How to Recover Lost or Forgotten TIN (Taxpayer Identification Number): 5 Easy Ways

Last Updated on 10/06/2020 by FilipiKnow

This article has been reviewed and edited by Miguel Dar, a CPA and an experienced tax consultant who specializes in tax audits. He provides tax advice to various start-up enterprises and clarified tax concerns of individual taxpayers. This includes assisting clients in registering their businesses, tax and bookkeeping training for start-up businesses, settling open cases, tax planning for future tax compliance and answering tax-related inquiries. 

There will be instances when you’ll be asked to provide your TIN (Taxpayer Identification Number), like applying for a job, opening a bank account, or signing up for an investment account with a stockbroker platform.

What do you do in such a situation if you already have a TIN but can’t remember it?

One of the things you should avoid is to apply for a new TIN because the law forbids it. The TIN issued to you is your lifetime number that cannot be replaced.

Instead, you may try the different ways to recover your lost or forgotten TIN.

Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not substitute for professional advice.

Go back to the main article: Tax in the Philippines: An Ultimate Guide to Filing and Paying Taxes    

1. Check your TIN card, company ID, ITR, or other documents.

The first thing to check when you can’t recall your TIN is your TIN card that bears this number.

What if you lost your TIN card, too? You may find your TIN in other documents that indicate it. These could be your company ID, income tax return (ITR), or invoices.

2. Verify with your employer.

Contact your current or previous employer to request your TIN. The HR or admin department of the company you’re working for keeps your employment records, including your TIN. So for sure, they can help you retrieve your forgotten TIN.

3. Call the BIR hotlines.

If the first two methods of retrieving your TIN didn’t work, you’ll need to request it directly from the BIR.

Here are the BIR numbers to call for recovering your TIN:

• Trunkline: 8981-7000 / 8929-7676.
• Customer Assistance Division: 8981-7003 / 8981-7020 / 8981-7030 / 8981-7040 / 8981-7046

Don’t forget to dial the area code 02 before the numbers (e.g., 0289817000) if you’re calling outside Metro Manila or the country code +63 when you’re calling from another country.

Before speaking with a customer service agent, be ready with your details that might be asked for verifying your identity such as full name, address, and birthdate.

4. Send an email inquiry to the BIR.

If the need to recover your TIN isn’t that urgent or you can’t get through the BIR hotlines, you can inquire about your TIN through email.

Email your TIN verification request, along with your complete name, address, and birthdate, to [email protected]

To help you save time, you can use the following template:

Good day!

I would like to request your assistance in retrieving my Tax Identification Number (TIN). I have forgotten it and will need it for (state the purpose). Here are my personal details:

Complete Name:

Birthdate:

Gender:

Residence Address: (please include your Zip Code)

Looking forward to your positive response on this matter.

Thank you and regards,

(Your complete name)

Make sure to write “TIN Verification” in your subject line so the recipient will know right away the purpose of your email.

Typically, a BIR customer service representative replies in a few days to TIN-related inquiries.

5. Visit the BIR RDO.

If the RDO where you applied for a TIN is near your home or office, your best option is to go there to personally request for TIN number verification.

Proceed to the Taxpayers’ General Services or Customer Service counter and present your valid ID or birth certificate for identity verification.

Go back to the main article: How to Get TIN Number in the Philippines (2 Easy Ways)