How to get an NBI clearance online: requirements and renewal

Register on the NBI portal, pay P130 plus a service charge, then bring two valid IDs to a branch. Had one since 2016? Renew online and get it delivered.

6 min read. Updated . By Catalyst Outsourcing.

The NBI checks your name against its records before it prints your clearance. Here's how to apply online for a job, what to bring to the branch and how to renew, from the NBI's own pages, read on 7 October 2026.

First job? Under RA 11261, a first time job seeker certificate from your barangay makes the NBI clearance free, and the NBI's charter lists no fee for it.

How to apply for an NBI clearance online

  1. Go to the NBI's portal, clearance.nbi.gov.ph, and register with a mobile number and email you use. You'll get a one-time password (OTP) to confirm.
  2. Log in and fill in the Applicant Information Form. The NBI asks you to spell everything exactly as it is on your IDs. Click Save Information.
  3. Click Apply for Clearance and pick the ID you'll bring to the branch.
  4. Choose a branch, a date and an AM or PM slot.
  5. Pick how you'll pay: GCash, Maya, 7-Eleven, Bayad Center or online banking. The portal gives you a reference number. Save it, because you pay with it and show it at the branch.

Wait until your transaction shows PAID on the portal before you go. The NBI's how-to page says you can typically still visit within 15 days if you miss your exact date.

How much is an NBI clearance?

The NBI's how-to page puts the basic fee at P130, plus an e-payment service charge of "usually around" P25 to P30. Its Citizen's Charter page lists other amounts (P115, P165 and P415), so go by what the portal shows when you pay.

For first time jobseekers with a barangay certification, the NBI's charter lists the fee as "None (Free of Charge)".

NBI clearance requirements: what to bring to the branch

No PSA birth certificate yet? Our PSA birth certificate guide shows how to order one online.

Dress for the photo. The NBI says branches have a dress code: no sandos, tank tops, shorts or slippers. Its how-to page recommends smart casual or a collared shirt.

What happens at the branch, and what a HIT means

They take your photo, fingerprints and signature, then ask you to check your details on a screen before they print.

If no record matches your name, the NBI says you get your clearance within minutes. If someone with the same or a similar name has a pending case or record, your application is marked a HIT. The NBI calls this "incredibly common". You come back on the date they give you, usually after 5 to 10 working days, and you don't pay again.

NBI clearance renewal online

The NBI's portal has an NBI Clearance Online Renewal option that delivers the renewed clearance to your door. The portal says it's for clearances from 16 October 2016 onwards. The how-to page adds that your personal details must not have changed.

The renewal form asks for your old NBI ID number, a mobile number for SMS updates, your name and your birth date. On our reading, if your details changed, say a new surname after marriage, you apply the usual way and visit a branch.

The NBI pages we read don't say how long a clearance stays valid. Ask your employer how recent it needs to be.

How to spot a fake NBI site or a fixer

The NBI's pages point to one portal for applications, clearance.nbi.gov.ph. For first time jobseekers, its charter names firsttimejobseekers.nbi.gov.ph. Its office locator says to apply and pay "through the Official Online NBI Clearance Portal" before you go to a branch.

Say no to anyone who offers to speed it up for a fee. In January 2025 the NBI arrested seven fixers outside its clearance center, and four NBI employees, after a tip that applications were being rushed for P800 to P2,000.

To check that a clearance is real, the portal has an online verification service for "authenticity and validity".

Next: the rest of your requirements

If your employer's list has more than the NBI clearance, our checklist of pre-employment requirements covers each document, and the police clearance guide walks through the PNP's version. When your papers are ready, find a remote day shift job. It's free to apply.

Questions

How much is an NBI clearance in 2026?

The NBI's how-to page says P130, plus an e-payment service charge of about P25 to P30. It's free once for first time jobseekers who bring a barangay certification.

Can I get an NBI clearance online without going to the branch?

Only when you renew. New applicants apply and pay online, then go to a branch for the photo, fingerprints and signature. Clearances from 16 October 2016 onwards can be renewed online and delivered, if your details haven't changed.

What IDs are accepted for an NBI clearance?

Two original, unexpired government IDs. The NBI's examples are a passport, driver's license, National ID, UMID, postal ID or a PSA birth certificate.

What does HIT mean on an NBI clearance?

Someone with the same or a similar name has a record, so the NBI checks it by hand. You come back on the date they give you, usually 5 to 10 working days later, and you don't pay again.

How long is an NBI clearance valid?

The NBI pages we read don't say. Ask your employer how recent it needs to be.

Sources

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