How to Get a TIN ID, Digital or Card, and Is It a Valid ID?
A TIN ID is proof of your Taxpayer Identification Number. Today it comes in two forms: a Digital TIN ID you generate yourself on the BIR’s Online Registration and Update System (ORUS), and the green physical TIN card issued at your Revenue District Office (RDO). This guide explains which one to get, how to get it, and whether banks and agencies will accept it.
Quick answer
If you already have a TIN, log in to ORUS, choose “Get Your Digital TIN ID,” upload a compliant 1×1 photo and download your ID. It is free, and the BIR says it is honored as a valid government-issued ID, subject to verification. You can still get a physical card instead, but only in person at your RDO.
First, identify your situation
A TIN ID only proves a TIN you already have. Start from the row that fits you.
| Your situation | What to get | First action |
|---|---|---|
| No TIN yet | A TIN first, then the ID | Apply for a TIN through ORUS or your employer |
| Have a TIN and want an ID quickly | Digital TIN ID on ORUS | Enroll in ORUS using the email on your BIR record |
| Have a TIN but your email on record is old | Email update, then the Digital TIN ID | Send BIR Form S1905 to your RDO by email or through the TRRA portal |
| Need a plastic card in hand | Green TIN card (BIR Form 1931) | Go in person to the RDO where you are registered |
| Lost or damaged your card | Replacement card or the Digital TIN ID | Prepare an affidavit of loss, or generate the digital ID instead |
If you have no TIN yet, follow our step-by-step guide to registering on BIR ORUS and getting your TIN online, then come back here.
The rules behind the TIN ID
Two BIR circulars govern the TIN ID. Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 120-2023 made the Digital TIN ID available on ORUS from November 21, 2023. It says the Digital TIN ID “shall be honored and accepted as a valid government-issued identification document,” subject to authentication and verification. It needs no signature, it is not a temporary ID, and its authenticity can be checked by scanning its QR code through ORUS.
Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 58-2023 covers the physical card. As reported by the Philippine News Agency, the BIR stopped issuing the old yellow-orange card on July 26, 2021 and replaced it with a green card, BIR Form 1931. Old yellow-orange cards remain valid and do not expire.
Is the TIN ID a valid ID?
For the Digital TIN ID, the BIR’s answer is yes: RMC No. 120-2023 directs that it be accepted as a valid government-issued ID, subject to authentication and verification. Both the Digital TIN ID and the physical card are valid proof that you own the TIN, and if you have the digital one, you do not need to get a physical card.
In practice, each bank, employer or agency applies its own ID checklist. A receiving office may scan the QR code to verify a Digital TIN ID. Carry a second government ID for transactions that ask for two.
Step by step: get your Digital TIN ID
Before you start, check that the email on your BIR record is one you can open. RMC No. 120-2023 requires taxpayers whose email is outdated to update it with their RDO using BIR Form S1905 (Registration Update Sheet), sent by email to the RDO or through the BIR’s eServices Taxpayer Registration Related Application (TRRA) portal.
- Sign in to ORUS. If you have no account yet, enroll as a taxpayer “With Existing TIN” first.
- From the menu, select Get Your Digital TIN ID.
- Select View Your Digital TIN ID, read the instructions, and click the View Your Digital TIN ID button at the bottom.
- Upload your photo.
- Generate your Digital TIN ID.
- Download it and keep a copy on your phone.
These are the steps the BIR gave in a Freedom of Information reply on the Digital TIN ID. Since April 2026, the BIR has also made the Digital TIN ID viewable in the DICT’s eGovPH app under its mobile ID wallet. GMA News reported that it shows only if your eGovPH profile matches your BIR records or you already have a Digital TIN ID in ORUS.
Photo rules that decide whether your ID is valid
RMC No. 120-2023 says a Digital TIN ID with a photo that does not meet its specifications is not valid for transactions. Use a photo that meets all of these:
- 1×1 size, white background, no border.
- Looks like you now and was taken within the last six months.
- Front-facing, both ears visible, eyes clearly visible, and a neutral expression or a smile without showing teeth.
- No looking down or sideways, no tilted head, and no covered face.
- Head coverings only for religious reasons and without covering the face; no sunglasses, face mask or veil unless medically required.
Uploading an unrelated photo, such as an animal, a cartoon or another person, is subject to penalty under the same circular.
Getting or replacing the physical TIN card
The green card is generated only at the RDO where you are registered, and you must appear in person. RMC No. 58-2023 bars authorized representatives except in emergency or valid cases backed by a special power of attorney. The requirements are:
| Request | What to bring | Fee stated in RMC 58-2023 |
|---|---|---|
| New or updated card | BIR Form 1905, one 1×1 photo pasted in front of BIR staff, and any government-issued ID | None stated |
| Replacement of a lost or damaged card | Affidavit of loss, plus the same form, photo and ID | ₱100 replacement fee |
| Old yellow-orange card still in good condition | Nothing; it stays valid | Not applicable |
The circular also says there is no cut-off time for receiving TIN card applications at the RDO.
Worked example: a jobseeker who needs an ID this week
Hypothetical: Marco got his TIN through ORUS last month and now needs an ID for a bank account. He logs in to ORUS, opens Get Your Digital TIN ID, and uploads a new 1×1 photo with a white background taken that week. He generates and downloads the ID, saves it on his phone, and brings his passport as a second ID. The bank scans the QR code to verify the Digital TIN ID. He never has to visit the RDO.
