Heads up, you need to register your SIM card soon or it will be deactivated. Last December 12, the National Telecommunications Commission detailed the rules and regulations of the SIM Card Registration Act. Signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Act requires telecommunication companies to verify their subscribers’ identities. It’s also a means to put an end to annoying spam and scam text messages. Starting December 27, SIM card holders are required to register. Here’s how.

How to register your SIM card

Mandatory rules on SIM card registration take effect on Dec. 27 this year.

READ: https://t.co/hNYabF9GOJ pic.twitter.com/KElolEOlNj

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) December 12, 2022

The first thing you need to know is that registration is free.

Make sure to follow your telco provider’s official channels since they will be releasing information on where to register in the coming days. In the meantime, here’s the process for all kinds of SIM card holders:

New users

Starting December 27, SIM cards will be sold in “deactivated mode” so new users will have to register theirs online. Prepare the following info for personal use:

• Full name
• Birthday
• Sex
• Present or official address
• Identification card and ID number

New users will also be required to present any of the IDs or documents:

• Passport
• Philippine Identification System ID
• SSS ID
• GSIS ID
• Driver’s license
• NBI clearance
• Police clearance
• Firearms’ license to own and possess ID
• PRC ID
• IBP ID
• OWWA ID
• BIR ID
• Voter’s ID
• Senior citizen card
• UMID
• PWD card
• Any valid government-issued ID with photo

Here are additional requirements for business use:

• Business name
• Business address
• Full name of authorized signatory

Prepaid users

Like new users, prepaid users will also have to register their SIMs using website links from their telco providers. If you’re a prepaid subscriber, you might be required to present an ID from the list above.

Postpaid subscribers

Postpaid subscribers can rest easy since telcos already have their data. However, if you are a postpaid subscriber, you still need to confirm your information. Wait for the telco provider’s website link to confirm yours.

Minors

SIM for minors will be registered under the name of their parent or guardian. They will also be required to present an ID and proof that the parent or guardian gives their consent to register the sim.

Foreigners

Foreigners who wish to get a SIM from a Filipino telco company need to provide the following information:

• Full name
• Nationality
• Date of Birth
• Passport
• Address in the Philippines
• Types of travel or admission documents presented
• ID number or number of documents presented

When to register your SIM card

Starting December 27, you will have 180 days from the law’s effectivity to register your SIM cards. This may be extended up to 120 days.

If you fail to register, your SIM card will be deactivated and your number retired. You could also face penalties and fines.

What are the penalties for failing to register your SIM card?

Hefty penalties await violators who refuse or failed to register their SIM cards or gave false information:

• First offense: A fine of P100,000 but not more than P300,000
• Second offense: A fine of not less than P300,000 but not more than P500,000
• Third and subsequent offense: A fine of not less than P500,000 but not more than P1-M

Providing false information to register a SIM or selling a stolen SIM: Either imprisonment from six months to two years or a fine ranging from P100,000 to P300,000, or both.

Selling or transferring a registered SIM without complying with the required registration: Either imprisonment from six months to six years or a fine ranging from P100,000 to P300,000, or both.

Spoofing a registered SIM: Either imprisonment of no less than six years or a fine of P200,000, or both.

What if you need to make changes?

Say you got married or changed addresses, the information should also reflect in your SIM registration. Inform your telco provider and they have to reflect the changes within two hours of your request.

What about lost or stolen SIM cards?

If you lose your phone or SIM card, immediately file a report to your telco about the incident. Provide the following details:

• Name
• Address
• Birthday
• Mobile number
• Other relevant and reasonable information that fully establishes ownership of the SIM

If the stolen SIM can’t be retrieved, the telco will render it unusable and permanently deactivate it after issuing you a new SIM within 24 hours.

Can I register more than one SIM card to my name?

How many SIM cards can a person register under his name? DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy answers. (🎥 MPC pool) @manilabulletin pic.twitter.com/2wehLWb26y

— Argyll Cyrus Geducos (@argyllcyrus_MB) October 10, 2022

Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Ivan John Uy says registering more than one SIM card is allowed.

“Even if it’s multiple, so long as it’s identified to you, you can have as many phones and as many SIM cards as registered,”  he said in an interview last October.

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