How to get a PSA birth certificate online or by appointment
To get a PSA birth certificate, order it online through an authorized PSA channel for delivery on security paper (SECPA), request a digitally signed E-Certificate, or book a slot in the PSA appointment system and apply at a Civil Registry System outlet. Every route needs the record's exact details and a valid ID.
Most offices ask for a "PSA copy" of your birth certificate: the copy the Philippine Statistics Authority prints on its security paper (SECPA), not the one your city or municipal civil registrar keeps. You can get it without leaving home, as a digital file, or in person. Choose by how the receiving office wants it and how soon you need it.
Pick the route that fits
| What you need | Route |
|---|---|
| A paper PSA copy delivered to your address | Order online through PSA Serbilis or PSAHelpline.ph, PSA's authorized online channels |
| A file you can send by email or upload | Order a PSA E-Certificate, a digitally signed PDF |
| To apply in person, or a request the online channels do not cover | Book the PSA appointment system and apply at a CRS outlet |
| The copy abroad | Order online for international delivery, then arrange the courier the channel asks for |
PSA Helpline also offers ordering inside the eGovPH app; search for "PSA" after logging in.
Prepare the record details
Online and at the counter, you are matched to the record by its details, so copy them from a reliable source before you start:
- Full name of the person on the certificate, exactly as registered.
- Date and place of birth (city or municipality and province).
- Father's full name and mother's full maiden name.
- Your own valid ID, with your name and birthday matching what you type.
- A delivery address where you or your authorized representative can receive it.
PSA Serbilis lists who may order online: your own certificate and those of your child, your parents and your spouse. PSAHelpline.ph requires online requesters to be of legal age.
Order online for delivery
- Choose "Birth Certificate" on the channel and accept its terms.
- Say whose certificate it is, then fill in the birth details and the parents' names.
- Enter your own details and the type of valid ID you will show the courier.
- Give the delivery address, the purpose and the number of copies, then pay through one of the listed channels.
- Keep the reference number to check the status.
The courier releases the document only to you or a representative you named. On PSAHelpline.ph that is done with an online Letter of Authorization, which asks you to upload a copy of your valid ID and pass a live selfie check.
Get a PSA E-Certificate
The E-Certificate is a scanned PDF of your PSA certificate signed with an Adobe Approved Trust List (AATL) digital signature. You fill in the request, pay, upload a valid government ID and take a liveness selfie, then download the signed PDF. Recipients can verify the signature in Adobe Acrobat Reader or upload the file to the channel's tamper check.
Send the E-Certificate exactly as you downloaded it. Any edit, compression or conversion removes or breaks that digital signature, and the file stops being verifiable. Ask the receiving office first whether it accepts an E-Certificate or wants the SECPA paper copy.
Apply in person with an appointment
The PSA appointment system books a slot at a PSA Civil Registry System outlet: choose the purpose and outlet, enter the requester's name, email and mobile number, confirm the one-time PIN sent by email, choose the document and the date. Bring the filled-in application form, valid IDs and, when you request for someone else, an authorization letter or special power of attorney. A representative may file up to two requests.
If the office also wants a photocopy of your valid ID, the front-and-back copy tool puts both sides on one page to print and sign. It produces an image-based copy for that purpose, not a PSA document.
After you receive it
Check the name, dates and parents' names before using it. Errors in the registered record are corrected through the civil registrar, not by reprinting. Keep the SECPA copy flat and dry, and store the E-Certificate PDF unaltered. If you send a personal copy for reference only, you can mark it with its purpose.
The same channels also issue the PSA marriage certificate and the CENOMAR. A PSA birth certificate is often asked for together with a barangay clearance or when you apply for a National ID.
PSA birth certificate questions
Do I need an appointment to get a PSA birth certificate?
Not for online orders. PSA Serbilis, PSAHelpline.ph and the E-Certificate service work without a visit. Walk-in requests at a PSA Civil Registry System outlet go through the PSA appointment system.
Is the E-Certificate the same as a PSA copy on security paper?
Both are issued through PSA, but they are different formats. The E-Certificate is a digitally signed PDF; the SECPA copy is printed on security paper. Ask the receiving office which one it accepts.
Can I order my parent's or child's birth certificate?
PSA Serbilis allows orders for your own birth certificate and those of your child, your parents and your spouse. For other people, apply at a CRS outlet with the authorization the office requires.
Can I scan my old PSA copy instead of ordering a new one?
A scan is a personal copy. Some offices accept it as a reference, but when they ask for a PSA copy they usually mean a document issued by PSA, so check their requirements first.