When your details change
If your name, address or RDO changes, update your registration first. Under RMC No. 120-2023, you can regenerate your Digital TIN ID through ORUS 30 days after it was first or last generated, and the regenerated ID gets a new control number. Updating only the photo does not change the control number.
What happens if you do nothing
Nothing breaks: a TIN ID is optional proof, not a registration requirement, and your TIN stays valid without one. The risk is elsewhere. RMC No. 120-2023 warns that buying a “TIN ID” from online sellers risks getting an invalid or fake TIN or the wrong taxpayer type, which can cause problems in later BIR transactions. The Digital TIN ID is free and not for sale.
Your options and what to do next
- Generate the Digital TIN ID. Where: ORUS. Bring: access to the email on your BIR record and a compliant 1×1 photo. When: any time you have a TIN. First action: log in and open Get Your Digital TIN ID.
- Fix your email first. Where: your RDO, by email or the TRRA portal. Bring: a filled-in BIR Form S1905. When: before enrolling in ORUS if your email on record is outdated. First action: find your RDO’s email address.
- Get a physical card. Where: the RDO where you are registered, in person. Bring: BIR Form 1905, a 1×1 photo and a government ID. When: on a working day; there is no cut-off for applications. First action: confirm which RDO holds your registration.
- Replace a lost card. Where: your RDO. Bring: an affidavit of loss, the ₱100 fee and your documents, or skip the trip and generate the Digital TIN ID. First action: decide whether the digital ID is enough for your needs.
For background on how your TIN is used when you earn income, see how Philippine income tax works for individuals, or browse all TIN, BIR registration and forms guides.
Key takeaways
- You need a TIN before you can get any TIN ID.
- The Digital TIN ID is free, generated on ORUS, and honored as a valid government-issued ID subject to verification.
- A non-compliant photo makes the Digital TIN ID invalid for transactions.
- The green physical card is issued only in person at your RDO; a replacement costs ₱100 plus an affidavit of loss.
- Old yellow-orange TIN cards remain valid and do not expire.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Digital TIN ID a valid government ID?
Yes. RMC No. 120-2023 states that the Digital TIN ID shall be honored and accepted as a valid government-issued identification document, subject to authentication and verification, for example by scanning its QR code through ORUS.
How much does a TIN ID cost?
The Digital TIN ID is free and not for sale. For the physical card, RMC No. 58-2023 states a ₱100 replacement fee for a lost or damaged card and does not state a fee for a new card.
Can I get a TIN ID without a TIN?
No. The Digital TIN ID is available to individual taxpayers with an existing TIN. Apply for a TIN first, through ORUS or your employer, then generate the ID.
Is my old yellow-orange TIN card still valid?
Yes. Under RMC No. 58-2023, previously issued yellow-orange TIN cards are still valid and do not expire, even though the BIR now issues the green card.
Do I need both the digital ID and the physical card?
No. Both are valid proof of TIN ownership, and RMC No. 120-2023 says holders of a Digital TIN ID need not secure a physical card.
Can someone else get my physical TIN card for me?
Generally no. RMC No. 58-2023 requires personal appearance at the RDO and allows a representative only in emergency or valid cases, with a special power of attorney.
Can I show my Digital TIN ID on the eGovPH app?
Yes, since April 2026, through the app’s mobile ID wallet. It shows if your eGovPH profile matches your BIR records or you already have a Digital TIN ID in ORUS.
Bakit hindi tinanggap ang Digital TIN ID ko?
Kadalasan dahil sa litrato. Dapat 1×1, puti ang background, kuha sa loob ng anim na buwan, nakaharap, at kita ang dalawang tainga. Mag-upload ng bagong litratong pasok sa mga patakaran ng RMC No. 120-2023.
Luma na ang email ko sa BIR. Paano ako makakakuha ng Digital TIN ID?
I-update muna ang email gamit ang BIR Form S1905 at ipadala sa RDO mo sa email o sa TRRA portal. Pagkatapos, mag-enroll sa ORUS gamit ang bagong email at kunin ang Digital TIN ID.
May bayad ba kapag nawala ang TIN card ko?
Oo, para sa bagong physical card: affidavit of loss at ₱100 na replacement fee sa RDO. Libre naman ang Digital TIN ID kung iyon na lang ang kukunin mo.
Sources
- BIR Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 120-2023, Circularizing the Availability, Use and Acceptance of Digital TIN ID (November 2023): full text
- BIR Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 58-2023, Clarification of Policies and Guidelines on the Issuance and Validity of TIN Card and Certificate of Registration (May 19, 2023): full text; Philippine News Agency report
- BIR reply on the Digital TIN ID, Freedom of Information portal: foi.gov.ph
- GMA News, “Digital TIN ID now accessible via eGovPH app – BIR” (April 28, 2026), on BIR Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 34-2026: article
General information only, not tax advice. BIR requirements can change; check the BIR website, or ask a CPA, a tax lawyer or your RDO about your situation.
By the TaxCode.ph Editorial Team. Sources rechecked as of: November 7, 2026.
Last correction: November 7, 2026 — replaced secondary-site copies of RMC Nos. 120-2023 and 58-2023 with the BIR’s own PDFs. Checked against the BIR texts: the ₱100 replacement fee and affidavit of loss, the Form 1905 / 1×1 photo / government ID requirements, the continued validity of old yellow-orange cards, the Digital TIN ID’s acceptance as a valid government ID, and the 30-day regeneration rule with a new control number (none for a photo-only update). The eGovPH item (RMC No. 34-2026) still rests on a news report.
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