Is NBI Open Today? Hours, Holidays and Closed Days 2026

Is NBI open today? If today is a weekday with no national holiday and no government work suspension, yes. NBI clearance centers follow the government work week, so weekends and declared holidays are closed days.

The hard part is the exceptions. Branch hours differ, storms can close offices on short notice, and one wrong trip can cost you a full day. This guide gives you the rule, the dated 2026 closures, and the fastest ways to get your clearance if your branch is closed.

Key facts

• Regular schedule: Monday to Friday
• Most branches: 8 AM to 5 PM (the main clearance center lists 5 AM to 5 PM)
• Weekends and holidays: closed
• Next closed days: November 1 to 2, 2026
• Missed a paid appointment: 15-day grace period at the same branch
• Renewing? You may be able to skip the branch entirely

Is NBI Open Today? Quick Answer

Run this three-step check:

• Is it Saturday or Sunday? Treat NBI as closed.
• Is it a national holiday or special non-working day? NBI is closed.
• Did the Palace or your city suspend government work? Branches in the affected area usually stop operating.

If all three answers are no, your branch is open during its posted hours.

October 2026 has no national holiday. The next closure is November 1 to 2, covered in the calendar below.

What Time Does NBI Open and Close?

The NBI Citizen’s Charter lists clearance processing at the main clearance center as Monday to Friday, 5 AM to 5 PM. Most other government-based branches follow a standard 8 AM to 5 PM day.

Mall-based branches follow mall rules. The SM mall directory, for example, lists the NBI office at SM Center Las Piñas as open 8 AM to 5 PM on weekdays and closed on weekends and holidays.

Here is how hours usually differ by branch type:

Many websites list different hours for the same mall branch. Treat blog tables as a starting point. Your appointment details in the NBI portal and the mall directory carry more weight.

What Is the NBI Cut-Off Time?

NBI has not published one official cut-off time. Many applicants report that branches stop taking new entries around 3 to 4 PM, even though the office closes at 5 PM.

This is an applicant report, not an NBI rule. Still, it is a safe way to plan:

• Arrive at the start of your appointment slot.
• Pick a morning slot when you can.
• Do not plan on a 4:30 PM arrival being processed.

Busy branches can stop earlier than quiet ones. If your slot is late in the day, message your branch’s official page first.

Is NBI Open on Saturday and Sunday?

Sunday is closed. The official schedule lists Monday to Friday only, which leaves Saturday out.

Some websites claim that select mall branches open on Saturdays. No official NBI source confirms this, and those sites disagree on which branches open and for how long. Book a Saturday slot only if your branch confirms it on its official page or the mall directory.

If your only free day is the weekend, use the renewal options later in this guide. They can save you the trip.

NBI Closed Days Remaining in 2026

Malacañang’s Proclamation No. 1006 sets the 2026 holiday list. These dates are still ahead:

January 1, 2027 is New Year’s Day, a regular holiday.

Long closed stretches to plan around

• October 31 to November 2: Saturday to Monday. Branches reopen Tuesday, November 3.
• November 28 to 30: Saturday to Monday. Branches reopen Tuesday, December 1.
• December 24 to 27: Thursday to Sunday. Branches reopen Monday, December 28.
• December 30 to January 3: Wednesday to Sunday. Branches reopen Monday, January 4, 2027.

Two mistakes to avoid:

• November 1 falls on a Sunday, so the weekday you lose is Monday, November 2.
• A special working day is not a holiday. The EDSA anniversary on February 25, 2026 was a special working day, so government offices stayed open.

Cities can also declare local holidays. Branches inside city halls may close on those days even when a national list says open.

Is NBI Open During Holy Week, Eid’l Fitr and Eid’l Adha?

No. NBI closes on declared holidays, including the movable ones.

The dates that change each year:

• Maundy Thursday and Good Friday: These follow the Holy Week calendar.
• Eid’l Fitr and Eid’l Adha: The Palace announces these after the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos recommends the dates based on the Islamic calendar.
• Chinese New Year and Black Saturday: The Palace declares these by proclamation. In 2026, they were February 17 and April 4.

For any future year, read that year’s Palace proclamation before you book a slot.

Will NBI Close for Typhoons or Work Suspensions?

Often yes. When Malacañang suspends work in government offices, NBI branches in the affected areas usually stop clearance processing.

How it works:

• The Palace issues a Memorandum Circular on the recommendation of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. For example, MC 122 suspended government work and classes in Metro Manila and nearby provinces on August 6, 2026.
• Agencies that provide basic, health, and emergency services stay open.
• Local chief executives can suspend work in their own areas.
• Some suspensions start at 3 PM. An afternoon appointment can be affected even when the morning ran normally.

NBI has posted its own advisories in the past. In January 2025, it stopped clearance processing at four Manila and Pasay centers during a Palace work suspension.

So when a storm is near, is NBI open today? Do not guess. Check the latest Palace advisory for your city, then your branch’s official page.

How to Check If NBI Is Open Today Before You Go

Follow this order:

1. Log in at clearance.nbi.gov.ph and open your transaction. Confirm your branch, date, and time.
2. Read the latest advisories on the official NBI social media page.
3. Check for a Palace Memorandum Circular or a local work suspension for your city.
4. For a mall branch, check the mall’s directory and advisories.
5. Prepare your reference number, payment receipt, and two valid government IDs.

Your reference number and QR code from the booking page are what the branch staff look for first. Save a screenshot in case your signal is weak inside the building.

