Quick answer

To obtain Form 137 as a Certified True Copy, request it from the school that keeps the learner’s permanent academic record. Form 137 is now generally called School Form 10 or SF10. The school registrar, school head, or authorized records custodian must compare the photocopy with the official record and certify it—not the learner, a photocopying shop, or ordinarily a notary public.

A proper certified copy should be legible and complete and should bear:

A “CERTIFIED TRUE COPY” or equivalent certification;
The certifying officer’s signature;
The officer’s printed name and position; and
The date of certification.

If the document is only for domestic employment, scholarship, or another local transaction, the school-certified copy may be sufficient if the receiving office expressly accepts it. If it will be used abroad, a Certified True Copy alone is normally not enough: basic-education records generally proceed through DepEd Certification, Authentication and Verification (CAV) and then DFA Apostille or authentication.

First, confirm what the recipient actually requires

“Certified True Copy,” “CAV,” and “Apostille” are different documents and should not be treated as interchangeable.

Requirement	What it does	Issuing office
Certified True Copy	Confirms that a copy matches the record held by the custodian	School or other office with lawful custody
DepEd CAV	Verifies the authenticity and availability of a basic-education record	DepEd Regional Office, following the applicable school/SDO process
DFA Apostille or Certificate of Authentication	Authenticates the origin of the Philippine public document for foreign use	Department of Foreign Affairs

Ask the employer, school, embassy, immigration authority, licensing body, or court whether it wants:

A school-issued Certified True Copy only;
A DepEd CAV package;
A DFA Apostille or authentication after CAV; or
Direct school-to-school transmission of the permanent record.

This prevents unnecessary expense and delay.

Form 137 and SF10 refer to the permanent academic record

Form 137 is the familiar former name of the learner’s permanent record. DepEd’s current forms identify the record as SF10, such as SF10-ES for elementary and SF10-JHS for junior high school. Older records may still bear the Form 137 designation. The change in form name does not, by itself, invalidate an older properly issued record.

For enrollment or transfer, the receiving school may require the permanent record to be sent directly by the originating school. Under DepEd Order No. 54, s. 2016, learners and their parents or guardians should not hand-carry the permanent record when it is being transferred from one school to another. A personal Certified True Copy is therefore not necessarily a substitute for an official school-to-school transfer.

How to request the Certified True Copy

1. Identify the lawful records custodian

Start with the school where the learner completed or last attended the relevant level. Contact its registrar, records office, or school head.

Prepare these details so the record can be located accurately:

Full name used while enrolled;
Learner Reference Number, if known;
Date of birth;
Years attended;
Grade level and year of graduation or completion;
Former section or student number, if available; and
Purpose and destination of the document.

DepEd Central Office does not ordinarily keep individual learners’ school records. DepEd has repeatedly directed requesters to the school or the Schools Division Office with jurisdiction over it, as reflected in its official FOI guidance on Certified True Copies of Form 137.

2. Submit the school’s requirements

The school may require:

A written request;
The learner’s valid government-issued ID;
A school ID or other enrollment proof, if available;
An authorization letter and IDs if a representative will apply;
Proof of parental authority or guardianship for a minor; and
The required number of photocopies.

An adult learner’s records contain personal information. A parent, relative, employer, or agent should not assume that relationship alone authorizes access. The school may reasonably require the record owner’s written authority under the privacy and security duties imposed by the Data Privacy Act of 2012.

Requirements for representatives are not entirely uniform. Some DepEd offices accept an authorization letter with copies of both parties’ IDs; others require a Special Power of Attorney, particularly when the applicant is abroad or the record belongs to a minor. Confirm this before sending a representative.

3. Ask the custodian to certify the copy

The custodian should compare the copy against the record actually held by the school. Current DepEd records guidance provides that an authenticated copy should be stamped “CERTIFIED TRUE COPY” and signed by the certifying officer, with the officer’s printed name, position, and date.

For a multipage record, ask whether every page must be individually certified or whether the office uses a certification covering a stated number of attached pages. Follow the receiving authority’s rule if it is stricter. Do not add a certification stamp or signature yourself.

4. Inspect the document before leaving

Check that:

Every required page is present and in the correct order;
Names, dates, grades, school years, and graduation information are legible;
Both sides were copied if the original contains entries on the back;
The certification is signed and dated;
The signer’s printed name and official position are shown;
Any corrections are properly initialed or authenticated;
The school name and identifying information are clear; and
The number of certified sets matches the recipient’s requirement.

Do not alter, erase, crop, digitally clean, or retype any entry. If an entry is wrong, use the formal correction process instead of modifying the copy.

Is notarization enough?

Usually not.

