How To Apply For RTC Clearance in the Philippines 2025

If you are a resident of the Philippines and want to obtain a permit to start a new business, apply for a job, a visa, or government IDs, you will need an RTC clearance (RTCC), which will prove that you are not facing any criminal charges. This document may seem difficult to obtain, but it is very important in the Philippines.

In this article, we have tried to guide you completely about the eligibility criteria, required documents, processing time, fees, and the importance of RTC clearance. By following the given instructions, you can easily apply and also avoid the difficulties faced during the application.

What is RTC Clearance

In the Philippines, like the national police clearance, the Regional Trial Court Clearance (RTC) is also a very important document. It is issued by your local trial court. This document confirms that no case has been registered against you within the Jurisdiction of the Court, or that no arrest warrant has been issued against you, or that there is any pending case against you. RTC clearance is commonly required for ID cards, driving licenses, new jobs, business permits, and visa applications.

Importance of RTC Clearance

You can also use RTC clearance for various purposes. Below are all the steps that you can follow to do everything from applying to getting clearance.

Employment

You need an RTCC to get a job, so that it can be known that you have not committed any criminal act in the past, and it is also used to verify your criminal record.

Visa Application

Many countries also accept RTC clearance as part of their visa application, and this document also assures some countries of your criminal background.

Business

When you travel, it is important to have the RTC along with the travel documents you have

Personal and Legal Matters

Sometimes it is very important for your personal and legal matters to have a clean criminal record, and for this, an RTC Clearance is required.

Who is Eligible for RTC Clearance?

RTCC in the Philippines is available to all citizens provided they use it for good purposes; however, some factors are as follows:

Residence

It is important that your residence is covered by the same regional trial court from which you are applying for clearance.

Legal Status

This certificate is issued to people who do not have any pending cases. It may be difficult for people who have a case registered against them to obtain this clearance.

Identification

To obtain RTC clearance, you must have a valid government-issued document such as a passport, driver’s license, national ID, or tax clearance certificate

Purpose:

When applying for clearance at the Regional Trial Court, you are required to state the purpose of your clearance. For example, you are traveling to another country, or want to work or start your own business in the Philippines. Keep in mind that RTC requirements may vary for traveling abroad.

How to Apply for an RTC Clearance

Applying for RTC clearance is very easy. Below are all the steps that must be taken into account while applying.

Visit Your Regional Trial Court

For RTC clearance, it is very important to go to the trial court of the area where you have been residing for a long time or are still residing.

Get the application form

Obtain an application form from your local court.

Fill out the application form

After receiving the application form, start filling it and complete the application by entering your personal information, such as your name, address, residence, date of birth, and purpose of the RTC clearance.

Submit the application form

After filling out the application form, attach your ID and the receipt of the fee paid, and submit it to the office.

Claim RTC Clearance

The speed and cost of processing depend on the availability of staff. Your clearance will be completed within one or two working days of applying, and you will be able to go and obtain the clearance.

Documentation Requirements

Before applying for Regional trial court clearance, you may need a few documents, and the following are the documents that you will attach with the application:

Application form

You will also get the application form from the same courthouse where you will apply for RTCC.

Processing fee

The processing fee for RTCC varies across courts, but is usually 60.00 pesos and does not exceed 100.

Valid government-issued ID

To apply for RTCC, you may need documents such as a Philippine National Identity Card, any valid government-issued document or identification card, or a driver’s license.

Cedula or Community Tax Certificate

To apply for a clearance, you also need to attach another document, which is a cedula tax certificate, which you can get from the municipal hall or the barangay office.

Barangay Clearance

During this process, you may also need a barangay certificate, and you can obtain your certificate from the secretary’s office of the area where you have been residing for a long time.

Official stamp

You will also be able to obtain your documentary stamps from the same office where you applied for RTCC

How to Book RTC Appointment Online

There are some steps to book an online appointment for RTC clearance certificate. By following these steps, you can easily book an online appointment, and those steps are as follows:

Visit the Official Website

You don’t need to visit any office to get information about RTCC. You can visit the official websites of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) and get information from there.

