Executive summary

In the Philippines, a marriage license number is issued by the Local Civil Registry Office (LCRO) of the city or municipality where either party resides. There is no single public national website where anyone can type a number and instantly confirm if it is real. Verification typically involves (1) checking a PSA-issued marriage certificate for license data and security features, and (2) confirming the number directly with the issuing LCRO. Online-only verification is possible only if the relevant LGU offers an e-service (many do not). This article explains the law, the records involved, and all practical verification routes.

The legal backdrop

Family Code of the Philippines (E.O. 209)
- Essential/formal requisites include a valid marriage license unless exempt (e.g., Articles 27–34).
- The license is issued by the LCRO where either party habitually resides after compliance with documentary requirements and publication of banns.
- Validity: 120 days from the date of issue; void thereafter. Valid anywhere in the Philippines within that period.
Act No. 3753 (Civil Registry Law) & implementing rules: LCROs maintain civil registry books and transmit records to the Civil Registrar General.
R.A. 10625: PSA (formerly NSO) serves as Civil Registrar General and maintains the national civil registry database.
R.A. 10173 (Data Privacy Act): Civil registry data are personal information; public “look-up” tools are restricted, which is why most LGUs do not publish searchable license-number databases.
FOI (E.O. No. 2, s. 2016): You may request information from Executive Branch offices subject to privacy and legal limits.

What exactly is the “marriage license number”?

A local registry control number assigned by the issuing LCRO to a Marriage License (the document authorizing the solemnization), not to be confused with:
- the Civil Registry Number (CRN)/Registry No. on PSA certificates, or
- the Book/Registry Page/Entry numbers kept by the LCRO for the Marriage Certificate.
Where it appears:
- On the face of the Marriage License issued by the LCRO; and
- On the PSA Marriage Certificate (if a license was required), typically listed in fields describing the license number, date of issue, and issuing LCRO.

When a marriage license is not required (so there may be no license number)

Under the Family Code, a license may be exempt (e.g., marriage in articulo mortis; marriages abroad under Philippine consular authority; parties who have cohabited for at least 5 years with no legal impediment and execute the requisite affidavits under Article 34). In such cases, the PSA marriage certificate usually notes “no license per Article __”, and no license number exists to verify. Your task then is to confirm the exemption basis rather than a license number.

The three practical verification paths

Path 1 — Check a PSA-issued Marriage Certificate (quick screen)

Obtain a PSA copy (on security paper).
Look for the fields stating the Marriage License No., Date Issued, and Issuing LCRO.
Check internal consistency:
- License date must precede the marriage date and fall within 120 days before it.
- Issuing LCRO should correspond to the residence of at least one party at the time of application (not necessarily the place of marriage).
Security checks (anti-tamper basics):
- Security paper with serials and microprint; modern PSA copies often include machine-readable features (e.g., a QR/barcode and certificate control numbers) used to validate the certificate’s authenticity.
- Ensure the certificate is a PSA-issued copy, not just an LCRO photocopy unless the LCRO has certified it as a true copy.

If the PSA certificate shows a license number with correct chronology and a matching issuing LCRO, that’s a strong first-level verification. For conclusive validation of the license number itself, proceed to Path 2.

Path 2 — Confirm directly with the issuing LCRO (definitive)

Because the license number is a local control number, the issuing LCRO is the source of truth.

What to request

A Certification of Marriage License (confirming number, names of parties, date of issuance, validity period, and status), or
A Certified True Copy of the Marriage License and/or the Marriage License Application and supporting entries (if available).

How to request (common practice)

Submit:
- Names of both parties (including middle names),
- License number you wish to verify (if known),
- Date of issuance (approximate if unsure),
- Valid government ID,
- If you are a representative: Authorization letter and IDs; for formal/legal use, some LCROs may require a notarized SPA.
Channels:
- In person at the LCRO;
- Email/phone indicated on the LGU’s website; some LGUs accept scanned requests and release digital certifications or schedule pick-ups.
Fees & timelines: Minimal certification fees apply; processing time varies by LGU (often same day to a few working days).
If you don’t know the issuing LCRO: Use (a) the residence history of either party at the time of marriage, (b) the PSA certificate (it names the issuing LCRO), or (c) contact the LCRO of the place of marriage to trace the forwarding records.

Path 3 — Use any LGU e-services (if available)

Some cities/municipalities operate e-portals for civil registry requests, status tracking, or appointment booking. These typically do not publish a free-text license-number search to the public, but may let you apply online for a license certification (Path 2) and receive the result electronically or via pickup/courier.

Step-by-step checklists

A. I have a PSA Marriage Certificate and want to quickly verify the license details

Locate the License No., Issuing LCRO, and Date Issued on the PSA certificate.
Confirm the date is within 120 days before the marriage date.
Confirm the LCRO is a plausible issuer (a city/municipality where either party resided).
If any red flag appears (see below), contact the LCRO named on the certificate for a Certification of Marriage License.

