The Cost of Marriage Annulment in the Philippines

(A practitioner-oriented explainer, updated to mid-2025)

1. Two distinct proceedings—and why “cost” depends on which one you mean

Civil annulment / declaration of nullity	Church (canonical) annulment
Filed in the Regional Trial Court (Family Court). Results in a civil decision that alters civil status in all public records.	Filed before a diocesan tribunal. Purely religious; has no effect on the civil Registry unless the parties later secure a separate court judgment or recognition.
Governed by the 1997 Rule on Declaration of Absolute Nullity of Void Marriages & Annulment of Voidable Marriages (last streamlined 2024).	Governed by the 1983 Code of Canon Law and diocesan tariff schedules.
Costs: Court fees, publication, professional witnesses, psychological evaluation, attorney’s fees, incidental costs.	Costs: Tribunal docket, psychological evaluation (often optional), canonical advocates, documentary fees.

Below, “annulment” means the civil proceeding unless stated otherwise.

2. Breakdown of expenses in a civil annulment / nullity case

Cost item	Typical range (PHP)	Notes & key rules
Filing & docket fees	Ph 2,500 – 5,000 (no property); up to Ph 15,000+ if community property must be inventoried	Fixed under Supreme Court Rule 141, plus IF (Judiciary Development Fund) & LDF (Legal Research Fund). Indigents (≤ Ph 20,000 monthly income or special circumstances) may file a verified pauper litigant motion and be exempt.
Sheriff’s & process server fees	1,000 – 3,000	For service of summons, transport, mileage outside court’s station.
Publication (once-a-week notice for 3 weeks in a newspaper of general circulation)	6,000 – 18,000	Court picks the paper; Metro Manila rates at the high end. Required only when the respondent is summoned by publication.
Psychological evaluation	20,000 – 60,000+	Not mandatory by law, but practically indispensable to prove psychological incapacity (Art. 36, Family Code) or vices of consent. Covers testing, report, and court testimony.
Professional witnesses other than the psych expert	5,000 – 15,000 per appearance	E.g., medical doctors, handwriting experts, social workers.
Attorney’s professional fees	80,000 – 250,000 lump-sum or Ph 2,500 – 6,000 per hearing (Metro Manila); often payable in tranches	Based on the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA, 2023) factors: novelty, importance, time involved, lawyer’s standing. Negotiable—always specify in a written retainer.
Out-of-pocket litigation costs	5,000 – 20,000	Certified true copies, notarizations, PSA certificates, transcript orders, travel, photocopies.
Post-judgment fees	500 – 1,500	Entry of judgment, certificate of finality, annotation with the PSA-LCRO.

Typical aggregate cash outlay: Provincial filing without property → Ph 120 k – 180 k total Metro Manila, with sizeable conjugal assets → Ph 200 k – 350 k total

3. Factors that push costs up—or down

Property relations – If the court must liquidate the spouses’ community/conjugal partnership, expect an itemized inventory, commissioners’ fees, appraisal reports, and higher docket fees (Rule 141 treats liquidation akin to a special proceeding on property).
Number of hearings – Each postponement means new appearance fees, transport, and possibly a replacement publication if the case stalls and the summons period lapses.
Service abroad – Summons via DFA or letter-rogatory adds courier and translation charges.
Contested vs. uncontested – A responsive spouse can waive cross-examination, accelerating the case and cutting lawyer time in half.
Choice of counsel – “Package” deals from some firms cover everything except publication and PSA fees, but scrutinize the fine print.
Venue – Manila and Makati courts sit weekly; smaller branches may hear family cases only twice a month, drawing the matter out.
Indigent status or PAO representation – The Public Attorney’s Office may handle nullity/annulment for clients whose net monthly income is ≤ twice the minimum wage and who own no real property worth > Ph 300 k. Court fees are also waived once the court approves the litigant’s pauper motion.
Judicial efficiency reforms – A 2024 OCA circular encourages continuous trial within six months and allows the psychological expert’s testimony to be taken by deposition, saving appearance fees.

