UK Official Records
Official documents from the UK General Register Office
Ordering Birth, Marriage, Death & Adoption Certificates can be difficult if you are overseas or prefer to keep your original documents safe. Our team can obtain them on your behalf quickly and securely.
From £38 per document
Birth Certificates
Yes. All British birth certificates we supply are the long-form version, which includes full parents’ details. This is the format required for almost all official and legal purposes.
A UK birth certificate typically includes the following details:
– Registration district, sub-district, and county
– Full name of the person born
– Date of birth (note: the time of birth is not usually shown)
– Place of birth
– Father’s full name and occupation (if recorded)
– Mother’s full name and maiden name (plus any previous names)
– Signature, description, and residence of the informant
– Date of registration
– Signature of the registrar
– Date the certificate was produced
Yes. Under UK law, birth certificates are public records, which means anyone can request a duplicate.
For births registered within the past 50 years, you must provide the full details (including the exact date of birth and parents’ names, including the mother’s maiden name). This requirement is in place to protect against identity fraud.
No. The time of birth is not usually recorded on UK birth certificates.
Exceptions apply for multiple births (e.g. twins) and some Scottish registrations. Where the time of birth is not recorded, it cannot be added — this information may only appear in medical records, which are not accessible through birth certificates.
Birth certificates registered in England or Wales are available from July 1st 1837 to the present day. For Scottish registrations, certificates have been available since 1855. For Northern Ireland it is 1864.
Yes. The certificates we supply are certified, legal copies of the originals.
However, some overseas authorities may require the certificate to be legalised (for example, with an apostille or embassy attestation). Requirements vary, so we recommend checking directly with the authority requesting the certificate.
Yes. The information required depends on when the birth was registered:
– Within the past 50 years – all sections of the application form must be completed.
– More than 50 years ago – we only need the full name (or at least forename and surname), date or year of birth, and ideally the location.
If the name is common, we may require additional details to ensure the correct certificate is located. We will check records across a 5-year period as standard; if a wider search is needed, we will contact you to confirm the details.
Yes. All certificates we supply are the long-form version, which is the format required for passport and visa applications.
Marriage Certificates
A UK marriage certificate typically includes:
– Registration district, sub-district, and county
– Full name of both partners (including maiden name if applicable)
– Age of both parties
– Date and place of marriage
– Profession and residence of both parties at the time of marriage
– Father’s full name and profession for both parties
– Denomination of ceremony
– Names and signatures of two witnesses
– Date of registration
– Name of the registrar and the official conducting the ceremony
– Date the certificate was produced
Yes. Under UK law, marriage certificates are public records, so anyone can request a duplicate copy.
England and Wales: from July 1st, 1837 to the present. Scotland: from 1855. Northern Ireland: from 1864.
Yes. The certificates are legal copies of the original. However, some overseas authorities require the certificate to be legalised (e.g. with an apostille or embassy attestation). Requirements vary, so please check with the authority requesting the document.
Yes. We can supply most marriage certificates. However, certificates for marriages within the past 18 months may take slightly longer to obtain.
Yes. We require at least:
– The name of either party
– The date or year of marriage
– The place or area where the marriage took place
If the name is common, further details may be needed to ensure the correct certificate is located. We will search records for up to 5 years as standard; if a wider search is required, we will contact you.
Yes. The marriage certificates supplied are certified copies of the originals and are legally admissible for official use.
Death Certificates
A UK death certificate typically includes:
– Registration district, sub-district, and county
– Full name of the deceased
– Date and place of death
– Sex
– Maiden name (if previously married)
– Place and date of birth
– Full name of the informant
– Relationship of the informant to the deceased
– Address of the informant
– Cause of death
– Name of coroner (where applicable)
– Date of registration
– Name of registrar
– Date the certificate was produced
Yes. Under UK law, death certificates are public records, so anyone can request a duplicate copy.
England and Wales: from July 1st, 1837 to the present. Scotland: from 1855. Northern Ireland: from 1864.
Yes. The certificates are certified, legal copies of the originals. However, some overseas authorities require the certificate to be legalised (e.g. with an apostille or embassy attestation). Requirements vary, so please check with the requesting authority.
Yes. We can supply certificates up to the present day. However, deaths registered since 2007 may take slightly longer to process, as the central index is not yet fully available and a manual search may be required.
Yes. We need at least the deceased’s full name, the location of registration, and the approximate year of death. If the name is common, we may need additional details to ensure the correct certificate is located. We search records across a 5-year period as standard; if a wider search is required, we will contact you.
Yes. The death certificates supplied are certified copies of the originals and are legally admissible for official use.
Adoption Certificates
A UK adoption certificate typically includes:
– Registration district, sub-district, and county of birth
– Adopted full name of the person born
– Date of birth (time is not usually included)
– Adoptive father’s full name
– Adoptive mother’s full name
– Address of adoptive parents
– Occupation of adoptive parents (not always shown)
– Date of Adoption Order
– Court where the adoption was administered
– Date the entry was registered
– Signature of the appointed officer
– Date the certificate was produced
Yes. Anyone can request a duplicate adoption certificate, provided the necessary details are supplied. For adoptions within the past 50 years, full details (including date of birth and adoptive parents’ names) are required to prevent identity fraud.
England and Wales: from January 1st, 1927 to the present. Scotland: from 1930. Northern Ireland: from 1931.
Yes. All adoption certificates we supply are the long-form version, which includes full adoptive parents’ details. This format is required for almost all official and legal purposes.
This depends on the purpose. If you need the certificate to prove identity, you should request an adoption certificate, which replaces the birth certificate for adopted persons. If you need information about your natural birth, this will be on your original birth certificate. Please note, we would need your original birth name before we can supply a copy of the original certificate.
In most cases, no. Unless you already know your natural birth name, we cannot assist. You should contact the Adoptions Section at the General Register Office.
Yes. The certificates are certified, legal copies of the originals. However, some overseas authorities may require them to be legalised (e.g. with an apostille). Please check with the authority requesting the document.
Yes. We can supply certificates for recent adoptions, although they may take slightly longer to obtain due to the UK archive system.
Yes. The adoption certificates supplied are the long-form version, which is the format required for passport and visa applications.
Divorce Records
Yes. Divorce documents supplied by the UK courts are valid for proving no impediment to marriage and for supporting residency applications.
Yes. The documents are certified, legal copies of the originals. However, some overseas authorities may require them to be legalised (e.g. with an apostille). Please check with the requesting authority.
Yes. Under UK law, Decree Absolutes (divorce decrees) are public records, which means anyone can request a duplicate copy.
Yes. In Scotland, divorces before 1 May 1984 were recorded against the original marriage entry. Divorces notified on or after that date were entered in a separate Register of Divorces, from which copy extracts can be issued.
Wills
Yes. Please note that it can take several months before a will is lodged with the government archives.
As an alternative, you can request a Standing Search, which is an ongoing search of the records for a period of 6 months. This is recommended for recent deaths or cases where the will is expected to be lodged soon.
Sometimes a will is not lodged against the deceased person’s estate. If no trace is found, we will notify you and provide a refund, minus our search and administration fee.
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