How to get a marriage license in the Philippines: the complete guide

A marriage license in the Philippines requires both partners to appear at their Local Civil Registrar with PSA birth certificates, a CENOMAR, valid IDs, and a pre-marriage counseling certificate. The application fee runs PHP 200 to PHP 1,000 depending on your LGU. After a mandatory 10-day posting period, the license is issued and stays valid for 120 days.

What documents do you need?

Both partners prepare the same set. Bring originals and at least one photocopy of each.

Some LCRs also require a barangay clearance from your current address. Call ahead. The extra trip for a missing document costs more in time than a phone call ever will.

Your CENOMAR must be issued within the past six months (PSA Helpline, 2026). A PSA birth certificate costs PHP 155 per copy at a PSA outlet or PHP 365 delivered through PSAHelpline, which includes courier and service fees (PSAHelpline, checked September 2026).

If either partner was previously married, you'll also need a court-issued annulment decree or declaration of nullity. For widowed applicants, bring the PSA death certificate of the former spouse. Divorce between two Filipinos isn't available under the Family Code. The exception: a Filipino whose marriage to a foreigner ended in a valid divorce abroad can remarry (Article 26), once a Philippine court has recognized that divorce.

How do you apply?

Both partners go to the Local Civil Registrar of the city or municipality where either one of you lives (Family Code, Article 9). You can get married anywhere in the country, but the license must come from where one of you resides. No representatives allowed.

1. Fill out the application form. Each partner files separately, under oath (Family Code, Article 11). Expect fields for your full name, date and place of birth, citizenship, civil status, current residence, and your parents' names and nationalities. Previously married applicants also declare how and when that marriage ended.

2. Submit your documents and pay the application fee. The registrar checks originals on the spot, so don't show up with photocopies only. Common rejections: an expired CENOMAR, a birth certificate with uncorrected entries, or a missing parental consent form for applicants under 21. Fees vary by LGU. Most charge PHP 200 to PHP 500, but La Trinidad, Benguet charges PHP 500 for the application plus PHP 300 for the pre-marriage orientation (LGU La Trinidad, 2026). Some Metro Manila offices run as high as PHP 1,000 (EventNest, 2026).

3. Attend pre-marriage counseling if you haven't already. Some LCRs only hold sessions on specific days of the week, so ask about the schedule when you file. Some registrars accept a Pre-Cana certificate for the counseling that applicants aged 18 to 25 need, since Family Code Article 16 lets a priest certify it. The family planning Certificate of Compliance still comes from your local Family Planning Office (RA 10354, Section 15). Our pre-marriage counseling guide explains who attends which session.

4. Wait out the 10-day posting period. Your names and intent to marry go up in a conspicuous spot at the LCR for 10 consecutive days, weekends included (Family Code, Article 17). The point: give the community a window to raise an impediment. Nobody ever does. But the waiting period can't be shortened for standard marriages, so budget for it.

5. Claim your license. Most LCRs release it on the first business day after the posting period ends. A small claim fee (PHP 2 to PHP 20) is collected at pickup.

Total timeline from first visit to license in hand: two to three weeks.

How much does the whole process cost?

That's the license and supporting documents only. Ceremony fees and reception costs are separate. Our civil wedding requirements guide breaks down the ceremony side; the wedding cost guide covers the full picture.

Couples who can't afford the fee can request a waiver. The Family Code (Article 19) requires the LCR to issue the license free of charge to indigent parties. You'll need to submit an affidavit or take an oath before the registrar confirming your situation.

What if one partner is a foreigner?

Any foreigner marrying in the Philippines must first get a Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage (CLCCM) from their embassy or consulate here. No CLCCM, no marriage license (PSA Helpline, 2026).

This certificate confirms the foreign partner is legally free to marry under their home country's laws. Most embassies ask for:

• A valid passport
• Proof of single status or a sworn declaration
• A divorce decree or death certificate if previously married, authenticated
• Photocopies of the Filipino partner's birth certificate and valid ID

Some embassies are fast. Denmark's Manila office issues the CLCCM on the same day of your appointment (Royal Danish Embassy, 2026). Others take one to two weeks. Give yourself at least a month before your LCR visit to avoid scrambling. The US and the UK don't issue a CLCCM at all; Americans sign an affidavit in its place, and British nationals use a UK Certificate of No Impediment or an embassy affidavit. Our guide to foreigners marrying in the Philippines covers both.

After that, the process is identical: apply together at the LCR, wait through the 10-day posting, and claim the license. Filipino citizens marrying each other don't need a CLCCM.

What about age requirements?

You must be at least 18 to marry. The Family Code adds two layers depending on your age:

Ages 18 to 20 need parental consent. Under Article 14 of the Family Code, a parent or legal guardian either signs it in person at the LCR or gives a sworn affidavit made before two witnesses and attested by an official who can administer oaths. No consent, no license.

Ages 21 to 25 need a parental advice form. Parents sign it but don't need to appear. If a parent refuses or can't be found, you can still proceed, but the registrar imposes a three-month waiting period before issuing the license (Family Code, Article 15).

At 26 and older, you need neither consent nor advice.

Once the license is issued

120 days. That's how long a Philippine marriage license stays valid from the date of issuance (Family Code, Article 20). Miss the window and you start over. You can use it anywhere in the country, not just the city where you applied.

After the ceremony, your solemnizing officer has 15 days to send the signed marriage certificate to the LCR where you married (Family Code, Article 23), which later transmits it to the PSA. The PSA copy is usually available 2 to 4 months after that transmittal for Metro Manila weddings and at least 6 months after for weddings elsewhere (PSAHelpline). A copy costs PHP 365 delivered through PSAHelpline or PHP 155 at a PSA outlet (checked September 2026).

Planning a church wedding? The license is one piece of a longer list. Our church wedding requirements guide covers the canonical track: baptismal certificates, the canonical interview, and banns. For a civil ceremony, the civil wedding requirements checklist walks through officiant options and ceremony fees.

Documents sorted, date set. Now for the part that eats more time than most couples expect: figuring out who's actually coming. Ceremo sends personalized RSVP links through Messenger or Viber, tracks every response in one place, and gives guests a QR code to find their table on event day. No app download, no account needed on their end. Our wedding checklist for the Philippines covers the full planning timeline.

Frequently asked questions

Can you apply for a marriage license online?

Some LGUs now offer online pre-application portals where you fill out the form and upload documents before visiting the LCR. The pre-application doesn't replace the in-person step. Both partners still need to appear, submit originals, sign under oath, and pay the fee (Respicio & Co., 2026). Treat the online filing as the start of the process.

What if your marriage license expires?

You reapply from the beginning. New CENOMAR (must be within six months), new posting period, new application fee. There's no renewal or extension option. If your wedding date is uncertain, apply closer to when you're confident rather than as early as possible.

Is a marriage license the same as a marriage certificate?

No. The license is the government's permission to marry, issued before the ceremony. The marriage certificate is the record of the marriage itself, signed during the ceremony and later registered with the PSA. You need the first to get the second.

Can you use the license in a different city from where you applied?

Yes. Anywhere in the Philippines.

Does the 10-day posting period count weekends?

Yes. The 10 days run consecutively, including Saturdays and Sundays. File on a Monday, and the posting covers that Monday through the following Wednesday. Most LCRs release the license on the Thursday after, though some need an extra business day for internal processing. If your wedding date is tight, confirm the release schedule when you apply.