B. I only have the license number and the parties’ names (no PSA copy)

Identify the likely LCRO (where either party resided when they applied).
Ask that LCRO for a License Certification—provide names, date range, and the number you were given.
If the LCRO has no record, consider adjacent LGUs where the parties also resided.

C. I need a document for court, visa, or HR due diligence

Request from the LCRO a Certification of Marriage License (or Certified True Copy of the License/Application).
Pair it with a recent PSA Marriage Certificate (security-paper copy).
If the marriage was license-exempt, ask the LCRO (or PSA) for a certification of the exemption basis reflected in the record.

Common red flags (and what they usually mean)

License date after the wedding date → Not valid; licenses authorize the ceremony and must pre-date it.
License older than 120 days at the time of marriage → License was expired at solemnization.
Issuing LCRO has no record of the license number → Possible fabrication, miscoding, or issuance by a different LGU.
License listed for a different pair of parties → Wrong number or fraudulent document.
PSA certificate notes “no license per Article 34/____” but a party is presenting a “license number” → Inconsistent; investigate.
Typographic anomalies (impossible series, wrong LGU code, inconsistent formatting) → Check with the LCRO; formats differ by LGU and by year.

Special scenarios

Marriages abroad (Filipino parties): No Philippine marriage license. The marriage is valid per the law of the place of celebration; it should be reported to the Philippine embassy/consulate (Report of Marriage) for transmittal to PSA. Verification involves the foreign marriage record and the PSA ROM copy, not a Philippine license number.
Muslim or indigenous customary marriages: Documentation and licensing may follow special laws or customs; coordinate with the Shari’ah court/registered solemnizing authority and the LCRO/PSA for how the event was registered and what reference numbers exist.
Judicial corrections/late registrations: If entries were corrected or the marriage was late-registered, the LCRO/PSA may hold notations—ask for a marginal annotation printout or a certification explaining the status.

Evidence map: which paper proves what?

Document	Who issues	What it proves	Useful for license verification
Marriage License (original)	LCRO (city/municipality)	License number, date issued, parties authorized	Primary (if you have it)
Certification of Marriage License	LCRO	Confirms the license number was issued to the named parties on a specific date	Gold standard
Marriage Certificate (PSA)	PSA	Event was registered; shows license number/issuing LCRO (if applicable)	Strong secondary
Marriage Certificate (LCRO certified true copy)	LCRO	Local registry entry; often faster to obtain than PSA	Strong secondary
Report of Marriage (PSA)	PSA	For marriages abroad; no PH license	Not applicable to license numbers

Templates you can use

1) Request for Certification of Marriage License (email/letter)

Subject: Request for Certification of Marriage License – [Parties’ Names] To: The Local Civil Registrar City/Municipality of [LGU]

I am requesting a Certification of Marriage License for the following:

Parties: [Name of Groom] and [Name of Bride] (with middle names)

Approx. date of license issuance: [MM/DD/YYYY or month/year]

Claimed License No.: [if known]

Address/residence at the time of application: [address]

Purpose: [e.g., employment due diligence/visa/court filing].

I am attaching valid ID(s). If issued, kindly advise the fees, processing time, and release options (pickup/courier/email).

Thank you, [Name, contact number, email]

2) Authorization Letter / SPA (for personal representative)

I, [Principal’s Name], hereby authorize [Representative’s Name] to request and receive from the LCRO of [LGU] the Certification of Marriage License and/or certified copies related to my marriage to [Spouse’s Name]. Attached are copies of our valid IDs.

[Signature] — [Date]

(For formal/legal use, execute a notarized Special Power of Attorney if required by the LCRO.)

Practical tips & FAQs

Can I verify a license number purely online? Usually no. Some LGUs accept online requests and release certifications digitally, but a public, nationwide “search-by-number” portal is not standard practice.
Is the license number the same as the registry number on the PSA certificate? No. They are different identifiers serving different parts of the record system.
Do I need both an LCRO certification and a PSA copy? For routine checks, the PSA copy may suffice. For legal/due-diligence purposes, pair the PSA copy with an LCRO certification.
What if the 120-day validity lapsed but the wedding still happened? That’s a serious defect in a formal requisite. Seek legal advice; remedies may involve void or voidable marriage analysis depending on facts and jurisprudence.
The PSA copy says “license not necessary” but the couple insists they had one. Treat as a red flag; obtain the LCRO certification and/or clarify the exemption basis.
Who can request license verification? Generally, either party to the marriage or an authorized representative. Third parties may need to show legitimate interest consistent with privacy rules.

Bottom line

The authoritative recordkeeper of a marriage license number is the issuing LCRO.
The PSA Marriage Certificate is your best first stop and often enough for non-contentious purposes.
For conclusive verification—or if anything looks off—obtain a Certification of Marriage License from the LCRO that issued it.
Be mindful of license exemptions, 120-day validity, and privacy rules that limit public search portals.