eBIRForms v7.9.6.0: What's New Under RMC No. 36-2026 (And Why You Should Update)
The BIR released Offline eBIRForms Package version 7.9.6.0 under Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 36-2026, issued April 28, 2026 — its first update to add BIR Form 1701-MS for electronic filing, widen the TIN branch code field, add new withholding tax codes, and correct the foreign currency deposit tax rate shown on affected forms. If you last downloaded eBIRForms before late April 2026, your installed copy is missing these forms and fixes and should be replaced before your next filing.
Skip Manual Re-Entry — Convert Your Data FREE →What did RMC No. 36-2026 actually announce? #
RMC No. 36-2026, issued by the Bureau of Internal Revenue on April 28, 2026, announced the availability of Offline eBIRForms Package version 7.9.6.0 for download from the BIR’s official channels. Circulars in this series follow a consistent format the BIR has used for prior eBIRForms releases (versions 7.9.4, 7.9.4.1, and 7.9.5 among them), stating plainly what the new package makes available:
“This Circular is issued to announce the availability of the Offline eBIRForms Package Version 7.9.6.0…” — RMC No. 36-2026, Bureau of Internal Revenue, April 28, 2026
A companion issuance, RMC No. 37-2026, amended the BIR’s earlier RMC No. 20-2026 (the calendar-year 2025 Annual Income Tax Return filing guidelines) specifically to confirm that BIR Form 1701-MS can now be filed electronically through this version of the package — closing a gap where the form existed on paper but had no electronic filing route.
What changed in version 7.9.6.0? #
Version 7.9.6.0 makes five categories of changes: one new form, a wider identifier field, new withholding tax codes, an updated tax rate, and a set of bug fixes across nine existing forms. None of these changes are optional to skip — a taxpayer using an older installed version will not see the new form, the wider TIN branch code field, or the corrected FCDU rate.
- Added BIR Form 1701-MS (August 2024 revision) — the simplified Annual Income Tax Return for individuals the BIR classifies as micro or small taxpayers — to the offline package’s form selector for the first time.
- Widened the TIN branch code field from three digits to five digits across the affected tax returns in the package.
- Added new Alphanumeric Tax Codes (ATCs) to BIR Form 1601-EQ, giving withholding agents additional codes to classify specific types of withheld income correctly on the quarterly remittance return.
- Updated the foreign currency deposit unit (FCDU) tax rate reflected in the relevant schedule of BIR Form 1602Q to match the current statutory rate.
- Fixed bugs across BIR Forms 0619-E, 1601-FQ, 1604-F, 1702Q, 1702-EX, 1702-MX, 1707, 2000-OT, and 2551Q.
| Form | What changed in v7.9.6.0 |
|---|---|
| BIR Form 1701-MS | Added to the package for the first time; now electronically fileable |
| BIR Form 1601-EQ | New Alphanumeric Tax Codes added |
| BIR Form 1602Q | FCDU tax rate in the relevant schedule updated |
| BIR Forms 0619-E, 1601-FQ, 1604-F, 1702Q, 1702-EX, 1702-MX, 1707, 2000-OT, 2551Q | Bug fixes |
| All affected returns | TIN branch code field widened from 3 to 5 digits |
If you’re not yet sure whether you even have the offline package installed, start with How to Download and File Using the BIR eBIRForms Offline Package, which covers the base install and submission workflow this update sits on top of.
Why does BIR Form 1701-MS matter in this update? #
Before version 7.9.6.0, BIR Form 1701-MS existed as a form but had no electronic filing path through the offline package, which meant a micro or small taxpayer entitled to use the simplified return effectively had to file manually or switch to a different annual return just to file electronically. RMC No. 37-2026 closed that gap by amending RMC No. 20-2026 to name BIR Form 1701-MS as an electronically fileable form through package version 7.9.6.0. For the classification thresholds and how BIR Form 1701-MS compares to BIR Form 1701 and 1701A, see BIR Form 1701-MS: The Simplified Annual ITR for Micro and Small Taxpayers.
