Lawyers must get business permit but NO fees

While professionals still need to secure a business permit, it should be issued for free. 

The Department of Finance (DOF) issued a new set of guidelines to local government units (LGUs), exempting professionals like doctors, accountants, and lawyers from paying business permit fees.Finance Undersecretary Antonette Tionko said on Tuesday, July 2, that the new local finance circular (LFC) addresses complaints received by the DOF on the improper imposition of local taxes, fees, and other charges on professionals by LGUs.

While professionals still need to secure a business permit from LGUs, it should be issued for free, since “such permits cannot regulate the practice of their profession.” (Read more: Ralf Rivas (2019). No more business permit fees for professionals. JUL 2, 2019 11:45 PM PHT. https://www.rappler.com/business/234467-no-more-business-permit-fees-professionals.)

In particular, LFC 1-2019 exempted self-employed professionals from payment of business permit fees for their clinics and offices.

“While professionals still need to secure business permits from LGUs, such should be at no cost at all during the registration or renewal of the operation of their clinics or offices, given that such permits cannot regulate the practice of their profession. This is because regulations over the practice of professions are within the exclusive domain of the respective agencies or regulatory boards empowered by law to supervise and regulate professions,” the DOF explained. (Read more: Ben O. de Vera (2019). DOF: No more business permit fee for clinics, offices of self-employed pros. 05:38 PM, July 02, 2019. https://business.inquirer.net/273774/dof-no-more-business-permit-fee-for-clinics-offices-of-self-employed-pros.)