BREAKING: BIR suspends mandatory display of online seal badge

Halt follows backlash from online businesses, content creators.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has suspended until further notice the mandatory display of the digital Registration Seal Badge for online businesses and content creators.

The BIR released Memorandum Circular No. 113-2026 on October 26 suspending obligatory uploads of the seal badge until further notice.

Taxpayers will not face penalties for choosing not to display their BIR Registration Seal Badges while the order is suspended.

Those who have already secured their badges may still upload this at their own discretion, according to the circular.

The BIR did not cite the reason for the stoppage, but the order follows widespread backlash against the mandate for potential data privacy violations and lack of government transparency over tax spending.

The BIR earlier extended the deadline for online businesses and content creators to upload their respective badges to October 31. The display requirement covered registered individual professional taxpayers (such as content creators); tax-paying entities engaged in retail sales via the internet, mail order, and telephone order; and online tutorial services.

The online badge indicates that a merchant or individual is registered with the BIR. Displaying the e-seal is the online equivalent of brick-and-mortar businesses displaying their BIR registration certificate in public areas.

Securing the seal required a ₱30 documentary stamp tax fee paid through the BIR Online Registration and Update System. Prior to the updated circular, failure to display the e-badge before October 31 would potentially result in a fine of up to ₱1,000.

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