BIR Registration Seal Badge Suspended Days Before the October 31 Deadline

The BIR has suspended the BIR Registration Seal Badge requirement. You no longer have to post the badge on your online store or pages by October 31. The change comes from Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 113-2026, dated October 26, 2026. While the suspension lasts, the BIR will not penalize anyone just for not displaying the badge.

If you were racing to meet the deadline from our September guide to the seal badge, you can slow down. Below is what changed, why, and what to do with your badge now.

What RMC 113-2026 Changes

The badge was the BIR’s way for online sellers to show proof of registration without posting their full Certificate of Registration (COR). RMC 38-2026 made it mandatory. RMC 99-2026 then set October 31, 2026 as the last day to post it without a penalty.

RMC 113-2026 suspends that requirement “until further notice.”

Two things are still unclear. The circular has no end date, so the suspension holds until the BIR says otherwise.

It also does not mention the older rule to show proof of registration online, found in Section 5(H) of Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 7-2024 and Section 7 of RR 15-2024. As of October 26, the BIR has not explained how that rule applies while the badge is on hold.

Why the BIR Paused the Seal Badge

The circular says the pause is for the “orderly implementation” of the BIR’s registration checks.

It also follows a week of pushback. Senators Bam Aquino and Pia Cayetano asked the BIR to pause the rule, The Manila Times reported on October 26.

Their main concern was privacy. Sellers and creators worried the badge’s QR code could reveal personal details, including full legal names. Others reported glitches and costs when updating records in the BIR’s Online Registration and Update System (ORUS).

Cayetano took the issue to the National Privacy Commission (NPC). BIR Commissioner Charlito Martin Mendoza said the BIR is working with the NPC on privacy safeguards.

Many sellers had already complied. More than 52,700 certificates of registration with the badge had been issued, according to a GMA News report from October 24.

The circular only suspends the badge. RMC 38-2026 is still on the books, so expect the badge, or a revised version, to return once the privacy safeguards are in place.

What the Seal Badge Suspension Means for Your Business

If your badge is already up, you can leave it or take it down. If your registered name is your personal name, as with many sole proprietors and creators, taking it down for now is a reasonable call.

If you haven’t posted it yet, there is no deadline to meet.

If you were halfway through an ORUS update, finish it. An up-to-date COR with a QR code is useful whether or not the badge comes back.

If you run several stores or pages, hold off on rolling out the badge until the BIR announces its next step.

What to Do Now

1. Drop any work you planned just to beat October 31. That deadline no longer applies.
2. Keep your registration details current in ORUS: your registered name, address and lines of business. Our guide to ORUS and our BIR registration resource page walk you through it.
3. Don’t post your full COR online in place of the badge. It shows your TIN and address. Our read is that RMC 113-2026 does not require a substitute, although the BIR has not said this outright.
4. Watch for the BIR circular that lifts or changes RMC 113-2026.

When the Badge Comes Back

The suspension buys you time. Sellers whose registration records are already correct will have the easiest time when the badge returns.

Updating for the badge is often when old problems show up: an outdated address, a missing line of business, or a COR issued before QR codes existed. Those need fixing either way. If you’d like your BIR registration reviewed and updated before the BIR’s next move, our business registration team can take care of it for you.

Get your BIR registration reviewed and updated before the badge returns. Talk to our team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get back the ₱30 documentary stamp tax I paid to update my COR for the badge?
RMC 113-2026 says nothing about refunds. The ₱30 covered your registration update, and that update is still valid.

Will there be a new grace period if the BIR brings the badge back?
The circular doesn’t say. The October 31 date came from a separate circular, so any new deadline will likely come the same way.

Do I still need to display my COR at my physical store?
Yes. RMC 113-2026 only covers the online badge. Displaying your COR at your place of business is a separate rule, explained in our guide to the BIR Certificate of Registration.