- A certificate costs £12.50 and is sent 4 days after you apply.
- Without a GRO index reference you pay £3.50 extra for each search, and the certificate is sent 15 working days after you apply.
- The priority service is £38.50, sent the next working day if you order by 4pm.
- You need to register on the General Register Office website, by phone on 0300 123 1837, by post or at the local register office.
What the number does
England and Wales keep a national index of registered births, marriages and deaths, and each entry has a reference. If you give the General Register Office that reference, the entry can be found directly. If you give only names and dates, somebody has to search, and GOV.UK charges £3.50 extra for each search. The page does not define the reference in detail, but it makes the effect clear: with a reference you avoid the search fee, and the certificate is ready sooner.
What it costs, with and without
| Route on GOV.UK | Cost | Dispatch |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate, with a GRO index reference | £12.50 | 4 days after you apply |
| Certificate, one search needed | £12.50 + £3.50 = £16.00 | 15 working days after you apply |
| Certificate, two searches needed | £12.50 + £7.00 = £19.50 | 15 working days after you apply |
| Priority service | £38.50 | Next working day, if you order by 4pm |
The totals in the middle rows are our arithmetic from GOV.UK's two prices. A private site that quotes much more for the same certificate is adding its own margin: see birth certificate websites that overcharge.
Finding the reference
The reference is not something most people have to hand. Family-history indexes are the usual source: FreeBMD describes itself as a project to transcribe the civil registration index of births, marriages and deaths for England and Wales and to give free online access to it, covering 1837 to 1999 though not yet the whole period. We could not confirm from its homepage exactly which index details each search result shows, so treat what you find there as a lead to check against the General Register Office's own record. If you cannot find the reference, paying the search fee is a normal, official cost.
Ways to order
- Online: register on the General Register Office website, which takes about ten minutes and needs a debit or credit card.
- By phone: 0300 123 1837, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm (textphone 18001 0300 123 1837).
- By post: send the relevant General Register Office application form to PO Box 2, Southport PR8 2JD.
- In person route: ask the local register office where the event was registered.
Scotland and Northern Ireland keep separate registers with separate prices. The Scottish route is on ordering a Scottish certificate and the Northern Ireland route is in Northern Ireland birth certificates.
Before you pay anyone
- Does the site say it is the General Register Office, or just look like it?
- Is the price near £12.50 plus any £3.50 search, or does it add a “research” or “processing” charge?
- Does it ask for ID beyond what you would give the official service?
The full ordering route, including replacing a lost certificate, is in replacing a birth certificate.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a GRO index reference to order a certificate?
No. If you do not have one, GOV.UK says you pay £3.50 extra for each search, and the certificate is sent 15 working days after you apply. With a reference, a standard certificate costs £12.50 and is sent 4 days after you apply.
Is the GRO reference printed on my certificate?
GOV.UK does not say that it is. The reference usually comes from the index of registrations, which family-history projects such as FreeBMD transcribe. Treat what you find there as a lead and check it with the General Register Office.
How much will one certificate cost me without the reference?
On GOV.UK's prices, £12.50 plus £3.50 for one search is £16.00, and each extra search adds £3.50. Compare any private quote with that figure, and do not pay a separate research fee.
What is the fastest way to get a certificate?
GOV.UK offers a priority service at £38.50, sent the next working day if you order by 4pm. The standard route is £12.50 and sent 4 days after you apply, if you have the reference.
Can I order by phone or post?
Yes. You can phone 0300 123 1837 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm), post a General Register Office application form to PO Box 2, Southport PR8 2JD, or apply at the register office where the event was registered.