Worked scenario: a micro taxpayer filing 1701-MS electronically for the first time #
A freelance bookkeeper with ₱2,100,000 in gross receipts for the year qualifies as a micro taxpayer and wants to file BIR Form 1701-MS electronically instead of on paper. Under the version before 7.9.6.0, that was not possible through the offline package — the form simply was not in the form list. Here’s the sequence she follows now that version 7.9.6.0 is installed:
- Download the version 7.9.6.0 installer from bir.gov.ph/ebirforms, keeping any prior installed version in a separate folder so old saved returns aren’t overwritten.
- Install the package and launch it; the form dropdown now lists BIR Form 1701-MS (August 2024) alongside 1701 and 1701A.
- Select BIR Form 1701-MS, enter her TIN (now accepting the wider five-digit branch code field if applicable), RDO code, and gross receipts figure.
- Validate the entries using the package’s built-in validation button, which flags missing fields before submission — the same validation step described in the general eBIRForms filing guide.
- Submit online through the package’s e-filing feature and pay any tax due through an accredited electronic payment channel, then keep the confirmation email as proof of filing.
Where she previously would have needed to file BIR Form 1701-MS on paper or switch to BIR Form 1701A for the sake of e-filing, version 7.9.6.0 lets her file the form matching her actual size classification electronically, start to finish.
How does this affect returns you already filed? #
A return you filed correctly on an older eBIRForms version before April 28, 2026, does not need to be refiled just because a newer package version exists. The update matters going forward — for any return not yet filed, and specifically for anyone who needs BIR Form 1601-EQ’s new ATCs, the updated FCDU rate on BIR Form 1602Q, or BIR Form 1701-MS’s new e-filing path. If you’re unsure whether your obligation falls under eBIRForms or the separate eFPS system, see eFPS vs eBIRForms: Which One Do You Need to File With? — this update applies specifically to the offline package, not eFPS.
Frequently asked questions #
What is eBIRForms version 7.9.6.0? #
eBIRForms version 7.9.6.0 is the current release of the BIR’s Offline eBIRForms Package, announced under Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 36-2026 on April 28, 2026. It adds BIR Form 1701-MS to the offline package, widens the TIN branch code field, adds new Alphanumeric Tax Codes to BIR Form 1601-EQ, updates the foreign currency deposit unit tax rate shown on BIR Form 1602Q, and fixes bugs across several forms.
Do I need to reinstall eBIRForms to get version 7.9.6.0? #
Yes. The Offline eBIRForms Package does not auto-update, so you must download the new installer from bir.gov.ph/ebirforms and install it separately from any prior version to get version 7.9.6.0’s forms and fixes.
Can BIR Form 1701-MS now be filed electronically through eBIRForms? #
Yes. RMC No. 36-2026 added BIR Form 1701-MS (August 2024 revision) to the Offline eBIRForms Package for the first time in version 7.9.6.0, and the companion RMC No. 37-2026 amended RMC No. 20-2026 to formally allow electronic filing of BIR Form 1701-MS through that package.
What changed with the TIN branch code field in this update? #
Version 7.9.6.0 widens the TIN branch code field from three digits to five digits across the affected tax returns in the package, following the BIR’s broader shift to five-digit branch codes.
What is the new FCDU tax rate reflected in eBIRForms v7.9.6.0? #
The update reflects an increase in the final tax rate applied to foreign currency deposit unit (FCDU) income from 15% to 20% in the relevant schedule of BIR Form 1602Q, matching the current statutory rate.
Which forms received bug fixes in version 7.9.6.0? #
The BIR listed bug fixes affecting BIR Forms 0619-E, 1601-FQ, 1604-F, 1702Q, 1702-EX, 1702-MX, 1707, 2000-OT, and 2551Q in version 7.9.6.0.
Summary #
Version 7.9.6.0 of the Offline eBIRForms Package, announced under RMC No. 36-2026 and paired with RMC No. 37-2026’s amendment allowing BIR Form 1701-MS to be e-filed, is a genuinely functional update, not a cosmetic one: it opens a new electronic filing path for micro and small taxpayers, widens a data field that was too narrow for current branch codes, adds withholding tax codes practitioners need for BIR Form 1601-EQ, and corrects the FCDU rate on BIR Form 1602Q. If you haven’t reinstalled since before late April 2026, download the current package from bir.gov.ph/ebirforms before your next filing — see How to Download and File Using the BIR eBIRForms Offline Package for the full install and submission walkthrough.