diff --git a/extensions/openpower-pels/pel_types.hpp b/extensions/openpower-pels/pel_types.hpp
index b836942..3d9e457 100644
--- a/extensions/openpower-pels/pel_types.hpp
+++ b/extensions/openpower-pels/pel_types.hpp
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@
 namespace pels
 {
 
+/**
+ * @brief Useful component IDs
+ */
 enum class ComponentID
 {
     phosphorLogging = 0x2000
@@ -35,11 +38,33 @@
     extUserData = 0x4544         // 'ED'
 };
 
+/**
+ * @brief Useful SRC types
+ */
 enum class SRCType
 {
     bmcError = 0xBD,
     powerError = 0x11
 };
 
+/**
+ * @brief Creator IDs
+ */
+enum class CreatorID
+{
+    fsp = 'E',
+    hmc = 'C',
+    hostboot = 'B',
+    ioDrawer = 'M',
+    occ = 'T',
+    openBMC = 'O',
+    partFW = 'L',
+    phyp = 'H',
+    powerControl = 'W',
+    powerNV = 'P',
+    sapphire = 'K',
+    slic = 'S',
+};
+
 } // namespace pels
 } // namespace openpower
diff --git a/extensions/openpower-pels/private_header.cpp b/extensions/openpower-pels/private_header.cpp
index fc62df1..2265497 100644
--- a/extensions/openpower-pels/private_header.cpp
+++ b/extensions/openpower-pels/private_header.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "private_header.hpp"
 
+#include "log_id.hpp"
 #include "pel_types.hpp"
 
 #include <phosphor-logging/log.hpp>
@@ -11,6 +12,42 @@
 
 using namespace phosphor::logging;
 
+PrivateHeader::PrivateHeader(uint16_t componentID, uint32_t obmcLogID,
+                             uint64_t timestamp)
+{
+    _header.id = static_cast<uint16_t>(SectionID::privateHeader);
+    _header.size = PrivateHeader::flattenedSize();
+    _header.version = privateHeaderVersion;
+    _header.subType = 0;
+    _header.componentID = componentID;
+
+    _createTimestamp = getBCDTime(timestamp);
+
+    auto now = std::chrono::system_clock::now();
+    _commitTimestamp = getBCDTime(now);
+
+    _creatorID = static_cast<uint8_t>(CreatorID::openBMC);
+
+    // Add support for reminder and telemetry log types here if
+    // ever necessary.
+    _logType = 0;
+
+    _reservedByte = 0;
+
+    // the final section count will be updated later
+    _sectionCount = 1;
+
+    _obmcLogID = obmcLogID;
+
+    _id = generatePELID();
+
+    _plid = _id;
+
+    // Leave _creatorVersion at 0
+
+    _valid = true;
+}
+
 PrivateHeader::PrivateHeader(Stream& pel)
 {
     try
diff --git a/extensions/openpower-pels/private_header.hpp b/extensions/openpower-pels/private_header.hpp
index 66126a0..9c522a2 100644
--- a/extensions/openpower-pels/private_header.hpp
+++ b/extensions/openpower-pels/private_header.hpp
@@ -12,6 +12,11 @@
 struct CreatorVersion
 {
     uint8_t version[8];
+
+    CreatorVersion()
+    {
+        memset(version, '\0', sizeof(version));
+    }
 };
 
 static constexpr uint8_t privateHeaderVersion = 0x01;
@@ -42,6 +47,17 @@
     /**
      * @brief Constructor
      *
+     * Creates a valid PrivateHeader with the passed in data
+     *
+     * @param[in] componentID - the creator's component ID
+     * @param[in] obmcLogID - the corresponding OpenBMC event log ID
+     * @param[in] timestamp - the creation timestamp, in epoch milliseconds
+     */
+    PrivateHeader(uint16_t componentID, uint32_t obmcLogID, uint64_t timestamp);
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Constructor
+     *
      * Fills in this class's data fields from the stream.
      *
      * @param[in] pel - the PEL data stream