Get Your PSA Birth Certificates and CENOMARs
Each of you needs a PSA Birth Certificate and a Certificate of No Marriage Record (CENOMAR). If something on your Birth Certificate is wrong, fix it first. A mismatch can hold up the license.
Apply for the Marriage License
Apply at the Local Civil Registrar where either of you lives. The application is posted for ten days before the license is issued, and the license is good for 120 days anywhere in the Philippines. Most registrars also ask for a pre-marriage counselling or seminar certificate.
Parental Consent or Advice, If You Are Under 25
If either of you is 18 to 20, a parent must give written consent. If either of you is 21 to 24, you must ask for parental advice. Couples who have lived together as husband and wife for at least five years, with nothing stopping them from marrying, can marry without a license by signing an Affidavit of Cohabitation.
After the Wedding
The officiant registers the marriage with the Local Civil Registrar. A PSA Marriage Certificate becomes available after the record reaches the PSA. A wife may use her husband's surname but does not have to. If she does, she updates her IDs one by one.
Not legal advice. This is general information. For advice on your own situation, consult a lawyer. If you cannot afford one, the Public Attorney's Office (PAO) or an IBP legal aid office may help for free.
Government fees, rules and requirements change, so always check with the office concerned before you go. Last reviewed October 8, 2026.