A method and system for efficiently identifying materialized view candidates for queries filters materialized views using certain criteria, using the materialized view signatures. This filtering rejects some of the unqualified materialized views prior to the performance of the query rewrite matching algorithm, resulting in a group of materialized view candidates. The query rewrite matching algorithm is then performed on the materialized view candidates. By first filtering the materialized views based on their signatures, the number of materialized views on which the query rewrite matching algorithm is performed is significantly reduced, improving performance.