NSO Marriage Certificate (Now PSA): Timeline, Fees, Online Order
Wednesday, September 9, 2026
Quick answer
The NSO marriage certificate is now issued by the PSA, and old NSO copies stay valid. Your officiant must file your record within 15 days. The PSA's own FAQ says to wait 2 to 4 months after the wedding in Metro Manila, or at least 6 months elsewhere, then order online at psaserbilis.com.ph for PHP 330.
What people still call an NSO marriage certificate is now a PSA copy, because the National Statistics Office was the PSA's predecessor. You do not get it on the wedding day: your officiant files the record, the local civil registry keeps it, and only later does it reach the PSA. Below are the official waiting time, fee and delivery times, the online steps, and fixes for a missing record or a misspelled name. If you married abroad, use a Report of Marriage instead.
Is an NSO marriage certificate the same as a PSA one?
Yes. Republic Act 11909 gives certificates "issued, signed, certified, or authenticated by the PSA and its predecessor, the NSO, and the local civil registries" "permanent validity regardless of the date of issuance", on two conditions: the document "remains intact, readable, and still visibly contains the authenticity and security features", and, for a marriage certificate, the marriage has not been judicially annulled or declared void.
| Copy | Issued by | Status under RA 11909, Section 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Old NSO-printed certificate | National Statistics Office | Named as valid; no need to re-order for age alone |
| Current PSA copy on security paper | PSA | Named as valid |
| Certified copy from the LCR | Local civil registry | Also named as valid |
| Copy without a QR code | PSA | Valid per the Serbilis FAQ if intact, readable and showing security features; the PSA e-Verification app scans the QR code where printed |
Two clocks: the officiant's 15 days and the registrar's monthly report
Clock 1 puts your record in the local registry book. Clock 2 moves it to the PSA. The Family Code sets no period for clock 2, but the Civil Registry Law does.
| Clock | Stage | Who acts | The rule | What you can check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Signed certificate reaches the local civil registrar (LCR) | Your solemnizing officer | "not later than fifteen days after the marriage" (Family Code, Art. 23) | Ask the officiant for the LCR's receipt |
| 1 | Record entered in the registry book | LCR | No period in the Family Code | Request an LCR copy in person |
| 2 | Record reported to the Civil Registrar-General | LCR | "during the first ten days of each month, a copy of the entries made during the preceding month" (Act 3753, Sec. 12(e)) | Ask the LCR whether your month's report has gone |
| 2 | Copy printed on PSA security paper | PSA | No period stated in the sources we read; see the next section | Order online |
Article 23 also says "Proper receipts shall be issued by the local civil registrar to the solemnizing officer transmitting copies of the marriage certificate", so ask your officiant for it. The thirty days in Articles 29 and 30 cover only marriages in articulo mortis or in a remote place; an ordinary licensed wedding, as in our civil wedding requirements checklist, is on the fifteen-day clock.
How long before you can order the PSA copy
Before you file a request, the PSA's ordering site says to allow "at least two (2) to four (4) months after the date of birth/marriage/death, if the birth/marriage/death occurred within Metro Manila" and "at least six (6) months after the date of birth/marriage/death, if the birth/marriage/death occurred outside Metro Manila". The count starts on the wedding date.
| Where the wedding took place | Earliest sensible order date | Example: wedding on 15 Nov 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Metro Manila | 2 to 4 months after the wedding | 15 Jan to 15 Mar 2027 |
| Anywhere else | At least 6 months after the wedding | 15 May 2027 or later |
The example dates are our arithmetic. Ordering early costs money: the FAQ's example is a three-week-old birth record, which it says would most likely get "a certification (negative) instead of the certificate you are requesting"; it adds that a record can take several months to be received, verified and digitized. The site has a "NO REFUND policy" for paid requests.
Your timeline: officiant in week two, LCR in month one, order after the wait
- Week two. Ask your officiant to confirm the certificate reached the LCR and to show the receipt.
- Month one. Ask the LCR where the wedding took place for a certified copy. If they can issue one, your record exists. Proofread it now: this is the cheapest moment to catch a misspelling. Ask whether it has gone to the PSA, and write down the answer.
- After the waiting period. Order online.
How to get a marriage certificate online, step by step
- Open psaserbilis.com.ph. Its FAQ calls it "the official web component of the PSA's CRS-IT project". Compare any other site's price with the fee table below before you pay.
- Choose Marriage Certificate, then how to receive it: door-to-door delivery, LBC branch pick-up, delivery to an embassy, government agency E-Copy, or Viewable Online.
- Enter your details. The site asks for sex, civil status, date of birth and parents' names first, then both spouses' names, the date and place of marriage, and the copies.
- Pay. Online by card, or by GCash, GrabPay or ShopeePay for delivery or pick-up within the Philippines; you are charged immediately. Over the counter through BDO, UnionBank, Bayad, Maya, GCash or ECPay, with two printed copies of the acknowledgment page.
- Track it. Check Status with the 16-digit reference number shows the payment date, result and courier tracking number.
You cannot edit a submitted request; if unpaid, the FAQ says to "submit another request with the correct entries".
What it costs
| Item | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| First copy, door-to-door delivery within the Philippines | ₱330 | Also the first-copy price for LBC pick-up and for delivery to an embassy in the Philippines |
| Second copy of the same certificate, same order | ₱280 | ₱330 less ₱50 per additional copy |
| DHL Express delivery | Billed separately by DHL | The FAQ says the charge goes to the requester's account |
| Overpayment | Coordinate with your bank or payment centre | The FAQ says the centre notifies the PSA, and the request is verified before any excess is returned |
| Cancelling after payment | Not possible | Cancel by not paying; the site has a no-cancellation policy |
Fees checked on PSA Serbilis on 30 September 2026. PSA CRS outlets exist (the FAQ sends Viewable Online payers to one), but we could not open the PSA's outlet page, so we give no walk-in fee or requirements; ask the outlet.
