About the Author
Kwok is a practising solicitor based in London, admitted in England & Wales and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. He is registered with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. Kwok has worked as legal counsel and in-house solicitor across leading firms and corporations. He personally oversees every apostille and legalisation case at Ginkgo Advisory, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and end-to-end quality control.
Kwok Lam
Legal Consultant of Ginkgo Advisory
GRO certificate price list: what you need to know before ordering
If you need a birth certificate, death certificate, marriage certificate, civil partnership certificate or adoption certificate from the General Register Office (GRO), the cost depends on three main points:
- whether you order online, by phone or by post
- whether you provide a GRO index reference
- whether you choose the Priority Service or Standard Service
If you need the certificate for overseas use, you may also need a UK FCDO apostille and, in some cases, further embassy legalisation or consular attestation.
Ginkgo Advisory can assist with the full process, including GRO certificate ordering, UK apostille, embassy legalisation and courier delivery.
GRO Priority Service
The GRO Priority Service is suitable if you need the certificate quickly.
If the GRO receives your application before 4pm, the certificate will usually be despatched on the next working day.
The certificate is normally sent by 1st class post. You may also be able to choose:
- Royal Mail Next Day Delivery
- Royal Mail Saturday 9am
- DHL Overseas Delivery
Royal Mail does not guarantee 9am delivery to all UK postcodes, so delivery availability may depend on the address.
GRO Priority Service fees
Online application
- Full certificate with a GRO index reference: £38.50
- Full certificate without a GRO index reference: £42.00
- Additional copy of the same certificate ordered at the same time: £38.50
Phone or postal application
- Full certificate with a GRO index reference: £43.00
- Full certificate without a GRO index reference: £46.50
- Additional copy of the same certificate ordered at the same time: £38.50
If you do not provide a GRO index reference and ask the GRO to search the index on your behalf, an additional indexing fee is included.
GRO Standard Service
The GRO Standard Service is suitable if the certificate is not urgently needed.
If you provide a GRO index reference, the certificate will usually be despatched on the fourth working day after the GRO receives the application.
If you do not provide a GRO index reference, the certificate will usually be despatched on the fifteenth working day after the GRO receives the application.
Standard Service certificates are normally sent by 2nd class post.
GRO Standard Service fees
Online application
- Full certificate with a GRO index reference: £12.50
- Full certificate without a GRO index reference: £16.00
- Additional copy of the same certificate ordered at the same time: £12.50
- Online View digital image: £3.00
- PDF: £8.00
- Commemorative certificate with a GRO index reference: £38.50
- Commemorative certificate without a GRO index reference: £42.00
Phone or postal application
- Full certificate with a GRO index reference: £17.00
- Full certificate without a GRO index reference: £20.50
- Additional copy of the same certificate ordered at the same time: £12.50
- Commemorative certificate with a GRO index reference: £43.00
- Commemorative certificate without a GRO index reference: £46.50
PDFs and Online View digital images are only available online.
GRO PDF and Online View digital images
For some historic records, the GRO offers PDF copies and Online View digital images.
A PDF will normally be available in your online account within four working days if the order is received before 4pm. The GRO will notify you by email when the PDF is ready.
Online View digital images will be available in your online account once the order has been completed.
These digital options may be useful for research, family history or checking record details. However, if you need a document for overseas legal, immigration, marriage, visa, probate or government use, the receiving authority may require an official certificate rather than a PDF or digital image.
GRO refund policy
If the GRO cannot find the record you requested, it may retain an administration fee of £4.00 for certificate orders.
Any additional administration fees may also be non-refundable. This can include fees paid because you did not apply online or because you did not provide a GRO index reference.
This is why it is important to check the record details carefully before ordering.
How Ginkgo Advisory can help
Ginkgo Advisory can assist if you need a GRO certificate for overseas use.
We can help you:
- identify the correct type of GRO certificate
- order the official GRO certificate where required
- check whether the certificate is suitable for overseas use
- arrange the UK FCDO apostille
- offer a 2 working day UK apostille service where available
- arrange embassy legalisation, consular legalisation or attestation if required
- return the completed document by tracked courier in the UK or overseas
Our service is especially useful if you are outside the UK, need a UK certificate quickly, or need the document prepared correctly for a foreign authority.
Simple process
Step 1: Send us the details
Tell us which certificate you need, such as a birth certificate, death certificate, marriage certificate, civil partnership certificate or adoption certificate.
Step 2: We check the GRO route
We check whether the certificate can be ordered online, whether a GRO index reference is needed, and whether Priority Service or Standard Service is more suitable.
Step 3: We order or receive the certificate
If required, we assist with ordering the official GRO certificate. If you already have it, you can send us a clear scan first.
Step 4: We arrange the FCDO apostille
Once the certificate is ready, we arrange the UK apostille. A 2 working day apostille option may be available.
Step 5: We arrange further legalisation if needed
If the destination country requires embassy legalisation, consular attestation or further authentication, we arrange the next step.
Step 6: We courier the completed document
We send the completed certificate to you by tracked courier.
Need a GRO certificate for overseas use?
If you need a GRO birth certificate, death certificate, marriage certificate, civil partnership certificate or adoption certificate for use abroad, Ginkgo Advisory can help with the full document route.
We can assist with GRO certificate ordering, FCDO apostille, embassy legalisation and international courier delivery.
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