Obtaining Certificates
How do I get a copy certificate?
Torfaen Registration Service holds records of all births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships registered in the area from July 1837 to present day.
For events not registered in the Torfaen area you will need to apply for a copy certificate from the Register Office in the district where the event occurred.
For information about other Register Offices throughout England and Wales, visit www.gov.uk.
Who can apply for a copy certificate?
Anyone who can identify the entry in the register is entitled to apply for a copy certificate.
Identifying an entry means knowing the relevant details that will appear on the certificate.
In the case of birth entries, we ask the applicant to supply 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
In the case of death entries, we ask the applicant to supply the:
- deceased’s full name
- date and place of death
- spouse’s/civil partner's full name (if applicable)
For marriage/civil partnership certificates, we ask the applicant to supply the:
- full names of both parties
- any other surnames used
- date and place of marriage/ceremony (i.e. venue, church name etc.)
How much does a certificate cost?
The cost of a birth, marriage, death certificate online is £11.
Certificates can take up to 15 working days and will be posted out 2nd class post. Urgent requests will be processed within 24 hours of receipt at a total cost of £35 per certificate and will be posted first class.
How can I apply for a certificate?
Apply online
You can apply for a copy of a birth, marriage or death certificate online:
Apply by phone
You can apply over the phone with a credit or debit card. Contact 01495 742132.
We will take the relevant information and details of where it is to be posted.
Other Useful Websites
General Register Office - For online ordering of Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates and to download application forms.
www.findmypast.co.uk - On this site you will find an entire copy of the indexes of Births, Marriages and Deaths for England and Wales from 1837 to 2001. These images are available to search for a charge. This site will be most useful to customers who are already familiar with these indexes and wish to have the opportunity to search them in their own time, without having to physically visit a Library or a Register Office. This site is run by Family Research Link based in London.
Rootsweb - FreeBMD is an ongoing project, the aim of which is to transcribe the Civil Registration index of Births, Marriages and Deaths for England and Wales.
Family Search - This is the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints web site, which has links to all their databases including the 1881 British Census and International Genealogical Index of Baptisms and Marriages.
The National Archives - This is the National Archives (formerly the Public Record Office) web site and links into their holdings at both the FRC and at Kew (including a very detailed online catalogue).
1901 Census - This site has the 1901 Census online.
Last Modified: 07/04/2020
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