A notary’s seal does not replace certification by the school or lawful custodian. For foreign use, DFA specifically requires Certified True Copies from the school together with the DepEd CAV for elementary and high-school documents such as Form 137 and the diploma. See the DFA documentary requirements for school documents.

If a recipient separately asks for a notarized affidavit—for example, an affidavit explaining a name discrepancy—that affidavit may need notarization. That does not turn an uncertified photocopy into the school-issued Certified True Copy required by DepEd or DFA.

For court use, tell the lawyer or court exactly where the record is held. Under Sections 24 and 25 of Rule 132 of the 2019 Amendments to the Rules on Evidence, proof of an official record may require a copy attested by the officer who has legal custody or the officer’s deputy. The attestation must state, in substance, that it is a correct copy and must bear the official seal, if the attesting officer has one. Whether a particular school record qualifies and what additional proof is required depend on the school, the purpose for which it is offered, and the issues in the case.

Additional steps when the record will be used abroad

1. Obtain the school documents for CAV

DepEd Order No. 48, s. 2017 governs the Certification, Authentication and Verification of basic-education school records.

A DepEd Regional Office may require some or all of the following:

Form 137/SF10 and the prescribed number of school-certified copies;
Diploma and certified copies;
Certification of enrollment, completion, or graduation, commonly CAV Form 4;
School transmittal or endorsement, commonly CAV Form 5;
PSA birth certificate or passport;
Passport-size photographs;
Certified list of graduates;
Special Order for a private-school graduate, when applicable; and
Authorization documents and IDs for a representative.

The exact copy count and filing method vary. For example, DepEd MIMAROPA’s official CAV guidance generally lists two certified copies of Form 137/SF10, while DepEd Region III’s current appointment page lists Form 137 with one photocopy. Use the current checklist of the Regional Office that has jurisdiction over the school.

2. Follow the school–SDO–Regional Office procedure

Begin with the school. Ask whether it will transmit the documents through the Schools Division Office or whether the Regional Office allows the applicant to submit a pre-evaluated package.

Some regions require online pre-evaluation or an appointment before accepting the physical documents. Others use walk-in or locally prescribed transmittal procedures. Do not rely on a checklist from a different region.

If the school or DepEd office places the records in a sealed envelope, do not open it unless the receiving office instructs you to do so.

3. Obtain DFA Apostille or authentication

For DFA processing, elementary and high-school documents require:

Certified True Copies from the school; and
DepEd CAV.

DFA Aseana and participating DFA Consular Offices currently accept applications through the DFA Apostille Application and Appointment System. Only the document owner or a properly authorized representative should apply. A representative must bring the required authorization and identification documents; additional rules apply when the record owner is a minor.

An Apostille authenticates the origin of the public document. It does not independently certify that every grade or statement in Form 137 is true.

If the destination is a country where the Apostille Convention applies, an Apostille will generally replace embassy legalization. If the Convention does not apply, DFA advises the applicant to contact the destination country’s embassy or consulate because further legalization may be required. See the DFA Apostille FAQ.

As of the source-check date, DFA’s fully digital e-Apostille program covers specified PSA eCertificates and CHED eCAVs. It should not be assumed to cover a DepEd CAV for basic-education records unless DFA officially adds that document type.

Processing periods and fees

There is no single nationwide processing period or fee for obtaining a school-certified Form 137. It depends on whether the school is public or private, whether the record is already archived, and what the applicable Citizen’s Charter provides.

For covered government transactions, Republic Act No. 11032 generally requires action within the period stated in the agency’s Citizen’s Charter, subject to maximum periods of:

Three working days for a simple transaction;
Seven working days for a complex transaction; and
Twenty working days for a highly technical transaction.

The period ordinarily runs from receipt of a complete application. A permitted extension must follow the law and the applicable Citizen’s Charter.

Do not treat a short transaction time published by one region as a nationwide guarantee. For example, the DepEd Region VIII Citizen’s Charter states a 30-minute CAV transaction for one complete, prevalidated application, but expressly allows additional time when several clients are being served.

DFA’s current fee page lists regular processing after five working days at ₱100 and expedited processing after two working days at ₱200. Its online appointment terms separately state a ₱200 appointment payment that includes the first declared document. Because the live booking system and payment instructions may be updated, verify the amount displayed during booking and retain the official receipt. Consult the DFA schedule of fees before paying.

Special situations

The school has closed

Contact the Schools Division Office that had jurisdiction over the school. Records from a closed private school should have been turned over to the appropriate SDO as part of the closure process. Bring any documents that can help locate the record, such as a diploma, report card, school ID, graduation program, receipts, or old correspondence.

Do not assume that DepEd Central Office has a backup copy. If the permanent record cannot be found, ask the SDO in writing what substitute, reconstruction, or certification is legally available for the specific purpose. A substitute accepted for school transfer may not necessarily satisfy a foreign authority or DFA.

