JILIWIN Valid ID Philippines: What the BSP Counts as ID

Valid ID Philippines is a rule written by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and the list below is the BSP’s, not this site’s. Banks and e-wallets then publish the specific cards they take, so read the rule here and your provider’s list next. For how these accounts fit together, see the e-wallet Philippines overview.

Valid ID Philippines: the 8 kinds the BSP lists

The BSP’s Manual of Regulations for Banks defines an “official document” and sets this out as the identification a covered institution accepts (evidence: BSP MORB AML/CFT Part, updated 31 December 2023, and Circular 1170).

1. The PhilID card, physical or digital, or the PCN or PSN derivative.
2. An ID issued by the national government, its political subdivisions, agencies or instrumentalities.
3. An ID issued by a government-owned or -controlled corporation (GOCC).
4. An ID issued by an institution registered with and supervised by the BSP, SEC or IC.
5. For foreign nationals, a passport or Alien Certificate of Registration.
6. For Filipino students, a school ID signed by the principal or head of the school.
7. For low-risk customers, a document the institution deems sufficient.
8. Any other ID that can be verified against reliable, independent sources.

The PhilID comes first

Circular 1170, series of 2023, says PhilSys records are an official and sufficient proof of identity. A PhilID in physical or digital form, once properly authenticated, means the institution no longer requires an additional document. If you hold one, offer it before anything else:

1. A physical PhilID card.
2. A digital PhilID.
3. Your PCN or PSN derivative.

Government and GOCC cards

Items 2 and 3 are categories, not card names. The BSP does not print a list of cards here; the institution you deal with decides which of its government-issued cards it reads, so ask it for its list. A card from a national agency and a card from a GOCC are both examples of what these two items cover, and the provider’s own page tells you which exact cards it names.

Foreign nationals and students

A student ID with the principal’s or head’s signature helps when you hold no government card yet.

Low-risk customers and other IDs

For a low-risk customer the institution may accept any written document it considers enough. If you present something outside the first six kinds, the institution can classify it by how reliable it is and whether it can check the details against what you told it. Item 8 covers an ID checked against a reliable, independent source, such as a verified customer database.

One wallet’s own list: GCash

GCash publishes a named list for adult Filipino users with a Philippine SIM, and states its own rules (evidence: GCash Help Center, Accepted IDs for GCash verification).

No ID yet: the restricted account

The BSP lets an institution open a restricted account for someone who cannot give an ID. Credits in a year cannot exceed ₱100,000, and you must obtain a valid ID within 12 months or the account closes and the balance is returned. Another 12 months is allowed with proof that you applied for one.

When your ID is refused