How long delivery takes after you pay
The site's Terms and Conditions give these figures, counted after payment.
| Delivery address | Time after payment | Add |
|---|---|---|
| Metro Manila | Around 3 to 4 working days | 5 to 7 days outside the courier's standard serviceable areas |
| Provinces | Around 6 to 8 working days | 5 to 7 days outside the courier's standard serviceable areas |
| Any address, if the PSA must search manually | As above | 10 to 15 working days, per the FAQ |
The FAQ separately says Metro Manila shipments are scheduled for next-day delivery once the PSA finishes processing; plan on the Terms figure.
Who may request it, and who may receive it
| Question | What PSA Serbilis says |
|---|---|
| Whose marriage certificate can you order? | "your own marriage certificate and the marriage certificates of your parents, and your spouse (if you are married/widowed)" |
| What does the courier ask for? | A valid ID |
| Can a representative receive it? | Yes, with the owner's ID and the representative's ID (original or photocopy) plus a letter or SPA |
| What must the letter say? | That its purpose is to secure civil registry documents from the PSA, and which document; a general purpose is not accepted |
| Handwritten letter allowed? | Yes, on clean paper, signed exactly as on the owner's ID; an SPA must be notarized |
Registered at the LCR, but the PSA sends a negative certification
The Serbilis FAQ says to follow the instructions attached to the certification and ask the LCRO "of the place where the birth/marriage/death was registered" to endorse a copy to the PSA. You can first fill in the free Electronic Endorsement Request form on the site and bring it printed. After endorsement, place a new request; the earlier reference number can no longer be used.
Article 23 sends the filing to the LCR "of the place where the marriage was solemnized", not where either of you lives.
If the LCR has no record of your marriage
Filing is not among the formal requisites in Article 3 of the Family Code (the officer's authority, a valid license unless exempt, and a ceremony before two witnesses), so a missing filing is a registration problem. The PSA FAQ points to endorsement or delayed registration, each with its own documents. Bring your signed copy and ask the LCR which route applies.
If a name is spelled wrong
Small errors go through the LCR, not a court, under Republic Act 9048 as amended by Republic Act 10172, whose definition covers a "mistake committed in the performance of clerical work in writing, copying, transcribing or typing an entry in the civil register that is harmless and innocuous, such as misspelled name or misspelled place of birth, mistake in the entry of day and month in the date of birth or the sex of the person or the like", with the proviso that "no correction must involve the change of nationality, age, or status of the petitioner". Anything beyond that needs a court order.
| Step | What the Act requires |
|---|---|
| Where to file | At the LCR keeping the record; if you have moved, at your current LCR when returning is impractical; abroad, at the nearest Philippine consulate |
| How often | A petition "may be availed of only once" |
| Posting | "ten (10) consecutive days" |
| Decision | "not later than five (5) working days after the completion of the posting and/or publication requirement" |
| Review by the Civil Registrar General | "within ten (10) working days from receipt of the decision" |
| Supporting papers | A certified copy of the record plus "at least two (2) public or private documents showing the correct entry" |
The corrected entry must still reach the PSA database, so ask the LCR how long that takes. The Act only authorizes "reasonable fees".
Using your new surname is optional
Civil Code Article 370 says a married woman "may use" her maiden first name and surname with her husband's surname added, her maiden first name with his surname, or his full name prefixed by a word such as "Mrs." Nothing requires you to drop the name you have. Before updating SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, your bank or your passport, check each one's own requirements. Our last-month wedding checklist shows where this fits.
In short: message your officiant in week two, visit the LCR in month one, and order online after the PSA's waiting period.
Frequently asked questions
Is an NSO marriage certificate still valid?
Yes. Republic Act 11909 gives certificates issued by the PSA and its predecessor, the NSO, permanent validity regardless of the date of issue. The copy must be intact, readable and still show its authenticity and security features, and the marriage must not have been annulled or declared void.
How long does it take to get a marriage certificate after the wedding?
The PSA's FAQ says to allow at least 2 to 4 months after the wedding if it took place in Metro Manila, and at least 6 months if it took place elsewhere, before you order. Ordering earlier risks a negative certification: in the FAQ's example, a three-week-old record would most likely get one.
How much is a PSA marriage certificate online?
On the PSA Serbilis site the first copy costs PHP 330 for door-to-door delivery within the Philippines, LBC branch pick-up or delivery to an embassy in the Philippines. A second copy of the same certificate costs PHP 280. The site has a no-refund, no-cancellation policy once you pay.
How do I get a marriage certificate online?
Go to psaserbilis.com.ph, choose Marriage Certificate, pick how to receive it, fill in the online application, and pay by card, e-wallet or over the counter. You get a 16-digit reference number that you use under Check Status to track the order.
Who can request a PSA marriage certificate?
On PSA Serbilis you may order your own marriage certificate, your parents' marriage certificate and your spouse's if you are married or widowed. Someone else can receive it for you with your ID and a signed authorization letter or a notarized SPA that names the document.
What is a negative certification and what do I do about it?
It means the PSA has no matching record yet. Follow the instructions attached, ask the local civil registry office where the marriage was registered to endorse the record to the PSA, and then place a new request, because the old reference number cannot be reused.
Is a PSA marriage certificate valid without a QR code?
Yes, according to the PSA Serbilis FAQ, as long as the document is intact, readable and visibly shows its authenticity and security features under Republic Act 11909. The PSA e-Verification app can scan the QR code printed on a certificate.