Getting PSA Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates

What the PSA Issues

The PSA keeps the national copy of every birth, marriage and death record that a local civil registry office (LCRO) has sent it. From these it issues:

• Birth Certificate (Certificate of Live Birth)
• Marriage Certificate
• Death Certificate
• CENOMAR (Certificate of No Marriage Record), or an Advisory on Marriages if the person has a marriage on file. See CENOMAR for when you need one.

Copies come on PSA security paper. Agencies such as the DFA, the PRC, embassies and courts usually ask for the PSA copy, not the one from the city or municipal hall.

Who May Request a Copy

Birth records are confidential under Article 7 of the Child and Youth Welfare Code, and the PSA only releases them to:

• the person named on the record (the "document owner"), if 18 or over;
• their spouse, parent or direct descendant (child or grandchild);
• a guardian, if the owner is a minor;
• someone the owner authorizes in writing; and
• after the owner's death, the nearest relatives (next of kin).

The PSA's outlet rules also cover special cases. A guardian of a minor brings a court decision or notarized Affidavit of Guardianship. Other relatives of a deceased person, such as siblings or grandchildren, bring a notarized Affidavit of Kinship (a sworn statement of how you are related). A father of a child born outside marriage may request only if he is named on the child's Birth Certificate.

Ordering Online

The PSA's own pages point to two online channels: PSA Serbilis (psaserbilis.com.ph) and PSAHelpline (psahelpline.ph). Both deliver anywhere in the Philippines or abroad.

1. Choose the document and fill in the details exactly: full name, date and place of birth (or marriage or death), father's full name and mother's maiden name, and the purpose.
2. Pay through the channels the site lists.
3. Wait for courier delivery. The PSA says requests are verified against its database, and records that need manual checking take longer.

The PSA's page on the PSAHelpline service lists a client charge of ₱365 per copy of a Birth, Marriage or Death Certificate and ₱420 per CENOMAR, which includes the service fee and door-to-door delivery. Check the site for the current amount before you pay.

When the courier arrives, the person who ordered, or the representative named in the online authorization, must show a valid ID. PSAHelpline says it does not accept handwritten Authorization Letters at the door.

Government fees can change. Always check the current amount with the office before you pay. Last checked October 8, 2026.

Getting It at a PSA Outlet

1. Book a slot at appointment.psa.gov.ph. The PSA says appointments are free. Senior citizens, persons with disabilities, pregnant women and holders of the PhilSys National ID may have priority lanes; check the outlet's rules.
2. On the day, get a queue number, fill in the application form in printed letters, and have it screened.
3. Pay at the window. The PSA's charter lists ₱155 per copy (₱125 processing fee plus ₱30 documentary stamp tax) for a Birth, Marriage or Death Certificate and ₱210 (₱180 plus ₱30) for a CENOMAR. Outlets hosted by a city or municipality may add a local fee.
4. Wait for release. Most copies come out the same day, but a record that has to be checked by hand can take longer.

Government fees can change. Always check the current amount with the office before you pay. Last checked October 8, 2026.

Sending Someone Else: The Authorization Letter

If you cannot go yourself, give your representative an Authorization Letter. The PSA's outlet rules say the letter must:

• say specifically that it is for getting a civil registry document from the PSA (a general "for whatever purpose" letter is not accepted);
• name the document and give the details asked for in the application form;
• be signed by you, with a name and signature that match your ID.

Your representative brings your ID (a photocopy) and their own ID (the original and a photocopy). A Special Power of Attorney (SPA, a notarized written authority) also works if it states the same purpose. If the appointment slip was booked for the representative, it should carry their name.

If the PSA Has No Record or the Copy Is Unreadable

Sometimes the PSA issues a negative certification (no record found), or the archived copy is blurred. This usually means the local civil registry office never sent the record, or the record was lost or damaged on the way.

1. Go to the LCRO of the city or municipality where the birth, marriage or death was registered. Ask for a certified copy of the record and ask them to endorse it (send it officially) to the PSA.
2. The PSA also offers endorsement on request: bring the PSA negative certification (and a copy of the LCRO certificate, if you have it). The PSA's charter lists no fee and about 20 working days, depending on how fast the LCRO responds.
3. Once the record is loaded into the PSA database, request your PSA copy again.

If the LCRO has no record either, the event was never registered, and you need late registration. If the record exists but has a wrong entry, see correcting PSA records.