The NBI ID number and the reference number do different jobs. The reference number belongs to the application you’re making now: the portal gives it to you when you book and choose how to pay, and you use it to pay the fee and to check in at the branch. The NBI ID number is printed on a clearance you’ve already received, and its main use is renewing online.
In short: paying or going to your appointment → reference number. Renewing online on clearance.nbi.gov.ph → the NBI ID number from your most recent clearance. Renewing in the eGovPH app → neither, because the app finds your record through your verified account.
| NBI ID number | Reference number | |
|---|---|---|
| What it belongs to | A clearance that’s already been issued | The application you’re making now |
| Where you get it | Printed on your NBI clearance | From the portal, after you book and choose how to pay |
| Main use | Online renewal on clearance.nbi.gov.ph | Paying the fee and checking in at the branch |
| When you need it | When you renew | From booking until you collect your clearance |
| If you lose it | Renew in eGovPH or at a branch instead | It’s saved in your NBI account |
We are not the NBI. This is an independent guide. Use these numbers only on clearance.nbi.gov.ph, the eGovPH app and the payment channels the portal lists, and don’t share them with anyone offering to “process” your clearance.
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Which number do you need?
Find your situation in the table:
| What you’re doing | Number to use |
|---|---|
| Paying with GCash, Maya, online banking, 7-Eleven or Bayad Center | Reference number |
| Checking in at the branch on your appointment day | Reference number, printed, on your phone or as the portal’s QR code |
| Following up on a payment that still says Pending | Reference number, together with your receipt |
| Renewing online with delivery on clearance.nbi.gov.ph | NBI ID number from your most recent clearance |
| Renewing in the eGovPH app | Neither. The app uses your verified eGovPH account |
| Renewing at a branch | The new reference number you get when you book. No NBI ID number needed |
Not sure which way to renew? Our NBI clearance renewal guide compares the online, eGovPH and branch options.
The reference number
What it is
The reference number is the code the NBI portal generates for one application, after you book your slot and choose a payment method. It links your payment to that application, and the NBI calls it your “gate pass” at the branch.
When you use it
- To pay. Every payment channel asks for it, whether you pay in an e-wallet, by online banking or in cash.
- At the branch. Staff use it to pull up your application. A printout, a screenshot or the QR code the portal shows all work.
- If something goes wrong. The NBI helpdesk and your payment channel will ask for it, with your receipt.
How long it’s good for
The NBI doesn’t publish a fixed expiry for unpaid reference numbers, so pay soon after you book and always before your appointment. Once the payment shows as Paid, you have a 15-day grace period to visit the branch you chose; here’s what to do if you miss your appointment.
Where to find it again
It’s saved in your NBI account: log in at clearance.nbi.gov.ph and open Transactions. For screen-by-screen help, see where to find your NBI reference number.
The NBI ID number
What it is
The NBI ID number is a code of letters and numbers printed near the top of your NBI clearance, labelled NBI ID No. It identifies the clearance you were issued and, through it, your record with the NBI.
When you use it
Its main job is online renewal. If your last clearance was issued after 2014 and none of your details have changed, you can renew your NBI clearance online on clearance.nbi.gov.ph by entering the NBI ID number printed on it, and have the new clearance delivered.
What online renewal needs
- The NBI ID number from your most recent clearance
- A clearance issued after 2014
- No changes to your name or other personal details since then
- A delivery address in the Philippines
- A way to pay, online or at a payment center
If you have more than one old clearance
Use the NBI ID number from the most recent one. It carries your latest details, so it’s the safest choice for renewal.
Keep a copy
Photograph your clearance as soon as you get it, and again before you hand the original to an employer or agency. A clear photo is all you need to renew online later.
Lost your NBI ID number?
You can still renew without it. Try these in order.
Look for a copy first: Check your phone’s photos, your email for any scans you sent, and copies you gave an employer, school or agency. Any clear copy of your latest clearance shows the number.
Renew in the eGovPH app: The eGovPH app doesn’t ask for the NBI ID number, because it finds your record through your verified account. You can pick the clearance up or have it delivered; here’s how to renew your NBI clearance on eGovPH.
Renew at a branch: Log in to your existing NBI account, update anything that’s changed, book a slot and pay. At the branch, staff take a new photo and fingerprints, and you get a new reference number when you book. Our guide to renewing at an NBI branch walks you through it.
If it’s the clearance itself you’ve lost and you need a replacement, see what to do about a lost NBI clearance.
Common mix-ups and how to fix them
You paid using the NBI ID number: The payment won’t reach your application, because payment channels match payments by reference number. Contact the channel you paid with straight away, with your receipt, and tell the NBI helpdesk at (02) 8524-1277 or 0939 150 2880. Our guide to NBI clearance payment methods covers fixes for other payment problems too.
Online renewal can’t find your record: Check that you typed the NBI ID number, not a reference number, and that it comes from your most recent clearance. Your name, birth date and other details must also match that clearance exactly. If your clearance was issued in 2014 or earlier, or your details have changed, renew at a branch instead.
You brought only your old clearance to the appointment: The branch needs the reference number for today’s application, not your old NBI ID number. Log in to your NBI account on your phone, open Transactions and show the reference number from there.
FAQs: NBI ID number and reference number
No. The reference number belongs to the application you’re making now and is used to pay and to check in. The NBI ID number is printed on a clearance you’ve already received and is used to renew online.
The reference number from the portal. Every payment channel uses it to match your payment to your application.
The NBI ID number from your most recent clearance. Online renewal is for clearances issued after 2014, with no changes to your details.
Yes. Renew in the eGovPH app, which uses your verified account instead, or renew at a branch through your existing NBI account.
The NBI doesn’t publish a fixed expiry for unpaid reference numbers, so pay soon after booking and before your appointment. After it shows as Paid, you have a 15-day grace period to visit the branch.
Near the top of the clearance, labelled NBI ID No. If you can’t find the paper, check a photo or copy of your latest clearance.
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