How to get a TIN number online for your first job, plus the TIN ID

Already hired? Your employer gets your TIN through BIR's ORUS. Not yet? Apply online yourself, for free. Plus BIR Form 1902 and the digital TIN ID.

8 min read. Updated . By Catalyst Outsourcing.

Your Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) is the number the BIR uses to identify you for tax. BIR says anyone registering because of a new job must do it "within ten (10) days from the date of employment". Here's how to get yours online, what BIR Form 1902 is for, and how the TIN ID works, from the BIR's own pages, read on 7 October 2026.

One rule before you start: you only ever get one TIN. BIR says "Possession of multiple TIN is prohibited", and getting a second one is a crime under Section 275 of the Tax Code. If you got a TIN before, for an old job or a government transaction, keep using it.

How to get a TIN number if you're already hired

BIR's own FAQ is direct about this. Employees without a TIN "can register with the BIR through ORUS and get a TIN through their employer ONLY." ORUS is BIR's Online Registration and Update System, at orus.bir.gov.ph.

  1. Your employer enrolls in ORUS's Employer Service Link and registers you as a new hire.
  2. BIR's charter says you then receive a link from ORUS. Use it to create your ORUS account and fill in your personal details.
  3. Upload a scanned government ID that shows your name, address and birth date, plus a selfie of you holding it. If the ID has no address, add a proof of where you live. If you're married, add your marriage contract.
  4. Submit, then watch your email. If BIR approves it, log in to ORUS to see your TIN.

There's no fee. BIR's Citizen's Charter puts the processing time at 2 days, 7 hours and 55 minutes. ORUS approves an application by itself unless it finds a possible duplicate record, which goes to your Revenue District Office (RDO) to check.

The IDs on BIR's list include a PhilID or ePhilID, passport, driver's license, UMID, voter's ID, digitized postal ID, PRC ID and OWWA ID.

Don't register yourself as a business by mistake. BIR's FAQ says an employee who does has to update the registration, and a penalty can apply for wrong information.

What BIR Form 1902 is, and when you use it

BIR Form 1902 is the Application for Registration for individuals earning purely compensation income. In plain words, it's the TIN form for employees. The current version is dated October 2025.

BIR's checklist marks the form "for manual application", in two originals. BIR's form page says it's filed within 10 days from the date of employment, at the RDO that covers where you live or work. Part IV of the form is for your employer's details, and your employer signs it too.

BIR keeps the paper form for when ORUS fails, covering an "employer manually securing TIN on behalf of its employees due system unavailability or technical issue". On the walk-in route, BIR's charter lists the 1902, a photocopy of your ID, and no fee.

Not an employee? BIR's form for the self-employed and professionals is 1901. The form for a TIN you get only to deal with government offices is 1904.

How to get a TIN number before you're hired

BIR's charter has a second online route, for "Persons (applicants under E.O. 98) dealing with all government agencies". That's a TIN you get to transact with government offices, before any employer is involved. The same charter entry lists one extra document "for First-time Job Seeker": a barangay certification that you live in the barangay and are a first time job seeker.

  1. Go to orus.bir.gov.ph, click New Registration, then As An Individual, and create an account.
  2. Fill in the online form and upload a government ID, a selfie holding it, and your barangay certification if it's your first job.
  3. Wait for BIR's email about your application. If approved, your TIN shows on your ORUS profile page.

The charter lists no fee and a processing time of 3 days. If you don't have the barangay certification yet, our first time job seeker certificate guide shows how to get it.

BIR's FAQ says employees with an existing TIN "shall not be issued another TIN", so this one stays yours when you're hired. On our reading of BIR's regulations, your employer then updates your record with BIR Form 1905 instead of filing a 1902.

How to get a digital or paper TIN ID

You can have a digital TIN ID, a paper TIN card, or both. You need a TIN first.

The digital TIN ID comes from ORUS. BIR's circular on it, RMC No. 120-2023, says it's free and "not for sale". To get one:

Since 24 April 2026, the digital TIN ID is also in the government's eGovPH app, according to RMC No. 34-2026.

The paper TIN card means a trip to your RDO. BIR's 2026 Citizen's Charter asks for BIR Form 1905, a 1x1 photo and a photocopy of a government ID. You must apply in person, because no representative can apply for you. BIR's charter lists no fee for the first card and a processing time of one day. A replacement for a lost or damaged card costs P100, plus an affidavit of loss if it was lost.

What the TIN ID is, and what it isn't

It is an ID. BIR's charter calls the TIN card "the ID of the taxpayer for taxation purposes". BIR's circulars say both the ORUS and eGovPH versions of the digital TIN ID are "valid government-issued identification", subject to verification. An ORUS digital ID is checked by scanning its QR code. The eGovPH one is checked only inside the app while it's open.

It isn't a way to get a TIN. The digital ID is for "Individual taxpayers with existing TIN", in BIR's words.

It isn't for sale. A BIR advisory says offers like "BIR TIN ID ASSISTANCE" on Facebook, Shopee and Lazada "are NOT AUTHORIZED" and that "TIN CARDS ARE NOT FOR SALE". RMC No. 120-2023 warns that people who use online TIN ID sellers risk "getting invalid/fake TIN and wrong taxpayer type classification". BIR asks you to report sellers to its hotline, (02) 8538-3200, or contact_us@bir.gov.ph.

It isn't something you need a slip from the RDO to prove. In RMC No. 31-2024, BIR says it "does not require newly-hired employees to verify their Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) and get a TIN Verification slip". Employers check a TIN online in ORUS or with BIR's chatbot, Revie.

Next: the rest of your requirements

Your TIN is one document on the list. Our checklist of pre-employment requirements covers the rest, and the SSS number guide is the next one to get. If you've worked before, read how to get your BIR Form 2316 from your last employer too. When your papers are ready, find a remote day shift job. It's free to apply.

This guide quotes BIR's pages. It isn't tax advice, so check your own case with BIR.

Questions

Can I get a TIN number online without an employer?

Yes. BIR's charter has an online route through ORUS for a TIN under E.O. 98. First time job seekers add a barangay certification. BIR lists no fee and a processing time of 3 days.

How much is a TIN ID?

Nothing, the first time. BIR says the digital TIN ID is free, and the first paper TIN card is free. Replacing a lost or damaged card costs P100.

Is the digital TIN ID a valid ID?

Yes. BIR's circulars call it "valid government-issued identification", subject to verification. The ORUS version is checked by its QR code, and the eGovPH version inside the app.

What if I already have a TIN?

Keep it. BIR doesn't issue a second TIN, and having more than one is a crime under Section 275 of the Tax Code. BIR's ORUS FAQ says employers can add or link employees who already have a TIN.

Where do I get BIR Form 1902?

On the BIR Forms page of bir.gov.ph, or at your RDO. The current version is October 2025. BIR's FAQ says employers register new hires through ORUS, so you may never fill one in.

Sources

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