How to Get a Marriage License in the Philippines – A Guide
UPDATED!
Like you, I was looking for a helpful resource on how to get marriage license Philippines tips in all possible platforms. But I couldn’t find one that actually helped. Haha.
Due diligence, I called up a few friends, and a few government offices to help shed light on how I can get one for us around five months before our wedding. In the spirit of paying forward, I came up with this list to help the future bride to be’s and groom to be’s! Here’s a step-by-step guide on “how to get marriage license Philippines” that is easy to follow.
If you still have a few questions after going through this guide, just comment below and I’ll get back to you the soonest! ?
How to Get Marriage License Philippines Tips
Before we begin, take note of these two things first:
- You can apply for a marriage license in any of the following locations:
- Where either of you reside.
- Example: If you live in Quezon City while your fiancé/fiancée lives in Makati City, both of you can apply at either Quezon City or Makati City.
- You or your fiancé/fiancée’s hometown.
- There are also cases where you currently reside in the Metro but want to get married in your hometown. You can also apply for a marriage license there. Just remember that you have to personally appear upon application of the marriage license.
- Where either of you reside.
- You can use your marriage license anywhere in the Philippines.
- Example: You applied for and received your marriage license in Quezon City, you can use that if you’re getting married in Tagaytay, Cebu, Bohol, etc.
For the purpose of this guide, we will specify two kinds of requirements: Main (what is required in all cities and municipalities) and Secondary (what is required by some cities and municipalities). As you might by now, not all cities and municipalities require the same documents. Hindi ko din talaga sigurado bakit. Haha
Main Requirements
- Completely accomplished Marriage License application form, four (4) copies
- Birth Certificate from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA – formerly NSO)
- Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR) – Again, from PSA
- Certificate or Proof that you have completed marriage counselling / seminar.
- Note that some cities will require you to attend their marriage / family planning seminar even if you have attended one prior. It is best to check with your city/municipality for this one.
- Valid IDs (preferably Government IDs like Passport, UMID, Voter’s, etc)
- Personal appearance.
Secondary Requirements
So as previously discussed, some cities would require additional documents. Make sure to verify which additional documents you need to submit.
- Baptismal Certificate
- Residence Certificate / Tax Certificate / CEDULA
- Make sure to bring sandamakmak na photocopies of your documents just in case the offices ask you for a copy.
I have the requirements, what now?
Great job in getting those documents!
- You can now file your application to your chosen city / municipality.
- Bring pens, preferably black.
- Marriage license Philippines cost: Pay the necessary fees. Some cities charge PhP 280 as processing fee, others PhP 352. Again, verify this with the Treasurer’s office if your chosen city.
- Get the receipt and wait for 10 days. Your marriage license should be ready by then. Remember, the marriage license Philippines validity is only for 120 days from date of issue. Use wisely.
51 Comments
Danika Hillier
It’s really a nice and helpful piece of information. I am glad that you shared this helpful info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.
Rowelyn Alvarez
Hi my fiance and I is getting married next year dec2020 and came across with this site. My fiance and I are OFW’s residing in different countries. Would it be possible if someone from our immediate relative can pass the requirements for marriage license? We also have a limited vacation as well.
CHA
Hello, Rowelyn! Physical presence is one of the requirements in applying for the marriage license. I’ve read cases from a wedding group I joined prior that there are cities/municipalities who accepted application from one of the marrying parties, however this isn’t the case for all. I suggest to get in touch with your local civil registry to verify. Happy preps!
Juliet
Hello po,
Lilinawin ko lang po ulit mam ha, once we have our marriage license na from the city where we reside, tapos ang venue ng kasal namin ay sa ibang town or city na hindi rin namin hometown, do we need to process some documents sa town or city kung saan kami ikakasal? Pwede din po ba kami makakuha ng aming own na mag o-officiate sa civil wedding namin? Kasi beach wedding sya. Na confuse kasi ako sa part na kapag civil wedding ay either the city/municipal mayors/ judge sa town na yun ang pwede mag officiate.. Please enlighten me..Thank you po.
CHA
Hello, Juliet! Congratulations on your wedding!
1. Re: documents, if I remember correctly kapag beach wedding, some towns would require you to process environmental clearance or certificate. I can’t remember specifically what it was called! But you can double check with the town/resort/hotel regarding these requirements (if any). 2. YES! We had our wedding in Tagaytay and our officiating Pastor is based in QC. 🙂 All the best!
