The Surrey Registration Service has records of every birth, death, marriage and civil partnership that has taken place in Surrey since 1 July 1837.

If the birth, marriage, civil partnership or death occurred outside the County of Surrey, you should apply to the Register Office that is nearest to where the event took place.  If you do not know which office that is, the Gov.uk website will be able to help you.

Please note: Although their postal addresses suggest that they are in Surrey, the Surrey Registration Service does not hold records for events occurring in the following neighbouring districts:

• Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames
• London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
• London Borough of Croydon
• London Borough of Sutton

Please scroll down the page or use the content list to jump to information within this page.

1. How do I order a copy of a birth, marriage or death certificate?
2. What type of birth certificate will I receive?
3. Can I order a copy of my marriage certificate if I got married in church?
4. How do I order a copy of a civil partnership certificate?
5. How do I apply online?
6. How do I apply by telephone?
7. How do I apply by post?
8. How do I apply in person?
9. What information is needed to order a certificate?
10. How long will it take?
11. How much will it cost?
12. What if I am adopted?
13. What if the record I require relates to an event that occurred before 1 July 1837?
14. What if the record I require relates to an event that occurred outside England and Wales?
15. I need a translation of a certificate/document.

1. How do I order a copy of a birth, marriage or death certificate?

You may obtain certified copies of those records by applying:

• online
• by post
• by telephone
• in person

We issue copy certificates for all records held in our archives, which are located at Guildford Register Office.

2. What type of birth certificate will I receive?

For births, there are two types of certificate:

• A long birth certificate contains all the information recorded in the original birth register including mother and father’s details (where recorded)
• A short birth certificate only contains minimal details about the birth and does not include any parental information - it is given free at the original birth registration.

If you order a copy birth certificate from us, we will send you a long birth certificate which is required for official purposes such as passport applications, driving licence applications and for many insurance, employment, pension and salary requirements. Birth certificates are not evidence of identity.

3. Can I order a copy of my marriage certificate if I got married in church?

Churches keep their own registers until they are full. After this, they are passed to Guildford Register Office to be archived. The Surrey Registration Service is only able to issue copies of marriage certificates if we have the register - if it is still at the church, you will need to apply to the church for a copy. Before applying, you may wish to check with the church to see who has the register.

4. How do I order a copy of a civil partnership certificate?

Currently it is not possible to order civil partnership certificates online. Please contact Guildford Register Office for information on how to obtain a certified copy.

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5. How do I apply online?

Please use our online certificate ordering service to place your order for copy certificates. You will be required to pay by debit/credit card during this process.

We can accept credit or debit cards issued by Visa, Mastercard, Maestro or Solo; we don't accept payment using Diners Card or American Express Card.

If your application for a copy of a certificate relates to a very recent registration, there is a chance it may be in a current register, meaning the certificate fee is slightly lower. If we discover this is the case when we come to process your application, we will refund the difference to you.

6. How do I apply by telephone?

This facility is available to customers wishing to pay by debit/credit card. Please call Surrey County Council on 0300 200 1002 and the details of the certificate you require together with your card details will be taken and forwarded to Guildford Register Office for processing. Both the standard and priority services are available through this method.

Please note: we can accept credit or debit cards issued by Visa, Mastercard, Maestro or Solo; we don't accept payment using Diners Card or American Express Card.

7. How do I apply by post?

This facility is for both standard and priority services. Write to us or print the relevant form from the bottom of this page. Send your application with the appropriate fee (see below for details). Cheques or postal orders should be made payable to Surrey County Council and posted to:

Guildford Register Office
Artington House
42 Portsmouth Road
Guildford
Surrey GU2 4DZ

8. How do I apply in person?

At Guildford Register Office only, we offer a While You Wait service provided you arrive before 3pm Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays) or you are able to simply drop off your application in person for processing.

You are also able to hand in your applications for a certificate at either of our other main offices at Leatherhead and Weybridge who will forward it for you to Guildford Register Office. However, this may result in a delay in your application being processed.

Payment can be made by debit/credit card, cash, cheque or postal order and will be taken when you drop off your application.

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9. What information is needed to order a certificate?

• Birth certificate: Full name at birth. Date and place of birth. Parent(s) name(s) including mother’s maiden surname (if any).
• Death certificate: Full name of the deceased. Date and place of death. Include the maiden surname for a woman (if any).
• Marriage certificate: Full names of both parties at the time of the marriage. Date and place of marriage.

10. How long will it take?

There are three services available when ordering a copy certificate.

• While You Wait: this is available at Guildford Register Office provided that you arrive before 3pm Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays);
• Priority service: for dispatch by 1st class post the same working day if ordered before 12noon or for dispatch the next working day if ordered after 12noon or over a weekend;
• Standard service: for dispatch by 1st class post within five working days of receipt of the application.

These timescales apply only if Guildford Register Office is in receipt of the correct fee, accurate information, and that it holds the appropriate records to enable it to issue the certificate.  If we are not able to produce the certificate with the information you have given us, we will contact you within these timescales to discuss the application.

Please note: certificates will be dispatched by 1st class post and Royal Mail advertise that this will take 1-2 days to arrive - the priority service is therefore not a guaranteed next day delivery.

Working days do not include Saturdays, Sundays or Bank Holidays.

11. How much will it cost?

Please select which service you would like to use from the choices below.  Please note that if you do not send the correct amount for your certificate and postal charge, we will be unable to process your order which will result in a delay in receiving your certificate.

Copies of Birth, Death, Marriage and Civil Partnership Certificates

While You Wait (Guildford Register Office)

• £25 each - provided you arrive before 3pm Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays).

Priority Service

• £16 each - collected from Guildford Register Office
• £17 each - posted first class to a UK address
• £18 each - posted Royal Mail Recorded Signed For service to a UK address (first class) - please ensure that someone will be present to sign for the delivery
• £18 each - posted first class to a European/Overseas address

Standard Service

• £10 each - collected from Guildford Register Office
• £11 each - posted first class to a UK address
• £12 each - posted Royal Mail Recorded Signed For to a UK address (first class) - please ensure that someone will be present to sign for the delivery
• £12 each - posted first class to a European/Overseas address

Please make cheques or postal orders payable to Surrey County Council.

Please note that Royal Mail advertises that first class post takes 1-2 days to arrive - the Recorded Signed For and first class services are therefore not guaranteed next day deliveries.

If you order more than one copy of an individual register entry by the While You Wait or priority service, the additional copies will be charged at £10.00 each, irrespective of which service you have chosen and only one postal charge will apply.

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12. What if I am adopted?

If the person who's certificate you are applying for was later adopted, the certificate we provide will be the original birth entry and is therefore no longer the legal birth record. It can only be used for information purposes such as family history research and not for any official uses such as a passport application. If you require the legal adopted record, please call the General Register Office in Southport on 0300 123 1837 who will be able to provide the correct certificate for you to use.

13. What if the record I require relates to an event that occurred before 1 July 1837?

Events before the 1 July 1837 may have been recorded in Church Baptismal, Marriage and Burial registers. The Surrey History Centre holds many local parish records and there are some other useful contacts on our Family History Page.

14. What if the record I require relates to an event that occurred outside England and Wales?

Please contact the appropriate Registrar General for events that occurred in Scotland, Northern Ireland or the Irish Republic.

For births, deaths and marriages that occurred overseas, you should contact the General Register Office, Overseas Section.

15. I need a translation of a certificate/document.

Surrey Registration Service does not provide a translation service. However, the association of translation companies may be able to assist you.

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Application forms.

Use the links below to download application forms for applications for birth, death and marriage certificates by post.