Order a Birth Certificate by State: Official Registries

Key facts (checked 5 October 2026)

Eight registries, one per state and territory; the right one is where the birth was registered, not where you live now.
Fees we found published in 2026 official warnings: Queensland $56.20 (6 February), South Australia $72 standard and $122 priority (5 February).
Times we found: Tasmania about 2 weeks standard; ACT within 15 business days of receiving all documents.

The directory

Registry	Official address	What the page said
New South Wales	forms.bdm.nsw.gov.au (applications); nsw.gov.au under births, deaths and marriages	Online application is called the fastest way; caution about third-party sites; ID Support NSW, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm Sydney time; fees on a separate fees and processing times page we did not open
Victoria	bdm.vic.gov.au	Open online, by email and by phone 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday; scam warning on the front page; certificate turnaround times tracker
Queensland	qld.gov.au/rbdm	$56.20 direct, per the Registrar-General on 6 February 2026; 13 QGOV (13 74 68)
Western Australia	bdm.justice.wa.gov.au	Only the Registry issues legal certificates; contact Consumer Protection WA about suspected fraud
South Australia	sa.gov.au (births, deaths and marriages, certificates); Consumer and Business Services, 131 882	$72 standard, $122 priority within 24 hours; online, by post or in person at Service SA or CBS in Adelaide
Tasmania	justice.tas.gov.au/bdm	Apply online, by post or at a Service Tasmania centre; standard about 2 weeks, longer in peak periods; priority services for an additional fee
ACT	accesscanberra.act.gov.au/births-relationships-and-deaths	Processed within 15 business days of receiving all required documents (excluding post); ring 13 22 81 if it has not arrived; scam warning on the page
Northern Territory	nt.gov.au/law/bdm/apply-for-birth-death-or-marriage-certificate	Apply online; the page covers how you will receive it, when, special birth certificates and other ways to apply; we did not see a fee on the page

The Queensland and Western Australian addresses come from those governments’ own 2026 statements; the others come from registry pages we opened on 5 October 2026. We did not open the NSW fees page.

Which registry?

The registry that holds the record is the one for the state or territory where the birth, death or marriage was registered. If you were born in Tasmania and live in Perth, you order from Tasmania. A look-alike site hides this by offering “Australian birth certificates” as if there were one office. Scamwatch’s alert says to visit “your relevant state or territory registries on the myGov website” and notes that my.gov.au is a safe portal for finding the service.

What you should expect to provide

You will be asked to identify yourself. NSW’s page notes that its online form is the fastest way. Victoria describes a birth certificate as an important legal document that can be used as proof of identity, which is why registries guard it. You give identity details to the registry because it is the issuer; you should not give them to a company in between.

Fees and times

Fees change and vary by certificate type, so the figures above are examples dated by their sources, not a price list. The ACT and Tasmania publish processing times; Queensland and South Australia published prices in their 2026 warnings; the other registries keep fee tables on pages reached from the addresses in the directory. If a site shows you a total much higher than the registry’s own table, that is the sign described in our look-alike guide.

If you need it for a passport or licence

A first passport application usually needs proof of identity, and a birth certificate is a common piece of it; check the Passport Office’s own list when you apply and see passport cost and timing. For driver licences, the agency in your state sets its own identity documents; start from the driver licence directory.

What a registry will and will not charge for

Scamwatch makes a distinction that helps when comparing sites: official registries may charge a fee for certificates, but they will not charge for information and forms provided freely on their website or at their customer service centres. A site that sells you a link to a form, or a guide to the process, is selling something the registry gives away.

Speed options at the registry itself

Tasmania publishes the clearest example of what speed costs at source. Standard applications take about 2 weeks and can take longer in peak periods. A priority application lodged online is sent out the next business day by registered or express post, for an additional fee. A priority application at a Service Tasmania centre (Hobart, Launceston, Burnie, Devonport, Huonville, Scottsdale or Sorell) can be collected the next business day. International post is subject to significant delays, with mail taking 25 or more business days according to the page. South Australia lists a 24-hour priority service at $122. If you are in a hurry, ask the registry for its priority option instead of paying a middleman who will queue behind the same system.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I order a birth certificate in Australia?

From the registry of births, deaths and marriages in the state or territory where the birth was registered. The directory on this page lists the address for all eight.

How much is a birth certificate in Queensland?

$56.20 when applying directly, according to the Queensland Registrar-General’s warning of 6 February 2026.

How much is a birth certificate in South Australia?

$72 for a standard birth, death or marriage certificate and $122 for priority within 24 hours, according to Consumer and Business Services on 5 February 2026.

How long does a birth certificate take?

Tasmania says approximately 2 weeks for standard applications. The ACT says it processes requests within 15 business days of receiving all documents, not counting delivery. Other registries publish their own times.

Can I order a certificate from a different state to where I live?

Yes, from the state where the event was registered. Use that state’s registry; each has an online route.

Is a site on my.gov.au safe for this?

Scamwatch says my.gov.au is a safe portal for finding government services, including birth, death and marriage services.

Sources and official links

About the author
Written by Mark Dent from state and Commonwealth government pages, Commonwealth legislation and public reporting. We do not sell, issue or arrange any licence or document, and we are not part of Scamwatch, Services Australia, the Australian Passport Office or any state or territory agency. See our editorial policy or report a mistake.