How to Book an NBI Appointment Around Closed Days

A booking only helps if the date is a working day. Use these steps to secure a valid slot:

1. Go to clearance.nbi.gov.ph. First-time jobseekers use firsttimejobseekers.nbi.gov.ph instead.
2. Create an account, confirm it with the one-time password, and complete your profile.
3. Click Apply for Clearance and choose the government IDs you will present.
4. Pick your branch, then a date and time. Skip any date on the closed-days table above.
5. Pay the fee. Options listed in published guides include GCash, 7-Eleven, Bayad Center, and online banking.
6. Save your reference number and QR code.
7. Open the Transactions page and confirm the status says Paid.

Payment locks in your slot. An unpaid booking does not hold, so finish payment before the deadline shown on your screen.

What to Do If NBI Is Closed on Your Appointment Date

Do not pay again. If your transaction shows Paid, you generally have a 15-day grace period to visit the same branch.

1. Confirm your transaction is marked Paid in the Transactions page.
2. Go to the branch you originally booked. Do not switch branches.
3. Bring your reference number, payment receipt, and valid IDs.
4. Tell the staff your appointment date fell on a closure or suspension.

If you never paid, the booking does not carry over. You need to book a new appointment and pay.

After 15 days, your old schedule may no longer be honored. NBI fees are generally non-refundable, so act early and check your portal for the exact validity of your transaction.

Can You Skip the Branch? Quick Renewal and eGovPH

For renewals, you may not need a branch at all. That helps when your branch is closed or your schedule leaves no free weekday.

Quick Renewal

• Available if your last NBI clearance was issued on or after October 16, 2016.
• Your personal details must be unchanged.
• You renew on clearance.nbi.gov.ph and choose door-to-door delivery.
• No branch visit is needed.

eGovPH app

• Verified users can renew NBI clearance through the app.
• You can choose door-to-door delivery or branch pick-up.
• You can view an electronic copy on your phone.

When you must still go in person:

• You are a first-time applicant.
• Your name, birthdate, or other details changed.
• Your old clearance is older than the Quick Renewal cutoff.

In these cases, NBI needs to capture your biometrics at a branch.

How Closures Affect HIT and Release Dates

A HIT means the NBI database found a possible match with your name or details. It does not mean the record belongs to you. NBI asks you to return on a specified date after further verification.

Published guides usually describe HIT verification in working days, commonly 5 to 10, which is not an official NBI figure. Weekends and holidays do not count as working days, so a HIT filed just before a long weekend can take longer than the calendar suggests.

If your return date lands on a holiday or a suspension day, check with your branch before you travel. Bring the paper or screenshot that shows your return date.

What to Bring to Your NBI Appointment

Prepare these before you leave home:

• Two valid government IDs: Accepted IDs include a passport, driver’s license, National ID, TIN ID, PRC license, PhilHealth ID, Pag-IBIG ID, Postal ID, and Voter’s ID. Check that they are not expired.
• Reference number and QR code: From your booking confirmation.
• Payment receipt: For regular applicants.
• Barangay certification: For first-time jobseekers who claim the fee waiver.

First-time jobseekers use a separate portal at firsttimejobseekers.nbi.gov.ph and a designated lane at the branch. The fee waiver comes from Republic Act 11261.

NBI Clearance Fees and Validity

Fees change, so confirm the amount at checkout. A September 2026 guide lists these figures:

• Regular application: PHP 130 plus a service fee
• Quick Renewal: PHP 160 plus a delivery charge
• First-time jobseekers: Free with a barangay certification

An NBI clearance is valid for one year from the date of issuance.

Common Mistakes That Waste a Trip

• Going on a holiday or special non-working day
• Assuming Saturday hours without confirmation
• Arriving late in the day after the cut-off
• Showing up at a different branch than the one you booked
• Forgetting the second valid ID
• Skipping a payment and expecting the booking to hold
• Ignoring a storm advisory and traveling anyway

Best Time to Visit an NBI Branch

NBI publishes no official crowd data, but these habits help:

• Book a morning slot to stay ahead of any cut-off.
• Arrive at the start of your slot, not near closing.
• Expect heavier demand on the first working day after a long holiday stretch.
• Avoid booking on a day with a typhoon forecast.
• Keep one spare weekday open in case a suspension forces a rebook.

What to Do Based on Your Situation

How Early Should You Book Before a Deadline?

Book earlier than you think. A closed day, a storm, or a HIT can each push your release back by days.

A safe rule for employers, visa offices, and PRC filings:

• Book at least one week before your deadline.
• Add extra days if the deadline falls near a long holiday stretch listed above.
• Do not schedule your only appointment on the last working day before a holiday.

If a deadline is fixed and your branch is closed, ask the requesting office whether a payment receipt or reference number is accepted while you wait. Rules vary by office.

Conclusion

Is NBI open today? Yes on regular weekdays without a holiday or work suspension, and no on weekends, national holidays, and suspension days. The next closures start with November 1 to 2, followed by November 30 and the December holiday stretch.

Before you travel, confirm your branch hours in your NBI portal, check for weather advisories, and arrive early in your slot. If you miss a paid appointment, use the 15-day grace period instead of paying again. If you are renewing, check whether Quick Renewal or the eGovPH app lets you skip the branch.

Frequently Asked Questions

This is an independent information guide and is not affiliated with the National Bureau of Investigation. Sources used: NBI Citizen’s Charter, Malacañang Proclamation No. 1006, Palace Memorandum Circulars, the SM mall directory, and published NBI application guides. Hours, fees, and policies can change, so confirm details at clearance.nbi.gov.ph or with your branch.