BIR suspends mandatory display of registration seal badge for online sellers, creators

The Bureau of Internal Revenue on Monday suspended the mandatory display of the registration seal badge on websites, social media business pages, and other digital platforms until further notice.

Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 113-2026 signed by BIR Commissioner Charlito Martin Mendoza states that this is to "provide for the orderly implementation of the Bureau's registration verification initiatives".

"Taxpayers who have already secured their BIR Registration Seal Badges may continue to display the same from their online platforms, at their option," it added.

The bureau said no penalties shall be imposed solely on account of the failure to display the registration seal badge during the suspension period.

Actress and vlogger Rica Peralejo earlier expressed frustration over the BIR's requirement for content creators and other digital earners to display a registration seal on their online platforms.

In a post on Threads, the actress said she has been paying taxes since she was 13 years old, questioning why she still needs to prove her tax compliance by displaying the BIR registration seal badge.

She added that the requirement would have been acceptable if Filipinos were not being robbed by corrupt individuals.

The BIR earlier issued Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 038-2026, requiring taxpayers engaged in online business activities to post the BIR-issued seal on their websites, e-commerce pages, or social media business accounts as proof of registration.

This covers a wide range of digital economic participants, including online sellers, freelancers, professionals, vloggers, influencers, and others earning income through digital platforms.

The BIR said the registration seal badge was designed to protect the privacy and personal information of online sellers, service providers, and content creators. Clients and customers may scan the badge to verify the BIR registration of digital economic participants. —AOL, GMA News