{"id":7876,"date":"2026-10-06T21:53:31","date_gmt":"2026-10-06T21:53:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/truthdocuments.com\/order-birth-certificate-nz\/"},"modified":"2026-10-06T21:53:31","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T21:53:31","slug":"order-birth-certificate-nz","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/truthdocuments.com\/nz\/order-birth-certificate-nz\/","title":{"rendered":"Order a birth certificate in New Zealand: the official route and the look-alike sites"},"content":{"rendered":"<nav class=\"crumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\"><a href=\"\/nz\/\">Home<\/a> \u203a Order a birth certificate<\/nav>\n<p><span class=\"kicker\">Look-alike sites<\/span><\/p>\n<h1>Order a birth certificate in New Zealand: the official route and the look-alike sites<\/h1>\n<div class=\"answer\"><strong>Short answer:<\/strong> A standard New Zealand birth certificate costs $35 when ordered through the official DIA service via govt.nz, and most people receive it in one to two weeks. In 2019 DIA warned that offshore ordering sites were charging $69. Start from govt.nz, and never pay a third party for a form you can fill in free.<\/div>\n<p class=\"meta\">Last reviewed: <time datetime=\"2026-10-05\">2026-10-05<\/time> \u00b7 By <a href=\"\/nz\/authors\/\">Mark Dent<\/a><\/p>\n<nav class=\"toc\" aria-label=\"On this page\"><strong>On this page<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#s1\">What the official service offers<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#s2\">What DIA warned about<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#s3\">Official against look-alike<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#s4\">How to order safely<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#s5\">Fake claims about birth certificates<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#s6\">If you already paid a look-alike site<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#s7\">Why the data matters more than the fee<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#s8\">Paper and special cases<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#faq\">Common questions<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<div class=\"keyfacts\"><strong>Key facts, checked 5 October 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>$35 for a standard certificate, $37 for a decorative one, $58 for a pack of both (govt.nz).<\/li>\n<li>Most people receive certificates in 1 to 2 weeks; DIA publishes current timeframes.<\/li>\n<li>You can order online for a person born within the last 100 years.<\/li>\n<li>In June 2019 DIA warned that offshore services were charging $69 and taking longer than the official online route.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"s1\">What the official service offers<\/h2>\n<p>govt.nz explains that a birth certificate is a record of birth, and can be ordered online. Prices are $35 for a standard certificate, $37 for a decorative one with an image, and $58 for a pack of a standard and a decorative one. The All Blacks decorative certificate stopped being offered from 30 April 2024. Standard certificates are folded; decorative ones come flat.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Newborns.<\/strong> You must register the birth first; you can register and order a certificate at the same time.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Overseas use.<\/strong> If a country wants an apostille or authentication of the document, you cannot apply online and must order another way, such as the paper form.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Cost problems.<\/strong> If you need a certificate for a government benefit and cannot afford it, Work and Income may help.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Family history.<\/strong> For births more than 100 years ago, use the historical records service instead.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Adopted people<\/strong> use a different form for the original birth certificate.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"s2\">What DIA warned about<\/h2>\n<p>In June 2019 the Registrar-General warned that hundreds of New Zealanders ordered birth certificates from offshore ordering services that charged $69 and took longer than the official online route, which then cost as little as $33. DIA&rsquo;s message was not to risk paying too much, waiting longer or being scammed, and to order the official way. The prices have since moved; the pattern has not.<\/p>\n<p>Look-alike services work the way the DIA described for citizenship in January 2025: a third-party site collects the same personal details the official application needs, charges its own fee, and submits the application, or does not. RNZ reported DIA saying some sites charged up to $195 on top of the application fee, with no guarantee the application would be lodged with DIA.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"s3\">Official against look-alike<\/h2>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th><\/th>\n<th>Official<\/th>\n<th>Look-alike or third party<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Price (standard)<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>$35 on govt.nz<\/td>\n<td>$69 in the 2019 warning; unknown now<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Speed<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Most people 1 to 2 weeks<\/td>\n<td>DIA said slower<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Form<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Free online or paper form<\/td>\n<td>May charge for the same form<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Your data<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Collected by DIA<\/td>\n<td>Collected by a company with no DIA role<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Lodgement<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Application goes to DIA directly<\/td>\n<td>No guarantee, per DIA on citizenship sites<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2 id=\"s4\">How to order safely<\/h2>\n<ol class=\"steps\">\n<li><strong>Start from govt.nz.<\/strong> Search for &ldquo;order a birth certificate&rdquo; there, or type the address yourself. Do not use an advert.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Check the fee against $35.<\/strong> A much higher price for a standard certificate suggests a middleman. Confirm on the page.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Check the timeframe<\/strong> on the BDM service timeframes page, so a site cannot promise a speed DIA does not offer.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Keep your data to what the form asks.<\/strong> You should not need to send a photo of your passport to a site you found through search.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2 id=\"s5\">Fake claims about birth certificates<\/h2>\n<p>DIA has a page correcting online misinformation about birth certificates: it says they have never been sold to financial institutions, used to create bonds, trusts or contracts, or linked to land registration. Anyone who tells you a birth certificate can be turned into money or property is selling something. DIA says to trust www.govt.nz and its own BDM site and Netsafe&rsquo;s material.