Company Incorporation · Partnership
Partnership registration in the Philippines
Two or more partners, one registered firm. We draft the partnership properly and register it with the SEC.
About partnerships
A firm built on its agreement
Partnerships suit professional practices and ventures where the partners actively run the business together. Registered with the SEC, a partnership has its own juridical personality, can contract and hold assets in its name, and is governed primarily by what the partners agree.
The choice between a general partnership, where partners stand behind obligations personally, and a limited partnership, where limited partners cap their exposure to their contributions, shapes everything that follows. So does the agreement itself, which is why we draft it before anything is registered.
What we handle
Agreement first, then registration
A partnership that is clear on paper before it is tested in practice.
Structure choice
General or limited partnership, assessed against liability, capital and the partners' roles.
Partnership agreement
Capital, profit sharing, management, admission and exit terms drafted clearly.
SEC registration
Articles of partnership filed and prosecuted through to registration.
Post-registration setup
BIR, permits and books completed so the firm can operate.
How it works
Timeline and milestones
The standard path for a partnership. Timeframes are typical estimates that depend on complete documents and government agency processing, not guaranteed deadlines.
Gather information and documents
Proposed partnership name with alternatives, business purpose, principal office address, partners’ IDs and TINs (passport numbers for foreign partners), capital contributions and profit-sharing terms.
Name verification and reservation
The proposed name is submitted through the SEC eSPARC portal for verification against existing registered names and the naming rules for partnerships.
Partnership documents signed
Articles of Partnership prepared and signed by the partners, with the applicable foreign investment form where there are foreign partners. Partners are verified through SEC eSECURE.
Filing and payment with the SEC
The complete application is submitted through eSPARC and the assessed SEC filing fees are settled.
Certificate of Registration issued
The SEC issues the partnership’s Certificate of Registration. The partnership has its own legal personality from this point.
Barangay clearance and business permit
Barangay Clearance secured for the principal office location, followed by the Business Permit from the Mayor’s Office covering the same address.
BIR registration
Partnership TIN obtained, registration fee paid, books of accounts registered and Authority to Print official receipts and invoices secured. Often run in parallel with LGU permitting.
Employer registration and bank account
SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG employer registrations completed and the partnership bank account finalized. The partnership is fully compliant and operational.
LGU permitting and BIR registration can often run in parallel rather than sequentially, which is typically where the total timeline is shortened.
eSPARC processing has improved in 2026: straightforward SEC filings can clear in 5-10 business days, while incomplete or inconsistent submissions restart the review clock.
Complex or foreign-owned entities can take up to 60 Days to become fully operational.
Why register your partnership with ILA
Agreements that hold
Drafted for the disagreements you cannot see yet.
Registered properly
SEC filing through to tax and permits, handled as one job.
Advice on the fence cases
If a corporation serves you better, we will say so before you file.
Frequently asked questions
Partnership questions, answered
Should we form a partnership or a corporation?
Partnerships offer simpler governance and direct partner control, and general professional partnerships have distinct tax treatment. For many trading businesses, a corporation’s limited liability is the stronger choice. We compare both against your plans before you decide.
Can foreigners be partners?
Yes, subject to the foreign equity rules that apply to the partnership’s intended activity under the Foreign Investment Negative List. We confirm the permitted split before drafting.
What should the partnership agreement cover?
Capital contributions, profit and loss sharing, management authority, admission of new partners, exit and buyout terms, and dispute resolution. A complete agreement at the start is the cheapest dispute you will never have.
Setting up a partnership?
Book a free consultation and we will structure and register it properly.