The school changed its name, merged, or relocated

Ask the successor school or SDO to identify the current custodian. Preserve proof connecting the former and present school names, especially if the recipient might question the difference.

The original was already sent to another school or college

Tell the former school and SDO where the record was sent and when. Do not submit an ordinary college-file photocopy unless the relevant DepEd Regional Office confirms that it will accept that copy and its certification.

The name or birth details do not match the PSA record or passport

Correct the school record before requesting final certification whenever possible. Do not ask the school to certify a manually edited photocopy.

Correction procedures vary but may require a written request, PSA birth certificate, school endorsement, valid IDs, an affidavit of discrepancy, and affidavits of disinterested persons. Start with the school and the SDO Legal Unit. A regional example is DepEd Zambales’ official correction-of-school-records procedure.

The school refuses or cannot act

Ask for the reason and missing requirements in writing. Then escalate in this order:

School head or registrar;
SDO Records Unit;
SDO Legal Unit or Office of the Schools Division Superintendent;
DepEd Regional Office Records Section; and
DepEd public-assistance channel.

If a public office fails to follow its Citizen’s Charter after receiving a complete request, preserve the receiving copy and follow up in writing. An appropriate complaint may be filed through the Anti-Red Tape Authority’s electronic complaint system.

Evidence and records to preserve

Keep:

A copy of the written request;
Proof of submission and the receiving officer’s acknowledgment;
Official receipts;
Appointment and pre-evaluation emails;
Reference or tracking numbers;
The recipient’s written requirements;
Copies of authorization letters, SPAs, and IDs used;
Photographs or scans of the completed certified documents before submission; and
Written explanations concerning delays, missing records, or discrepancies.

Store scans securely. Form 137 contains personal and educational information and should not be posted publicly or sent through unverified social-media accounts.

Common mistakes to avoid

Certifying your own photocopy;
Treating notarization as a substitute for school certification;
Going to CHED for an elementary or high-school record;
Assuming a Certified True Copy is already a DepEd CAV or DFA Apostille;
Requesting the wrong record when the receiving school requires direct transfer;
Using an incomplete or unreadable photocopy;
Booking a DFA appointment before obtaining the DepEd CAV;
Ignoring differences among the Form 137, diploma, PSA record, and passport;
Following another region’s copy count or appointment procedure;
Paying a fixer for an appointment or “rush” certification; and
Opening or altering an officially sealed package.

When help is urgent

Seek immediate assistance from the school and SDO if:

A visa, deployment, enrollment, court, or licensing deadline is approaching;
The school is closing or its records are at risk of being transferred;
The record cannot be located;
The school and PSA records contain materially different names or birth details;
An office suspects the document is altered or fraudulent;
A receiving authority rejects a properly issued CAV or Apostille; or
A court has ordered production of the record.

Consult a Philippine lawyer when a court deadline, subpoena, alleged falsification, disputed identity, or threatened loss of legal rights is involved. A lawyer should review the actual documents because certification does not resolve factual discrepancies by itself.

Frequently asked questions

Can I download Form 137 online and have it certified?

A blank form or self-generated record is not a Certified True Copy. Certification must be based on the completed official record in the custody of the school or authorized DepEd office.

Can a lawyer certify my photocopy?

A lawyer’s notarization is not a substitute for the school custodian’s certification when the recipient, DepEd, or DFA requires a school-issued Certified True Copy.

Does the DepEd Regional Office issue the Certified True Copy?

The school normally prepares and certifies copies of the record it holds. The Regional Office performs CAV. If the school has closed or the record has been lawfully transferred, the SDO or another authorized custodian may handle the request.

Do I need the original Form 137?

The school generally retains the official permanent record. For CAV, some Regional Offices require presentation of an original school-issued record together with certified photocopies. Follow the applicable Regional Office checklist rather than demanding removal of the school’s archival record.

Can someone else process it for me?

Yes, subject to the office’s authorization and identification requirements. An authorization letter may be sufficient in some offices, while an SPA may be required in others, especially for minors or applicants abroad.

Is a Certified True Copy valid forever?

Do not assume that every recipient will accept an older certification. A school record may remain historically accurate, but an employer, embassy, court, or foreign agency may impose its own recency requirement. Obtain that requirement in writing before applying.

Is the process completely online?

Not uniformly. Some schools and DepEd regions allow online requests or pre-evaluation, but physical certified records may still be required. DFA appointments are booked online, while the available DFA digital Apostille services do not currently mean that every DepEd basic-education record can be processed entirely electronically.

Official sources

This article provides general Philippine legal information, not legal advice for a particular case. Requirements can vary by school, DepEd office, destination country, and receiving institution. Verify the current Citizen’s Charter and written requirements before filing. Sources checked as of 24 August 2026.