Ben Emme
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카지노
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Scot Shadrick
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lalei
Hi there.. My wedding is on April2019 my fiance is ofw. He will arrive a week before our wedding. Can I submit and file for request on marriage certificate? And his appearance is to follow when he arrives? Im helpless
CHA
Hi, Lalei! Congratulations on your wedding! Do you mean file for a Marriage License? If yes, I highly recommend you do so at least three months before your wedding. This gives you enough lead time in case there’s a delay in processing, highly unlikely but it’s always best to prepare ahead. Generally based on experience and stories from friends who got married, 1. personal appearance of the couple is a must alongside their requirements however; 2. you might want to try to submit a request letter, along with his valid ID, written by your fiancé explaining why he can’t file the request with you. I’ve seen an instance where only one was able to file the request, it’s worth a shot. Though again, option #1 is still the rule. 🙂 Hope we helped!
Ora Pilbin
I very lucky to find this web site on bing, just what I was looking for : D likewise bookmarked.
Axel
Hi! Me and my fiancee live permanently in Mindanao. Can we file our marriage licence here in manila? Even though our wedding will be held in mindanao?Since currently we are working here and its so costly if we will go to mindanao just to file our marriage licence. Thank you…
CHA
Hi, Axel! If you currently reside here in Manila and have a registered address here then you can apply for a marriage license in your current city.
Abegail
Hi. San po ba pwede kumuha ng marriage seminar certificate? I’ve read somewhere na sa DSWD pero may mga private din po na nagco-conduct, right?
CHA
Hello, Abegail! This is correct. Merong mga private na nagco-conduct ng mga marriage seminar, meron ding ino-offer ang mga simbahan (usually kung saan kayo ikakasal), and meron din sa mga LGUs. 🙂
Paula
Hi! I’m asking for my bestfriend. Can they atennd the pre-wedding seminar in their home province and get married in Metro Manila?
CHA
Hi! Yes they can. As long as they get the certificate of completion of the pre-wedding seminar! 🙂
Laurie Brunderman
its fantastic as your other blog posts : D, thankyou for posting.
Faye
Hi there! How much does pre marriage counseling/seminar cost?
CHA
Hi, Faye! Cost of pre-marriage counselling or seminar depends on where you’ll get it. Some city halls offer their own pre-marriage seminars as well as some independent organizations. As for us, we registered with Victory Katipunan’s Marriage Preparation Seminar–i believe the cost then was PhP 1,000 per couple for a two-day seminar. 🙂 Hope this helps!
michelle
Hello
Question: you mentioned to wait 10 days for the marriage license, is that 10 business days or 10 calendar days?
So if I submit the requirements on January 16, 2020, will I get the marriage license on January 26, 2020? or January 31, 2020?
Thanks!
CHA
Hi, Michelle! It’s 10 business days. If you submit on January 16, 2020 you can pick it up on January 31, 2020. The registrar staff will also usually write when you can pick-up your MC on your claim stub. 🙂 Hope this helps! Congratulations!
Edgelyn
Hi…is it possible that marriage license be released in less than 10working days?
CHA
Hello, Edgelyn! Hmm, I am not sure about that since the 10 working days is the standard processing time. It is best to ask this with your local civil registrar.
Axel
Hi! Me and my fiancee live permanently in Mindanao. Can we file our marriage licence here in manila? Even though our wedding will be held in mindanao?Since currently we are working here and its so costly if we will go to mindanao just to file our marriage licence. Thank you…
bernadeth
Im currently residing in UK and my BFs in the Philippines… how could we file an application for marriage license? he sent me a copy of the actual license and told me to have it notarized in the embassy and send it back to him..is this correct?
CHA
Hi, Bernadeth! As far as requirements-on-paper go, personal appearance is required. However, in cases with restrictions like yours, it’s possible that the city/municipal hall required your fiancé a consularized copy of the marriage license in lieu of your presence.
Monet
Hi…is it possible to get a marriage license from a municipality where you don’t actually reside? For some personal reasons, I don’t want the people in my place to know that I am getting married so I plan to get a license and get married in another town.
CHA
Hi, Monet! There are pre-requisites in applying for a marriage license. See below:
You can apply for a marriage license (ONLY) in any of the following locations:
A. Where either you or your fiancé/fiancée reside.
Example: If you live in Quezon City while your fiancé/fiancée lives in Makati City, both of you can apply at either Quezon City or Makati City.
B. You or your fiancé/fiancée’s hometown.
There are also cases where you currently reside in the Metro but want to get married in your hometown. You can also apply for a marriage license there. Just remember that you have to personally appear upon application of the marriage license.
Hope this helps!
Marry
Have a blessed day,can we file a marriage license here in manila since my adress in Davao but I’m presently residing here in manila and my fiancee is a foreigner…can I apply a marriage license here in manila city hall…I hope you can help me…thank you
CHA
Hi, Marry! Yes you may request for your marriage license in Manila and use in Davao. In fact, you can use it anywhere in the Philippines. 🙂
jen-jen
madam pwedeng kumuha ng Marriage License kahit hindi kau kasal sa civil?