4. Special categories and alternatives

Scenario	Distinct fee implications
Declaration of presumptive death (Art. 41)	Filing fees similar, but no psychological exam. Publication still mandatory; attorney’s fees lower (Ph 60 k – 120 k total).
Nullity for lack of marriage license (void ab initio)	Often unopposed; some courts grant on the pleadings after one summary hearing, trimming lawyer fees.
Muslim divorce (Talaq/Khulʿ) under PD 1083	Filed in Shari’a Circuit or District Court; docket ≈ Ph 500 – 2,000. No publication; however, mahr issues and idda maintenance may add cost.
Canonical (church) annulment	Diocesan tribunals charge Ph 40 k – 80 k inclusive of psychologist and two-stage Roman Rota appeal system. Payment is often on a “subsidia” (ability-to-pay) scale. To have civil effect, parties must later file an Art. 48 recognition case in the RTC and pay the usual civil fees again.

5. Timeline and opportunity-cost

Pleadings & psychological report: 1–3 months (longest part is psych scheduling).
Pre-trial to decision: 6 – 12 months (if continuous-trial rules are enforced; 18 – 24 months in congested dockets).
Finality & PSA annotation: 2 – 4 months after decision.

Every continuance translates to lost wages, extra travel, and renewed lawyer’s appearance fees—an often-ignored “hidden cost.”

6. Practical tips to manage or reduce expenses

Consolidate documentary work early: PSA files, baptismal records, CENOMAR, immigration stamps (for Bigamous or absence cases) in one go to avoid repeat trips.
Ask for a fixed-fee retainer tied to clear milestones (e.g., 30 % upon filing, 30 % after pre-trial, 40 % upon decision) to cap spiralling appearance charges.
Explore mediation on property and support issues before filing so the petition can proceed unopposed.
Coordinate depositions of the psychologist and hostile witnesses to cut repeated travel honoraria.
Verify the court calendar: Where feasible, file in a branch known for weekly family-court sessions.
Seek PAO assistance if you meet the means test—legal service and court fees become free.
Avoid “too good to be true” offers (e.g., “Ph 50 k guaranteed annulment, no hearing needed”). Signing false testimony or fake psych reports carries criminal liability—and re-filing later will inevitably cost more.

7. Post-annulment costs you shouldn’t forget

PSA annotation fee: ~ Ph 160 per copy of the altered Certificate of Marriage.
New civil registry entries for children’s legitimation (e.g., RA 11222 simulated birth rectification) or adoption: Ph 1,000 – 3,000 government fees + professional services.
Estate or property tax cleanup: Transfer fees and BIR certification if conjugal assets were partitioned.
Updating SSS/PhilHealth/GSIS/Pag-IBIG records: Usually free, but requires authenticated copies that cost time and money.

8. Ethical and policy backdrop

The Philippine Supreme Court recognizes that annulment is financially out of reach for many; hence its 2024 reforms emphasize affidavit-based direct testimony, videoconferencing, and mandatory continuous trial. Still, because psychological incapacity is a legal (not medical) concept, courts seldom waive the expert evidence—so its cost remains the single biggest line-item.

9. Bottom line (2025 pesos)

Shoestring, PAO-assisted case: ≈ Ph 0 court & lawyer fees; ~ Ph 20 k psych/report if volunteer experts agree to pro bono rates. Mid-range, uncontested annulment in the provinces: Ph 120 k – 180 k all-in. Contested nullity with conjugal property in Metro Manila: Ph 250 k – 400 k or more, depending on assets and lawyer seniority.

Remember: “Cost” isn’t limited to money. Time away from work, emotional bandwidth, and the possibility of reconciliation (which ends the case and the expenses) should weigh into the decision to file.

Disclaimer

This article is for general informational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized legal advice. Figures are based on typical tariffs observed in Philippine practice up to June 1 2025; actual costs vary by venue, lawyer, and case complexity. Always consult a licensed Philippine attorney or the Public Attorney’s Office regarding your specific circumstances.

Need help estimating your situation? Feel free to tell me more about your venue, property issues, or whether the case may be uncontested, and I can outline a more tailored budget plan or strategy.