How do I replace my lost birth certificate?

Losing your original birth certificate is an inconvenience, but it is possible to replace the document by getting in touch with the General Registrar Office. This article will thus explain the process of replacing the birth certificate.

A lost birth certificate

Local authority To apply for a lost birth certificate or copies of an original birth certificate, your first port of call has to be the relevant local authority. They will direct you towards the local registrar, who will be able to order a replacement copy. There is a small fee for this service (£15, as of 01.06.2011 in Martha Street, Glasow). However, you do not require a signed release or similar for the order to be processed. No documentation needed
Further documentation (e.g. driver's licence or passport) does not also have to produced Generally, there will be no special needs for the order to be completed, beyond the initial supplying of information and payment. This means that it is possible for anyone to request a copy of a birth certificate.

The registrar

The registration of marriage and birth The registrar is also where you have to register a new birth and, if you are getting married, this is where you will return your wedding certificate, once it has been signed by you and your partner and the person who conducted the marriage ceremony.
Online application It is possible to apply for a replacement birth certificate online, with certificate services available through the General Registrar Office (GRO), at Gro.gov.uk. It is a relatively simple process to fill in the form online, send payment details and then, simply wait for the replacement document to arrive through the post.
Proofs of identity Replacement copies of birth certificates are plausible proofs of identity for many things, such as getting married, starting a new job or sending in a passport application. Government records will indeed need to be checked to co-relate the information that you send, but it is not an overly bureaucratic process. It is actually quite surprising that you do not need any proof of identity in order to request a replacement birth certificate. The marriage laws UK marriage laws request a copy of any prospective celebrant before a wedding takes place and this is often when people realise that the document has gone missing in the first place. Hence, it can be seen that getting it replaced is indeed a relatively straightforward process.