CHA
Hi, Jen-jen! Yes! Actually yung marriage license ay requirement before kayo magpakasal. Isa-submit ito prior to your wedding. 🙂
Tin
Hi. I’m just having a little bit of a confusion. Marriage license is only valid for 120 days? What does it mean? Hope to get a reply. Thanks.
CHA
Hi, Tin! The 120 days validity means that you can only use the license within the given time frame. When it expires, you’ll have to request another license as you can no longer use it.
Sam
After po ba makuha un marriage license pwede na agad magpakasal? Or maghihintay pa po ng ilang weeks or month bago magpakasal?
CHA
Hello! Technically speaking, pwede ka na magpakasal after getting the marriage license AND securing other wedding requirements na hinihingi from you. 🙂
Mela
Hi! When do we need to submit the marriage license? Is it okay to submit it a week or few days before your wedding date?
CHA
Hi, Mela! Depende iyon sa requirement ng church or kung sino or anong entity yung magha-handle ng wedding niyo. In our experience, we submitted the marriage license and other requirements sa church two months before our wedding. 🙂 My recommendation is as much as possible, submit documents or process requirements the earliest you can. 🙂
Jean unabia
Ask ko Lang po pwed po ba kmi kumuha ng marriage licence khit nandtu po kc kmi sa Quezon City Pru taga mindanao kmi pwed po ba dtu kumuha ng licence khit sa mindanao kmi ikasal ty po
CHA
Hi, Jean! Yes. Valid ang marriange license anywhere. Pwede kayo kumuha ng ML sa QC and pwede siya gamitin anywhere in the Philippines. 🙂 For us, sa Rizal namin kinuha yung ML namin but sa Tagaytay City kami nagpakasal. 🙂
Lyka Gimenez pelayo
Hello po? Ask ko lang, this month we are planning to process our marriage license requirements but my partner is still in Croatia, he is Croatian citizen..by july he will be here in cebu for our marriage, we are planning civil wedding in lapu-lapu city cebu and the church wedding will be in his hometown in Croatia. Do you have any idea if I can process everything on my own without him and file our marriage schedule on his arrival so we can attend both for the marriage counseling? Or is it ok just to pay for that counseling without attending it?? Anyways we are both in our 30’s..thank you
CHA
Hi, Lyka! Per most requirements that I read prior to applying for a marriage license, personal appearance of both parties is required. You can directly coordinate with your local civil registry if they’ll allow you to process the application without him. 🙂 Next, highly recommended to attend the seminar and not just pay for it–especially so if you’ll be attending your church’s seminar. 🙂
Kimmy Domingo
Hi, were you able to process wothout your partner’s personal appearance? I was having the same problem since the maxed number of leave he can get is 15 days for this year. He is based in the US.
CHA
Hello, Kimmy! In our city, they required physical appearance. I would highly suggest you get in touch with them (if you’re not in Manila, have someone check this for you in your City Hall or Municipal Hall). If you present your case, they might be able to help you better–best scenario is they allow you to file for both of you! But these approvals are highly dependent on your local office. All the best!
Dj
Hi po! Ilan pong copy ng PSA birth cert at cenomar ang need dalhin? Then, yung certificate of completion po ng seminar.. dapat po ba dala na din upon application? Or pede pong to follow nalang? Thank you po
CHA
Hello! Bring photocopies AND yung original documents upon application ng marriage license niyo. Kailangan yung Certification of Completion ng seminar pagpunta sa city/municipal hall.
Ria
Hi, I hope it’s not too late to comment. 2023! Haha. I just to need to confirm: what if we processed our license in Laguna but we want to get married in Tagaytay by a judge. Is that possible? I meant, will Tagaytay Municipal Court wed a couple that is not under their court/jurisdiction but already has the license? I hope my question makes sense. Need help! Thank you. 🙂
CHA
Hello, Ria! Haha It is never too late! Congratulations on your wedding! Yes, you can use it. Based on the marriage requirements, you can get the marriage license either at your wedding location (Tagaytay) or where you (or your partner) resides–assuming you are both Filipinos. There should be no problem I think as long as you have the marriage license–we got ours in Manila but got married in Tagaytay, too! 🙂
Maine
Hi po ask ko lang po, if pwede po anywhere in the ph ung marriage license, sample got it from mandaluyong, pwede po ba kami mag civil wedding at city hall to other place like manila city hall? thank you.
CHA
Hello, yes! You can use the marriage license anywhere in the Philippines regardless of where you got it. ☺️