How do I get a Birth Certificate?

There are many ways to obtain a copy of a UK (British) birth certificate, whether you need this as a replacement for a lost certificate, or to further ancestral or genealogical research. Under UK law, anyone can apply for a copy certificate as they have been classified as 'Public Records'. The only restriction is that under Identity Fraud legislation you must know the full details of the person (including full date of birth and parents names) for any birth that occurred within the past 50 years.

Apply by Phone

Many people are worried about requesting a copy of a birth certificate online due to the sensitive nature of these documents and the rise in cases of identity fraud. Because of this Vital Certificates has a team of experienced advisers available throughout the week to enable you to order your replacement birth certificate by phone. We will ask you for all the required information and talk you through the different payment options available.

Typically this process will take between 5-10 minutes and all details provided are only held for the purpose of supplying the required document. As a registered organisation under the UK Data Protection Act we are responsible for the security of any information provided and are legally obliged not to pass this information to any third-party other than for the purposes of issuing your document.

Order by Post

We know that some of our clients prefer to handle things in writing. For this reason, you can download an application form and post it to us, or call us on +44 (0) 330 088 1142 and we will send the necessary form and price list in the post. Payment can be made by either a credit/debit card or with a cheque, postal order or international money order. We would recommend that you do not send cash in the post unless you send it to us by an insured delivery method such as Royal Mail Special Delivery.

Order Online

You can also order any certificate online, 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. This is frequently the most convenient service for our clients and with over 20,000 certificates supplied through our online service, you can be assured that you are in safe hands. We never store any card details, and your card information is secured by the same strength as is used by the worldwide banking industry.

Our service is independently assessed by TrustGuard, the worldwide leader in online web security which not only ensures that your payment is safe, but that your information privacy is assured, and also that our organisation is reputable.

Contact the local registrar

Finally, if you know specifically which registrar recorded the birth, and are local to that office, you can contact the Register Office directly for a copy. Fees and timescales vary widely, with some registrars offering a same-day service and others taking 4-6 weeks to issue copy certificates. You would need to enquire at the register office for their service. Most register offices will require you to apply in writing including a cheque or postal order for payment.