Find out how to order copies of birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates, or how to correct an error on a certificate (which will amend the register).
Who can apply for a copy of a certificate
Anyone can order a copy of a certificate if they know the information that will appear in the register entry.
To get a copy of a birth certificate you will need to tell us the:
- full name on the certificate
- date and place of birth
- mother’s full name and mother’s maiden name (where applicable)
- father's/parent's full name
To get a copy of a death certificate you will need to tell us the:
- the full name of the person who died
- date and place of death
- spouse’s or civil partner's full name (if applicable)
To get a copy of a marriage certificate you will need to tell us the:
- full names of both people
- any other surnames they may have used
- date and place of marriage/ceremony (i.e. venue, church name etc.)
To get a copy of a civil partnership certificate you will need to tell us the:
- full names of both people
- any other surnames they may have used
- date and place of marriage/ceremony (for example, venue, church name)
- full addresses for the couple at the time they entered the civil partnership
Charges for copy certificates
Certificates are £12.50 per copy. They will usually be ready within five working days. You can apply for a priority certificate which costs £38.50.
Your application must be received by 2pm to be processed the same day. Priority certificates ordered after 2pm will be available the next working day. There is no weekend service. Priority requests made over the weekend or bank holidays will be available for collection after 2pm the next working day.
You can collect your certificate(s) from the Guildhall in the centre of Bath free of charge.
You can also pay a small postage and handling fee if you would like your certificate(s) posted to you.
- First class standard £2.50
- First class signed for £4.50
- International £6.50
How to apply
Before you apply, check the Bath BMD website to see if we hold the original entry. The records go back to 2007.
Call us
You can call the office on 01225 477 234 Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm. Have a valid credit or debit card to hand when you call. We do not accept American Express or Diners Club cards.
In person
You can apply for a certificate in person at the Guildhall in the centre of Bath during office opening hours, Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm.
Receiving your certificate
We aim to produce and send out your certificate within five working days, unless you have paid for the priority service. If you do not receive your certificate, please wait 14 days from date of dispatch before contacting us in case there has been a Royal Mail delay.
If you notice that something is wrong on the certificate after you have registered a birth, marriage, death, or civil partnership, you will need to contact the register office in the district where the registration took place, and they can correct the register. There is a charge of £83 if the register can be corrected locally, but if it needs to be corrected by the General Register Office the charge will be £99.
Email register_office@bathnes.gov.uk or call 01225 477 234 to discuss the correction, and we will tell you which route you need to take, and arrange any appointment you might need with us.
If the correction needs to be made by General Register Office, you will need to complete the relevant application form.