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"s6\">If you already paid a look-alike site<\/h2>\n<p>Tell your bank, keep records, and report to Netsafe on 0508 638 723; see <a href=\"\/nz\/paid-a-scammer-nz\/\">I paid a scammer<\/a>. If you sent ID copies, contact IDCARE. A fake certificate is a different matter: see <a href=\"\/nz\/forged-documents-law-nz\/\">forged documents: the law<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"s7\">Why the data matters more than the fee<\/h2>\n<p>A few dollars of overcharging is the visible harm. The larger one is the personal information a middleman collects. RNZ quoted a DIA general manager in January 2025 saying it is important to be diligent about who you share your identity information with. A birth certificate application involves names, dates and family details that can be reused for identity fraud, and a company that is not part of DIA has no obligation to handle them as DIA does.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"s8\">Paper and special cases<\/h2>\n<p>govt.nz also offers a paper application form, BDM93B, for people who cannot or do not want to order online, and a separate form for adopted people who need their original birth certificate. If you need a certificate apostilled or authenticated for another country, the online order is not available and you must use the other ways to order that govt.nz lists. None of these needs a paid agent, and a site offering to handle them for a fee is adding a step, not removing one.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"faq\">Common questions<\/h2>\n<details>\n<summary>How much is a birth certificate in NZ?<\/summary>\n<p>$35 for a standard certificate, $37 for a decorative one and $58 for a pack of both, according to govt.nz. Checked 5 October 2026.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>How long does a birth certificate take?<\/summary>\n<p>govt.nz says most people receive theirs in 1 to 2 weeks. DIA publishes current timeframes, which are estimates only.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>What was the DIA warning about birth certificate sites?<\/summary>\n<p>In June 2019 DIA said offshore services were charging $69 and taking longer than the official online route, which then cost as little as $33.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>Can I order a birth certificate for someone else?<\/summary>\n<p>You can order online for a person born within the last 100 years. For older births use the historical records service.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>Can I get my birth certificate apostilled online?<\/summary>\n<p>No. govt.nz says apostille or authentication orders cannot be made online and must be placed another way, such as by paper form.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>Do birth certificates have a financial value?<\/summary>\n<p>No. DIA states they are records of birth and have never been sold to financial institutions or used to create bonds, trusts or contracts.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<div class=\"related\">\n<h2>Keep reading<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"\/nz\/passport-renewal-scams-nz\/\">Passport renewal and unofficial sites<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/nz\/forged-documents-law-nz\/\">Forged documents: the law<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/nz\/document-scams\/\">Documents hub<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/nz\/official-checks-nz\/\">Official checks<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sources\">\n<h2>Sources and official links<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.govt.nz\/browse\/passports-citizenship-and-identity\/proving-and-protecting-your-identity\/order-a-birth-certificate\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">govt.nz: order a birth certificate<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.govt.nz\/browse\/passports-citizenship-and-identity\/proving-and-protecting-your-identity\/service-timeframes\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">govt.nz: BDM service timeframes<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawsociety.org.nz\/news\/newsroom\/dia-warns-against-buying-birth-certificates-from-unofficial-websites\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">NZ Law Society: DIA warns against buying birth certificates from unofficial websites (19 June 2019)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rnz.co.nz\/news\/community\/540422\/beware-fake-websites-extra-fees-for-citizenship-services\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">RNZ: beware fake websites, extra fees for citizenship services (30 January 2025)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dia.govt.nz\/Misinformation-and-false-claims-about-birth-certificates\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">DIA: misinformation and false claims about birth certificates<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"author\"><strong>About this guide<\/strong><br \/>Written by <a href=\"\/nz\/authors\/\">Mark Dent<\/a> from NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) material, New Zealand legislation, Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) statements and public reporting. We do not sell, issue or arrange any licence or document, and we are not part of NZTA, the AA, VTNZ, DIA or any government agency. See our <a href=\"\/nz\/editorial-policy\/\">editorial policy<\/a> or <a href=\"\/nz\/contact\/\">report a mistake<\/a>.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Home \u203a Order a birth certificate Look-alike sites Order a birth certificate in New Zealand: the official route and the look-alike sites Short answer: A standard New Zealand birth certificate costs $35 when ordered through the official DIA service via govt.nz, and most people receive it in one to two weeks. In 2019 DIA warned [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"truthdocuments-guide","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-7876","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_hostinger_reach_plugin_has_subscription_block":false,"_hostinger_reach_plugin_is_elementor":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/truthdocuments.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7876","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/truthdocuments.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/truthdocuments.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/truthdocuments.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/truthdocuments.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7876"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/truthdocuments.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7876\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/truthdocuments.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7876"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}