How much does a copy birth certificate cost?

£12.50 per certificate from the official General Register Office (GRO) for England and Wales — birth, marriage, death, adoption and civil partnership certificates all cost the same, and extra copies are the same price. Standard orders are sent about 4 days after you apply. If you don't have the GRO index reference number, each search costs £3.50 extra. The £38.50 priority service sends it the next working day if you order by 4pm. Anything charging more is a third-party site adding its own fee.

Where do I order a replacement birth certificate?

Two official routes for England and Wales: the General Register Office online at gro.gov.uk (registering takes about 10 minutes; you need a debit or credit card), or the local register office for the district where the birth, marriage or death was registered — often the quicker option for recent events. Scotland orders through National Records of Scotland (ScotlandsPeople), and Northern Ireland through GRONI on nidirect — fees differ.

What information do I need to order?

For a birth certificate: full name at birth, date and place of birth, and parents' names (mother's maiden name helps). For a marriage certificate: both names, and the date and place of the marriage. For a death certificate: name, and date and place of death. If you have the GRO index reference number the search fee is avoided — but most people order successfully without one.

Full certificate or short certificate — which do I need?

Almost always the FULL certificate. The full (long) birth certificate shows parents' details and is what passports, visa applications and most official processes require. The short version shows only the person's own details and is rarely accepted. When in doubt, order the full one — same price.

Should I use a certificate-ordering website?

No — third-party sites sit at the top of search results and charge £30–£60+ for the same £12.50 GRO certificate, sometimes adding nothing but their fee and a delay. Always order directly from gro.gov.uk, your local register office, ScotlandsPeople (Scotland) or nidirect (NI). If you already paid one, try your card provider for the extra fee.

← Back to Sorted Certificates · UK guide · 2026

Birth, marriage & death certificates — £12.50, not £40.

Last verified 10 Jun 2026 · Source GOV.UK + General Register Office · Publisher: SortedUK Ltd (filed 5 Jun 2026)

A certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or civil partnership certificate for England & Wales costs £12.50 from the official General Register Office and arrives about 4 days after you apply (£38.50 priority for next working day). You need one for passports, probate, pensions, weddings and more — and the copycat websites at the top of search results charge £30–£60+ for exactly the same certificate. Here is the official way.

£12.50Official GRO price per certificate

~4 daysStandard dispatch after applying

£38.50Priority — next working day by 4pm

FULLOrder the full version — passports need it

What it costs Need it for probate?

What it really costs

Service (England & Wales, GRO)	Cost	Speed
Standard certificate — birth, marriage, death, civil partnership, adoption	£12.50	Sent about 4 days after you apply
Priority service	£38.50	Sent next working day if ordered by 4pm
Search without a GRO index reference	+£3.50 per search	—
Extra copies	Same price each	—

The copycat-website trap Third-party "certificate services" pay to appear above the GRO in search results and charge £30–£60+ for the same £12.50 certificate — sometimes adding nothing but their fee and a delay. Always start at gov.uk or gro.gov.uk directly. Already paid one? Try your card provider, and see our ripped-off guide.

The two official routes

GRO online (gro.gov.uk): register (about 10 minutes, debit/credit card needed) and order. For a birth certificate have the full name at birth, date and place of birth, and parents’ names (mother’s maiden name helps). For a marriage: both names + date and place. For a death: name + date and place of death.
The local register office for the district where the event was registered — often the fastest route for recent events, and you can usually collect in person. Find yours through your council (postcode lookup here).

Full vs short — order the FULL one The full (long) birth certificate shows parents’ details and is what passport applications, visas and most official processes require. The short version is rarely accepted. Same price — when in doubt, go full.

When you’ll need one

First adult passport or a child’s passport → full birth certificate (passport guide).
Probate and bereavement admin → death certificates; order several copies at once — banks, insurers and pension providers often each want an original (probate guide).
Getting married or giving notice → birth certificates; pensions and older entitlements → marriage certificate.
School admissions, NI number applications, name changes → birth certificate.

Do this now

Order directly at gro.gov.uk (England & Wales) — £12.50, about 4 days. Need it for a funeral or probate? Order multiple death certificates in one go; extra copies cost the same £12.50 each, and chasing them later wastes weeks.

Recent event? Ring the local register office where it was registered — often quicker, and you can collect.

Scotland & Northern Ireland

Scotland: order through National Records of Scotland via the ScotlandsPeople service — its own fees and process.
Northern Ireland: order through GRONI on nidirect.
The GRO only holds England & Wales records — order from the nation where the event was registered.

Certificates — common questions

How much does a copy certificate cost?

£12.50 from the official GRO (England & Wales) — all types, extra copies same price. ~4 days standard; £38.50 priority next working day; +£3.50 per search without an index reference.

Where do I order?

gro.gov.uk online, or the local register office where the event was registered (often fastest for recent events). Scotland: ScotlandsPeople. NI: GRONI via nidirect.

What details do I need?

Birth: full name at birth, date + place, parents’ names. Marriage: both names, date + place. Death: name, date + place. An index reference avoids the search fee but isn’t essential.

Full or short certificate?

Full — passports and most official processes require the version showing parents’ details. Same price.

Are certificate-ordering websites legit?

They charge £30–£60+ for the same £12.50 certificate. Order direct from the official sources only.

Sources Order a birth, death, marriage or civil partnership certificate · GOV.UK (£12.50 per certificate, sent ~4 days after applying; £38.50 priority next working day by 4pm; +£3.50 per search without a GRO index reference; ~10-minute registration with a debit/credit card). GRO ordering service · gro.gov.uk. Local register offices issue copies for events registered in their district. Scotland · National Records of Scotland / ScotlandsPeople. Northern Ireland · GRONI via nidirect. SortedUK is not the GRO and this is general information, not advice. Last reviewed: 10 June 2026.

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