You can order and pay for copy certificates online for events which happened within York boundaries, for:
- births
- marriages
- civil partnerships
- deaths
It is not possible to attend the York Register Office to order a certificate in person.
- Order certificates online
- Priority certificates
- Certificates for those who were adopted
- Certificates for ceremonies in churches
- Providing certificate details
- Copy certificate costs and postage
- Searching for birth, death and marriages certificates
- If you're unable to order a certificate online
Order certificates online
Certificates can be ordered online, order a copy certificate using our eform.
The more information you can provide, the easier it will be for staff to find the correct information on our system.
You'll need to tell us:
- the date the event occurred
- the place where the event occurred
- the names of the people involved
We can only supply certificates for records held by our registration service. We do not hold records for North Yorkshire or any surrounding districts. You must apply directly to the registration office where the event took place for these records.
Boundary changes over the years mean some towns and villages close to our boundary have changed districts.
Orders will be processed within 15 working days for a standard certificate and posted to the address supplied on the application. For overseas applications, delivery timescales will vary and an additional cost will apply.
Certificates for collection at a death registration appointment
If you have made an appointment to register a death, you can order and pay for your certificates in advance. The registrar will give you your certificates at the appointment. Please order ‘standard certificates’ then select the ‘Collect’ option when placing your order.
Priority certificates
Orders received before 3.00pm are sent by first class by Royal Mail post the next working day.
Collections service - priority orders only
If you place an order for a priority certificate by 3.00pm and have requested collection, personal collection time is between 3.00pm and 4.00pm the following working day.
You will need to bring Identification with you and will be asked to sign to say you have collected the certificate.
Certificates for those who were adopted
For people who have been adopted, to apply for a certificate you must contact the General Register Office.
Certificates for ceremonies in churches
We cannot issue any certificates for weddings that took place in a church until after the document has been received from the clergy and has been processed on the digital system, this includes any priority requests.
Providing certificate details
The time it will take to process your request depends upon you supplying sufficient and correct information. We aim to deal with all requests for certificates within 15 working days. If we have difficulty finding your entry in the register, we'll contact you to check details.
If you're applying for a marriage certificate for a recent ceremony at a church, then you must allow an additional 7 days for us to enter the details in the national system. This 7-day period starts on the day we receive the properly completed and signed schedule.
If we're unable to supply your certificate for any reason you will be contacted, by email where possible, for further information. If we're still unable to locate the entry your fee will be refunded.
Copy certificate costs and postage
Details of fees will be confirmed before submission of your application, dependent on the certificate ordered and the delivery type selected.
In addition to certificate costs, you are able to pay for secure ‘signed for delivery'. Please note that if you don't select 'signed for delivery', we are unable to track your order.
You can pay by card when you submit the order. We don't accept a personal cheque or cash payments.
See Register Office fees for details of costs relating to copy certificates for births, deaths and marriages.
Items lost in the post
Standard certificates are sent by 2nd class Royal Mail and priority certificates are sent by 1st class Royal Mail.
We cannot accept liability for items lost by Royal Mail. We can only track your order if you select the 'signed for delivery' service.
If you've not received your certificate within 15 working days of your request, you'll need to apply and pay for a replacement certificate.
Searching for birth, death and marriages certificates
Before you order a certificate, you can search online for free on the Yorkshire Births, Marriages and Deaths (Yorkshire BMD) website. Although the indexes are not yet complete for all years and districts, the database will eventually cover Yorkshire births, deaths, and marriages for the years 1837 to 2010.
Fees for duplicate certificates advertised on the Yorkshire BMD website, and included on BMD forms, are not applicable to certificates requested through York Register Office.
Find out more about how to request historic stillbirth certificates.
Certificates for events registered prior to 1837
Events recorded before 1 July 1837 may have been recorded in church baptismal, marriage and burial registers that may be in the custody of the local archivist, the Borthwick Institute.
If you're unable to order a certificate online
If you're unable to use our online form to order a copy certificate, contact York Register Office by telephone, and your order will be processed over the phone.
We're available Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5.00pm.
Also see
- Registering a birth
- Registering a stillbirth
- Registering a death
- York Register Office
- York Register Office fees