Create an Account

Before you can visit the website and get information, you will have to provide your personal information, and if you already have an account, you can log in and get information by simply providing your email and password.

Online Appointment System

For RTCC, you may first need an appointment, and you can book an appointment online by clicking on the RTC clearance section.

Select Service and Location

For RTC clearance, you may need both location and service, and you can also select them yourself.

Choose Date and Time

For appointment, you will have to choose both the time and date according to the given time slots, and the system will confirm the date and time of your appointment.

Print or Save Confirmation

You may need evidence for your appointment, so save your confirmation so you don’t have any problems later.

Confirmation and Payment (if applicable)

Before clearance, you will also have to pay a fee, which you will pay online, and the fee varies depending on each court; its range starts from 60 pesos and goes up to 100 pesos

Attend Appointment

Go to the RTC office with the required documents on your booked appointment day

Claim the Clearance

to two working days, after which you can claim your certificate.

RTC Clearance Sample

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Fee Structure

A fee is required to obtain an RTC clearance certificate, and it varies depending on the regional trial court but includes issuance and various charges, and also covers various administrative expenses.

Modes of Fee Payment

The fee for RTC clearance can be paid in various ways, and those methods are as follows:

Cash Payments: We can also pay the fee through cash, and that can only be done by going to the cashier’s office.
Bank deposits: If you cannot go to the cashier’s office to pay the fee, you can pay online, which is done through bank deposits. You will have to approach the court first to pay the fee online.

RTC Case Categories

Apart from issuing RTCC, the Regional Trial Court also deals with many other cases, which are as follows:

Criminal Cases

The regional trial court deals with criminal cases, and these cases include theft, fraud, robbery, and many other crimes. The regional trial court tries these crimes and punishes the offender.

Civil Cases

After criminal cases, the cases that the regional trial court deals with are civil cases and include breaches of contract, non-compliance with the law, disputes related to property rights, family concerns such as divorce and separation, adoption of a child, etc. Regional trial courts also impose severe punishments on those involved in civil cases.

RTCC Validity

Once the RTC clearance is processed, it can be issued within 30 minutes. Its processing depends on the availability of staff and applicants waiting in line, and its validity varies from place to place. In Paranaque, it is valid for only three months, while in Quezon City, it can be used for one month.

Contact Information

For more information and concerns, you can contact the JPAS hotline. Their contact number is as follows:
‪+63 2 8552-9644‬
You can also submit your problems via email, which is as follows:
[email protected]
Working hours are Monday to Friday: 08:00 – 16:30

Frequently Asked Questions

You can apply for RTCC at your nearest Regional Trial Court. Some courts now offer online appointment systems, but the actual clearance is still issued in person at the court.

You can book an appointment online in some regions, but the final clearance must still be collected physically from the RTC office after identity verification.

Yes, RTCC is different from Police And NBI Clearance:

RTCC confirms you have no pending cases in Regional Trial Court, which may not appear in police/NBI records.

Police Clearance checks your record locally (municipal level)

NBI Clearance checks your record nationwide

Yes, some foreign employers or embassies may require RTC to ensure you have no serious or pending legal cases in your region.

If you have a pending or unresolved case in RTC, you may not be issued a clearance until it is resolved or dismissed.

Conclusion

For Filipinos, an RTC clearance is a valuable document issued by the local trial court. It is often required for property transactions, business registration, or employment. This document is used for government programs and official legal matters. To obtain this document, your criminal record must be clear, and you must have valid documents such as a National Identity Card, a Passport, a Barangay Clearance, a Community Tax Certificate, etc. You can also apply for an online appointment for RTCC, but for the rest of the process, you must also visit your courthouse. To avoid hassle, follow the instructions given in the article and apply with ease.