How to Apply for a Marriage License

Every couple planning to get married, be it a church wedding or a civil wedding, needs to apply for a marriage license first in order for their union to be legally binding. You will never be allowed to marry without this important document. While there are people complaining how tedious it is to apply for one, it actually shouldn’t be if you follow the proper procedure and you have all the documents needed.

To apply for a marriage license, here are the requirements:

1. CENOMAR (Certificate of No Marriage) from NSO. This is to prove that you are both single and free to marry.
2. Birth certificate of the couple.
3. Affidavit of parental consent if either of you is between the ages 18 and 21. For anyone aged between 22 and 25, a written parental advice stating your intent to marry maybe necessary.
4. Certificate of Attendance in a pre-marriage counseling, family planning, and responsible parenthood seminar. Your local/city  civil registrar will refer you to DSWD (civil wedding) or church (church wedding) for pre-marriage counseling, while the municipal/city health unit is in-charge of family planning and responsible parenthood seminar.

Process:

1. Go to your local civil registry office and fill out an application form (Form 90). The form is divided into two parts; left side to be filled out by the groom and the right side is for the bride.
2. Attach the requirements above and submit the accomplished form to yours or your partner’s municipal/city registry office.
3. Marriage license is released 10 days after the submission of accomplished form and required documents. Once issued, the license will only be valid within 120 days or four months.

What To Do:

Now that you know the basic requirements to bring, here are the steps you need to follow in order to get the marriage license:

1. Get an application form (Form 90) from the local registry office.
2. Fill out the form. The left portion of the sheet should be filled out by the groom while the other half is for the bride.
3. Attach the necessary documents (see list of requirements above) and submit the accomplished form to either you or your partner’s municipal office. To avoid hassles and long queues, go to the municipal office either in the morning or right after lunch.
4. Get the claim slip. If you haven’t attended the required seminars yet, the slip that will be given to you is the one that asks you to attend the  pre-marriage counseling, family planning, and responsible parenthood seminar (see list of requirements above). You will then present the certificate of attendance to claim your marriage license.
5. Wait for 10 days before the marriage license is released. Once issued, the license will only be valid within 120 days or four months.