| Our customers most frequently asked questions are listed by category
Please email or phone us if your question is not included here
Births 
Q. I am born in NSW and I want my Birth Certificate?
Q. I am born in Victoria - can I get my Birth Certificate from you?
No, we only record information for NSW. Please contact the Registry in the state or territory where you were born.
Q. I recently filled out a Birth Registration Statement and made a mistake with my newborn baby's name?
- Contact us to see if the your child's birth has been registered. If it has already been registered you will need to submit a Change of Name Application along with the required fee.
Q. Do you have a list of popular baby names? Q. I am a woman in a Same Sex relationship and I want to be recognised as a parent on my child's birth certificate?
Q. Do you still produce the "Birth Card" at the Registry?
- For a NSW Photo Card please visit the RTA website.
Since August 2008 we no longer produce Birth Cards which remain valid until the expiry date.
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Deaths
Q. I want a Death Certificate for a death registered in NSW?
Q. Can I apply for the Death Certificate of a relative whose death was registered in South Australia?
Back to Top Marriages
Q. We were married in NSW and need our Marriage Certificate?
Q. We were married in Queensland, can we apply here for our Marriage Certificate?
Q. We want to get married overseas and have been asked to prove there is no impediment to us marrying. What do we need?
- A Single Status Certificate certifies if you were married in NSW during a specified time (searches are in 10 year periods). The authorities of the country in which you are marrying may require this certificate before your marriage.
Q. We are foreign nationals. Can we get married in Sydney?
- Yes, you can marry in Sydney if you are a foreign national living in or visiting NSW. You may choose to marry at a Registry Office or have your ceremony performed by a civil or religious marriage celebrant elsewhere.
- Contact us to obtain a 'Getting Married' brochure which details everything you need to know about getting married.
Q. Can I use the "Certificate of Marriage" from the marriage celebrant on my wedding day to change my name on my driver's licence and passport?
- The "Certificate of Marriage" presented to you at the end of your ceremony is not suitable for many official purposes. It is legal, but may not be accepted in places such as RTA and Passports Office.
- It is a tradition, and not a legal requirement to change your name after marriage. You will need a Standard Marriage Certificate to change your name on your driver's licence or passport.
Q. Can I get my divorce papers from the Registry?
- No, we don't hold divorce records.
Contact the Family Law Court on (02) 9217 7111 for assistance.
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Change of Name
Q. I want to change my name?
Back to Top Family History
Q. How can I obtain a copy of my grandmother's (my father's mother) Marriage Certificate?
- If your grandparents are both deceased, your father may apply for the marriage certificate.
- If the marriage occurred more than 50 years ago, the certificate is considered a public record and you may apply for it yourself without the usual entitlement or identification requirements.
Q. I am starting to research my family history and want to know how to apply for my ancestors' certificates.
- Church registrations began in 1788 and the Registry commenced 1856. You may apply for any certificates if the event occurred in NSW prior to:
- Births 100 years ago
- Deaths 30 years ago
- Marriages 50 years ago
- See the Registry's Historical Indexes to search your family history and obtain a registration number, which you can then use to apply online for certificates.
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Other
Q. Has my application been received / processed yet?
- Please contact us and a Customer Service Representative will check on the status of your application.
- You will receive a reference number for your application, which you should quote if you have any further queries.
Q. Can I get a refund for my certificate application?
- Generally not - however, if there is a genuine reason and sufficient notice is given, we may consider cancelling the application and/or refunding the application fee.
- The Registry cannot guarantee the success of the actual cancellation and cannot take responsibility should the certificate arrive to you as originally ordered.
Q. My certificate is damaged / I can't read the information on my certificate. Can I exchange it?
- We don't normally exchange certificates. However, if there is a genuine reason we will consider the request. For a certificate exchange to be considered please provide:
- The original certificate to be exchanged
- A covering letter containing:
- your name and address
- amount you paid
- reason for the original certificate to be exchanged
- details of the new certificate
- Appropriate forms of identification
- Contact us for more information.
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