Have you noticed?
More veterinary clinics, veterinary hospitals, pet shops, veterinary distributors, and other businesses are now posting their BIR Registration Seal Badges on their Facebook pages and websites.
The badge looks official. It carries the Bureau of Internal Revenue logo, a registration seal, and a QR code.
But here is an interesting question.
What exactly is inside that QR code? And how can anyone verify whether a veterinary business is actually registered with the BIR?
I recently tested my own BIR Registration Seal Badge, and I would like to share what I discovered.
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What Is the BIR Registration Seal Badge?
On April 29, 2026, the Bureau of Internal Revenue issued Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 38-2026, introducing requirements concerning the display of BIR Registration Seal Badges for covered taxpayers engaged in online commercial activities.
This includes veterinary businesses operating through websites, social media pages, and other covered digital platforms.
The objective is straightforward.
Allow customers to verify that a business is registered with the BIR without requiring the business to publicly disclose its entire Certificate of Registration (COR).
The badge serves as a digital verification mechanism that can be displayed prominently on online business platforms.
What Is Actually Inside the QR Code?
This is where things become interesting.
The QR code is not merely decorative.
When scanned, it contains an encoded verification link that directs users to the BIR’s online verification system.
The official BIR Correspondence Verification Portal is:
https://verify.bir.gov.ph/correspondence/
Depending on the verification record, the system may display information such as:
- Registration verification status
- Registered taxpayer name
- Partially masked Tax Identification Number (TIN)
- Verification date
- Transaction number
If the registration record is successfully authenticated, the system displays a VALID verification result.
However, it is important to check that the QR code actually directs you to an official BIR website.
A QR code can technically be created by anyone. Its appearance alone does not prove authenticity.
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I Used My Own BIR Registration as an Example
For this article, I used my own BIR Registration Seal Badge as a sample.
After scanning the QR code, the verification process produced the following result:
Verification Status: VALID
Registered Name: CARULLO, GEOFFREY MARL BELCHEZ
TIN: Partially masked for security
Verification Date: October 19, 2026, at 1:30 AM
Verification Message:
“The BIR Certificate of Registration (COR) is verified.”
The system also provided a unique transaction number.
This means that the registration record presented was successfully verified through the BIR Correspondence Verification Portal.
Interestingly, the verification displayed my registered taxpayer name rather than my veterinary hospital’s trade name, Greenwoods Pet Hospital.
This distinction is worth understanding.
For sole proprietorships, the registered taxpayer may be an individual, while the business operates under a separate registered trade name.
However, verifying the taxpayer’s identity does not automatically establish that every trade name or branch associated with that taxpayer is registered. Those details must be checked against the appropriate registration documents.
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Does a VALID BIR Registration Mean the Veterinary Clinic Is Fully Compliant?
Absolutely not.
This is something veterinary practitioners and business owners should understand.
A VALID BIR verification confirms the authenticity of the registration record being checked.
It does not necessarily establish that the veterinary business:
- Has filed and paid all required taxes.
- Has a current local business permit.
- Has obtained all applicable Bureau of Animal Industry permits or registrations.
- Employs only properly licensed veterinary professionals.
- Has obtained the necessary FDA authorizations for regulated products.
- Complies with every government regulation applicable to veterinary practice.
These are entirely different regulatory obligations.
BIR registration is not the same as veterinary clinic accreditation, professional licensing, or comprehensive regulatory compliance.
A business may have a valid BIR registration while still having deficiencies in other regulatory requirements.
How Can Veterinary Clinic Owners Obtain Their Own Badge?
The BIR has provided procedures for obtaining the Registration Seal Badge through its online services.
Veterinary business owners may visit the official BIR Online Registration and Update System:
Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 64-2026 provides additional guidelines for online generation of the Registration Seal Badge for taxpayers whose Certificate of Registration does not require updating.
Business owners should ensure their registration details are accurate and follow the applicable BIR procedures.
Is There a Deadline?
Yes.
Under Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 99-2026, the BIR extended the compliance deadline for covered taxpayers to October 31, 2026.
Veterinary clinics and businesses with covered online activities should review their compliance before the deadline.
Why Should Veterinarians Care?
Veterinary medicine is not just about diagnosing diseases, performing surgery, prescribing medications, and saving animals.
For those of us who own veterinary clinics, it also involves understanding taxation, accounting, government permits, regulatory compliance, and financial management.
Unfortunately, these are subjects that receive relatively little attention during our veterinary education.
We can be excellent surgeons but inexperienced business managers.
We can accurately interpret complicated laboratory results but struggle to understand our tax obligations.
And we can operate a busy veterinary hospital without fully appreciating the regulatory responsibilities associated with running a business.
That is precisely why financial and business literacy matter.
Final Thoughts
The BIR Registration Seal Badge is a useful step toward transparency in online business transactions.
However, we should understand what it represents.
It is not an award.
It is not a certificate of veterinary excellence.
It is not proof that a veterinary clinic has complied with every government requirement.
It is a means of verifying a taxpayer’s BIR registration record.
The next time you encounter a veterinary clinic proudly displaying its BIR Registration Seal Badge, you now know what to do.
- Scan the QR code.
- Check the destination website.
- Verify the registration.
And if you own a veterinary business, make sure you understand your own obligations.
Because being a good veterinarian is one thing. Knowing how to operate a properly registered, compliant, and financially sustainable veterinary business is another.
Sources and References
Bureau of Internal Revenue. Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 38-2026, April 29, 2026. BIR Official Document
Bureau of Internal Revenue. Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 64-2026, June 18, 2026. BIR Official Document
Bureau of Internal Revenue. Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 99-2026, September 24, 2026.
BIR Correspondence Verification Portal: https://verify.bir.gov.ph/correspondence/
BIR Online Registration and Update System: https://orus.bir.gov.ph/home
Figure 1. Sample BIR Registration Seal Badge of Dr. Geoffrey Marl Belchez Carullo, showing the registration seal and QR code used for online verification.
Figure 2. Screenshot of the BIR Correspondence Verification Portal showing a VALID Certificate of Registration verification result under the registered taxpayer name CARULLO, GEOFFREY MARL BELCHEZ, dated October 19, 2026.
Sharing this helps others understand what it really means to be a vet. Like and follow if you’re with us.
Dr. Geoff Carullo is a Fellow and the current President of the Philippine College of Canine Practitioners.
