CENOMAR for marriage: how to get one, cost and validity

A CENOMAR (Certificate of No Marriage Record) is the PSA document that proves no marriage is registered under your name. Each of you needs one to apply for a marriage license. It costs ₱210 at a PSA outlet or ₱420 delivered through PSAHelpline, and registrars want it issued within six months before you apply.

That's the short version. Below: how to order it, how long it takes, how many to get, and what to do if the PSA sends back something else.

What is a CENOMAR, and why do you need one?

When you apply for a marriage license, the Local Civil Registrar (LCR) has to be sure neither of you is already married. The CENOMAR is how it checks: a certificate from the Philippine Statistics Authority saying its national records show no marriage for you.

Strictly, the Family Code doesn't name the CENOMAR. Article 12 asks for birth certificates. But registrars list it anyway, including Quezon City and Davao City. Church weddings need the license too, and parishes such as the Manila Cathedral ask Filipino couples for a CENOMAR directly.

How much does a CENOMAR cost?

Fees checked October 2026:

For a couple, that's ₱420 walk-in or ₱840 delivered. Add your PSA birth certificates (₱155 walk-in, ₱365 delivered, each) and you have most of the PSA side of the marriage license.

How do you get a CENOMAR?

Online, delivered

1. Go to PSAHelpline.ph or PSA Serbilis and pick CENOMAR.
2. Enter your full name, birth date and place, and both parents' names, with your mother's maiden name. Copy them exactly as they appear on your PSA birth certificate.
3. Choose the purpose (marriage), the number of copies and your delivery address. Pay online or over the counter.
4. Wait for delivery and show a valid ID that matches the request when the courier arrives.

PSAHelpline says you can order online for yourself, your child or your parents. For anyone else, go to an outlet.

Walk-in at a PSA outlet

1. Book a free slot on the PSA online appointment system. PSAHelpline's guide says outlets need the appointment slip and that it can't be transferred.
2. Arrive at least 30 minutes early with one valid government ID.
3. Fill in the application form, pay ₱210 per copy in cash, and keep the official receipt.
4. Claim the CENOMAR at the releasing window.

Sending someone else? They need your authorization letter or a special power of attorney, plus their own ID and yours. PSAHelpline adds that a representative can request for no more than two unrelated people.

How long does it take?

Those are the normal cases. If the PSA has to search or fix a record by hand, it takes longer, so order at least a month before you plan to file. Delivery times are from PSAHelpline and Moneymax, checked October 2026.

How long is a CENOMAR valid?

The certificate doesn't technically expire. What matters is the rule of whoever asks for it. PSAHelpline says the CENOMAR for a marriage license must be issued within six months before you apply, and that's what most LCRs follow.

The license itself is then good for 120 days (Family Code, Article 20). Put together, a sensible timeline looks like this:

Order too early and the CENOMAR is stale when you file. Order a year out "to be safe" and you'll be buying it twice.

How many CENOMARs do you need?

One per partner. The LCR keeps your original with the license application. Each of you orders your own; nobody can get a "couple's CENOMAR."

If you're marrying in church, ask the parish what it wants. St. Michael the Archangel Parish in BGC accepts a photocopy for its file. Other parishes may want an original of their own, in which case order two copies each in the same request. That saves a second courier fee.

What if you get an "Advisory on Marriages" instead?

If the PSA finds any marriage under your name, it doesn't issue a CENOMAR. It issues an Advisory on Marriages, which lists the marriages on record. Same paper, same fee.

That's expected if you were married before. To remarry, you'll also need the paper that ended the earlier marriage. The Family Code asks for the death certificate of a late spouse, or the court decree of annulment, nullity or divorce (Article 13), and your PSA marriage record should already be annotated with it. A foreign divorce must first be recognized by a Philippine court.

If the advisory lists a marriage you never entered, don't panic, but don't ignore it. The PSA won't delete an entry on request. Correcting a wrong or fake record usually takes a court petition, and the LCR won't issue a license while it stands. Talk to a lawyer as soon as you see it.

Does a foreign partner need a CENOMAR?

Only if their birth or marriage would be in Philippine records. A foreigner born and registered abroad has no PSA record to search. Instead, they need a certificate of legal capacity to contract marriage from their embassy (Family Code, Article 21). Our guide to foreigners marrying in the Philippines covers that by country.

Common CENOMAR mistakes

• Typing a name that doesn't match your PSA birth certificate. A missing middle name or a different spelling can mean a "no record found" delay.
• Ordering it a year early. It will be past six months when you file.
• Using a married name for the request. Use the name on your birth certificate.
• Forgetting the church. Ask the parish before ordering whether it needs its own original.

Once the papers are in, tell your guests

The paperwork comes first, but your guests need the date long before the license is out. Ceremo's Save the Date mode, free on every plan, publishes just your cover and a countdown, a link you can send in the family group chat while the documents are still in progress. When the details are final, the same link becomes your full invitation, with an RSVP link for each household. It's free for up to 50 guests. Start your wedding website.

For the rest of the paperwork, see the civil wedding requirements and church wedding requirements checklists.