What does a 'hit' on my NBI clearance mean, and how do I resolve it?
Last updated: 2026-07-12 · Educational content; not legal advice.
Short answer
A 'HIT' means your name matched a record or a pending case in the NBI database — very often because someone with the same or a similar name has a record, not necessarily you. When you get a hit, your clearance is not released immediately: you're asked to return for verification (Quality Control) so the NBI can confirm your identity against the record, and you may be asked for valid IDs and sometimes your PSA birth certificate. Once verification clears you, your NBI clearance is issued. A hit by itself is not a criminal record.
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Frequently asked
Does a hit mean I have a criminal record?
No. A hit means your name matched an entry that needs checking — often a namesake with a common name. It only becomes meaningful if verification confirms the record is actually yours. Most hits are cleared after the NBI confirms your identity.
How do I clear a hit?
Return on the date the NBI gives you and proceed to Quality Control for verification. Bring valid IDs and, if asked, your PSA birth certificate so the NBI can distinguish you from the person on record.
How long does clearing a hit take?
The NBI verifies your identity against the flagged record before release; the extra step adds processing days. Ask the NBI office handling your clearance for its current turnaround rather than trusting a fixer's promise to 'remove' a hit.
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How to get and fix your government papers without a fixer — a PSA birth, marriage, or death certificate and a CENOMAR (order via PSA Serbilis / PSAHelpline), correcting a misspelled name or wrong first name administratively under RA 9048 and a wrong day/month of birth or sex under RA 10172 (no court needed; the birth YEAR still needs a Rule 108 court petition), late registration of an unregistered birth, the PhilSys national ID and its acceptance as valid proof of identity under RA 11055, applying for or renewing a passport at the DFA and its 10-year adult validity under RA 10928 (amending RA 8239), what to do when you lose your passport, getting an NBI clearance and resolving a 'hit', police and barangay clearances, registering to vote and transferring or reactivating your registration with COMELEC (RA 8189, mandatory biometrics under RA 10367), the cedula / Community Tax Certificate under the Local Government Code (RA 7160), and your anti-red-tape rights against fixers and undue extra requirements under RA 11032 (Ease of Doing Business Act) and RA 9485.