Chapter 22
DOCUMENTARY STAMPS
DOCUMENTARY STAMPS were created by the Internal Revenue Law of 1904 (Act 1189), which listed the documents subject to documentary stamp tax, specified the amount of the tax on each document and required that DOCUMENTARY STAMPS be affixed to such documents in payment of the tax. The Spanish Philippine laws imposing documentary stamp taxes that were still in force were repealed by the Internal Revenue Law of 1904, thereby abolishing the use of Papel Sellado (Stamped Paper) and adhesive Giro and Giro stamps for the collection of documentary stamp taxes.

INTERNAL REVENUE stamps of the 1c, 2c, 5c and 10c denominations had been created in 1899 to replace Spanish Philippines TIMBRE MOVIL ESPECIAL stamps for the collection of those documentary stamp taxes which, under Spanish Philippine laws,  had been collected by the use of TIMBRE MOVIL ESPECIAL stamps. In 1902, CUSTOMS stamps had been created to replace adhesive SELLO stamps and INTERNAL REVENUE stamps for the collection of the documentary stamp taxes on customs documents. INTERNAL REVENUE stamps of the 2c and 10c denominations continued to be used, however, for the collection of  the documentary stamp taxes on receipts or memoranda for money paid, warehouse receipts and bills of lading, until such use was abolished by the Internal Revenue Law of 1904.

The documentary stamp taxes imposed by this law were as follows:

DOCUMENTARY STAMP TAXES

Bonds, debentures and certificates of indebtedness, each P220, or fractional part thereof, of face value
P  0.20
Certificates of stock, original, on each P 200, or fraction of face value.
0.20
Sales, agreements to sell, memoranda of sales, or deliveries, transfers, of shares of stock, on each P200, or fraction, of face value.
0
0.04
Certificates of profit, or certificates showing interest in the property or accumulations, on each P 200, or fraction, of face value. 0
0.02
Bank checks, drafts, or certificates of deposit, not drawing interest and payable on sight or demand.
0.02
Bill of exchange, drawn and payable within the Philippine Islands, each P200, or fraction, of face value.
0.02
Drafts drawing interest, and payable otherwise than on sight or demand, each P200, or fraction, of face value.
0
0.02
Promissory notes, other than issues for circulation, or any renewals thereof, each P200, or fraction, of face value.
0
0.02
Certificates of deposit drawing interest, or order of payment of any sum of money otherwise than on sight or demand, each P200, or fraction, of face value.
0
0.04
Foreign bills of exchange, drawn in, but payable outside of the Philippine Islands, each P200, or fraction, of face value.
0
0.04
Letters of credit, including orders by telegraph, express company and steamship companies, drawn in, but payable out of the Philippine Islands, each P200, or fraction, of face value.
0
0.04
Insurance policies on life, each P200, or fraction, of face value.
0.10
Insurance policies upon property, including rents or profits, against peril by sea or inland waters, fire or lightning, on each P4, or fraction, of premium.
0
0.02
Policies of annuities on each P200, or fraction of the capital or, should the capital be unknown, on each P200, or fraction of 33-1/3 times the annual income
0
0.10
Each bond of indemnity, and every other bond, not mentioned.
0.50
Certificates of damage, or any other certificate or document issued by Captains of Port of marine surveyors.
0.20
Certificates of notaries public.
0.20
Certificates of any description required by law and not otherwise specified.
0.20
Receipts or memoranda for money paid, when the amount exceeds 30 pesos
0.04
Warehouse receipts for goods held in storage.
0.20
Bills of lading for foreign shipment, each set.
0.10
Bills of lading for local shipment, when the value of the goods exceeds P5, each copy of each set
0.02
Tickets for United States or foreign ports, when passage cost does not exceed P60.
1.00
Tickets, as above, when passage cost exceeds P60 but not P120.
2.00
Tickets, as above, when passage cost exceeds P120.
3.00
Power of attorney or proxy for voting, at an election for officers of a company, etc.
0.20
Power of attorney to sell, or rent, or collect rent on, real estate, or sell stock, bonds, or securities, or collect dividends, or perform any acts not otherwise specified
0
0.20
Lease or rent of any real estate, tenement, or part thereof, for one year or less
0.20
Lease, as above, for more than one year but not more than 3 years
0.50
Lease, as above, for more than 3 years.
1.00
Mortgage, secured by either real or personal property, when the amount of mortgage is not less than P1,000 or more than P5,000.
0
0.50
Mortgage, on each P3,000 or fraction in excess of P3,000, and additional.
0.50
Deeds of real estate, when true value received is more than P200 but not more than P1,000
0.50
Charter party, of any vessel, when registered gross tonnage is not more than 300 tons.
6.00
Charter party, when registered gross tonnage is more than 300 but not more than 600 tons.
10.00
Charter party, when registered gross tonnage is more than 600 tons.
20.00