Getting a birth, marriage or death certificate in Ireland
Introduction
It is a legal requirement in Ireland that a record be kept of each birth, marriage and death that occurs in the State. When a birth, death, marriage or adoption is recorded in Ireland, a certificate is issued to the individual(s) concerned (for example, the parents in the event of a birth, the couple in the event of a marriage and the next-of-kin in the event of a death). This record is a very important legal document and should be kept in a safe place. For example, a birth certificate is required if you wish to enrol your child in school or apply for an Irish passport. A death certificate is required if you are dealing with the deceased person's estate.
The General Register Office is the central civil repository for records relating to births, stillbirths, deaths, marriages, civil partnerships and adoptions in Ireland.
Types of certificates
Birth, marriage, adoption, civil partnership and death certificates are public records, meaning anybody can access or apply for them.
There are different types of certificate available from the General Register Office.
| Type of certificate | Purpose |
| Full standard long form certificate | This is a certified copy of an entry in the register. It is the certificate used for legal and administrative purposes. |
| Photocopy | Photocopies contain the same information as the certificate but you can only use them for research purposes. |
| Specified Services Certificate (for example, for social welfare purposes) | Certain bodies can allow you to buy certificates at a reduced price if you need the certificate for a specified purpose. |
| Authenticated | This is needed in certain circumstances only (in addition to the certified copy). |
| Multilingual Standard Form (MSF) | Under EU regulations, from February 2019 a Multilingual Standard Form (MSF) can be requested for birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates issued by the General Register Office. The purpose of an MSF is to provide a translation of the public document. The MSF itself has no legal effect. You must indicate which EU language that you require if you choose this option and it must be requested when applying for the certificate from the General Register Office in Roscommon. |
If your certificate is required for use outside the EU, you can apply to the
General Register Office in Roscommon to have a new certificate issued with an
authentication stamp applied at the same time. Alternatively, if you already
have your certificate you can send it to the General Register Office to have an
authentication applied.
Rates
There is no charge for registering a birth (including re-registering a birth to include a parent's details), registering a marriage or registering a death.
There are fees for birth, adoption, marriage, civil partnership and death certificates, or photocopies of these certificates.
Certificates can be issued for social welfare purposes at a reduced cost. You need to give evidence you need the certificate for social welfare purposes, such as a note from the Department of Social Protection.
The fees charged for issuing a certificate are:
- €20 for a full standard certificate
- €0 (previously €1) for a copy for social welfare purposes, including registration for a Public Services Card (a letter from Department of Social Protection is required)
- €5 for an uncertified photocopy of an entry in the Register
- €10 to have a certificate authenticated (only available from the General Register Office)
- €20 for a certified copy of an entry in the Adopted Children Register (can be used for legal and administrative purposes). This is only available from the General Register Office.
- €30 for a new certificate with an authentication stamp
- No fee for a Multilingual Standard Form
How to apply
You can apply for a birth, marriage, adoption, civil partnership and death certificate online. Only full standard certificates are available online. You also can apply for full standard certificates or copies of these certificates by post, email or in person at a Civil Registration Service office or the General Register Office – see ‘Where to apply’ below.
Applying for a certificate online
You can apply for a certificate online, including domestic adoptions and stillbirths that have been registered.
Applying for a certificate or copy in person or by post
You can apply for a certificate or copy of a certificate in person in any Civil Registration Service. Some Civil Registration Services have a walk-in service. You need to phone and book an appointment for others.
To apply for a certificate or copy of a certificate by post, fill in the application form (pdf). Post the completed form to your local Civil Registration Service or the General Register Office – see ‘Where to apply’ below.
Applying for a certificate or copy by phone
You can order and pay for a certificate by phone in most Civil Registration Offices around Ireland (except Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow). Your phone order should be processed within 5 working days.
Applying for a certificate or copy by email
To apply for a certificate or copy by email, download the email application form (pdf). Fill in the form electronically and email it to GROonlinepayments@welfare.ie.
When the General Register Office receives your email application, you will get an email back with a secure payment link allowing you to pay the fee due using a debit or credit card. If the certificate you want cannot be located, your card will be refunded the full fee.
Find more information about how to apply for certificates on gov.ie.
Where to apply
You can find the contact details for civil registration services on the HSE website.
Further Information
The General Register Office maintains a family research facility in Dublin, where you can search the indexes to the registers and purchase photocopies of records.