vocational programs open to the public.
- What is the penalty for an unregistered TESDA course?
- TESDA cites a fine of ₱2,000 to ₱10,000, up to two years in prison, or both.
Sources
Checked 13 November 2026. We link the agency's own page for every requirement. Rules change; confirm with the office before you pay.
- Review Center Association of the Philippines v. Ermita, G.R. No. 180046 (April 2, 2009) · Supreme Court of the Philippines (via Lawphil) · 2 April 2009
- Republic Act No. 7796 (TESDA Act of 1994) · Congress of the Philippines (via Lawphil) · 25 August 1994
- UTPRAS Guidelines · Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)
The extra permits, in one table
| Permit or registration | Agency | When it applies | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| No CHED endorsement requirement: EO 566 and CHED MO 30 s.2007 on review centers were declared void[1] | CHED (former rule, voided) | informational: the CHED indorsement rule of EO 566 Sec. 4 is not in force | Not published |
| TESDA accreditation/program registration[2] | TESDA | if offering technical-vocational education and training (TVET) courses | Not published |
| UTPRAS program registration (compulsory) for each TVET program; Certificate of TVET Program Registration (CTPR)[3] | TESDA (Provincial/District Office) | if offering fee-charging technical-vocational (TVET) programs open to the public (academic tutoring is not TVET) | PHP 2,000 non-refundable application fee per program |
| Ocular inspection of tools, equipment, workshops and facilities against Training Regulations; 30 calendar days to fix deficiencies[3] | TESDA | if offering fee-charging technical-vocational (TVET) programs open to the public (academic tutoring is not TVET) | Not published |
| Penalty for running TVET programs without registration: fine PHP 2,000 to PHP 10,000 and/or up to 2 years imprisonment[3] | TESDA (BP 232 Sec. 68) | if offering fee-charging technical-vocational (TVET) programs open to the public (academic tutoring is not TVET) | not applicable |