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Births, Deaths and Marriages - Whanautanga, Matenga, Marenatanga
Births
Deaths
Marriages
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Get a Birth Certificate
Get a Death, Marriage, Civil Union or Name Change Certificate
Name Change
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BDM Historical Records
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How to Contact Us
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Get a Death, Marriage, Civil Union or Name Change Certificate
What is a Death, Marriage, Civil Union or Name Change Certificate? A death, marriage, civil union or name change certificate is an official document containing registered information about a person's death, marriage, civil union or name change. You may obtain a certificate by providing the required details and paying the certificate fee. You can provide these details by downloading, completing and sending the appropriate form.
Name Change Certificates have been available since 25 January 2009. These are obtainable if the name change was registered with Births, Deaths and Marriages after 25 January 2009 and the subject of the name changes birth is registered overseas. If the subject's birth is registered in New Zealand, the birth certificate that is issued after the subject's name change request has been processed will show the new name along with all previous names.
Typically, certificates are used for such purposes as:
- Getting a driver's licence;
- Enrolling at school;
- Applying for welfare benefits;
- Winding up / administering estates.
How To Apply If the certificate or printout is for a record that is "non-historical":
- Complete the appropriate Request for a Certificate (BDM 93 D, M, C or N) form, have a 'trusted referee' sign the written statement and post it with payment Births, Deaths and Marriages; or
- Complete the appropriate Request for a Certificate (BDM 93 D, M, C or N) form, have a 'trusted referee' sign the written statement and fax it with credit card payment to Births, Deaths and Marriages; or
- Visit one of our offices, complete the appropriate Request for a Certificate (BDM 93 D, M, C or N) form, have a 'trusted referee' sign the written statement, and make payment.
The applicant must provide additional information about themselves (e.g. date and place of birth), sign the order form and find a trusted referee to also sign the order form on the following conditions:
- If the applicant’s birth is registered in New Zealand either the 'trusted referee' must have known the applicant for at least 12 months or a government-issued photo identification must be shown to the 'trusted referee' .
- If the applicant’s birth is not registered in New Zealand a government-issued photo identification must be shown to the 'trusted referee'.
If the certificate or printout is for a record that is “historical”:
- Use our BDM Historical Records Website to search historical records and order products on the Internet
- Download and complete the appropriate form from the Forms and Fees page and post it with a cheque or bank draft (in New Zealand currency) or a New Zealand Post money order to Births, Deaths and Marriages; or
- Write to Births, Deaths and Marriages with the details we need and a cheque or bank draft (in New Zealand currency) or a New Zealand Post money order; or
- Fax Births, Deaths and Marriages with appropriate details and your credit card details; or
- Call Free (NZ) 0800 22 52 52 or phone (+64 4) 474 8150 (from outside New Zealand) and provide details over the phone if paying by credit card (Visa, American Express, Prezzy Card or Mastercard); or
- Visit one of our offices.
Historical Records Defined
Record type |
Description |
Birth |
- A birth that occurred at least 100 years ago (subject to restrictions on pre-adoptive/ pre-sex-change information), or
- A still-birth that occurred at least 50 years ago.
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Name Change |
- A name change for a person whose birth is registered outside New Zealand and who was born at least 100 years ago. Note that this only applies to name changes registered on or after 25 January 2009.
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Death |
- Where the death occurred at least 50 years ago, or
- The deceased person's date of birth was at least 80 years ago.
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Marriage |
- A marriage that occurred at least 80 years ago.
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Civil Union |
- A civil union that occurred at least 80 years ago. Note that the first civil union was solemnised on 29 April 2005.
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Trusted Referee Defined A trusted referee must be at least 16 years of age and one of the following:
- Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages
- Commonwealth representative
- Member of the police
- Justice of the Peace
- Registered medical doctor
- Kaumatua
- Registered teacher
- Applicant's employer
- Minister of religion
- Lawyer
- Notary Public
- New Zealand Honorary Consuls may also act as trusted referees (although they are not listed in Panel C of the order form).
The trusted referee must not be a:
- Relative or part of the family group of the applicant; or
- Partner of the applicant; or
- Person who lives at the same address as the applicant.
How Long Will it Take?
Deaths and marriages registered before 1 January 1998
Your request for a certificate or printout will take approximately eight (8) working days (plus time for postage) from confirmation of a correct and completed application.
Deaths, marriages and civil unions registered on or after 1 January 1998; and name changes registered on or after 25 January 2009
Your request for a certificate or printout will take approximately one (1) working day (plus time for postage), from confirmation of a correct and completed application. Certificates cannot be produced until the event has been registered.
To avoid any delays, please make sure that:
- You have addressed your application to Births, Deaths and Marriages;
- The declaration section has been completed and signed (if applicable);
- You have given the correct information (e.g. date, spelling of names) in your application;
- You have included correct certificate fee(s);
- If you are paying by credit card, all your credit card details are correctly supplied; and
- You have included your return address.
What Happens If We Cannot Find The Event? It is important the information you provide with your certificate request is as accurate as possible. It may be an idea to ask other family members for information before making your request.
The certificate fee is the cost for the product. If we cannot locate the record with the information provided, we still start charging you search fees. Prior to contacting you, we will have searched a 3-year period and a fee of NZ$15.00 will have been charged.
For example, if the year you quote is 1992 we undertake a search in the year given plus a year either side. If we cannot find the event in those years we will contact you to ask if you would like us to search additional years at NZ$1.00 for each additional year. If you agree and request us to search 1994 and 1995 then we will charge you an extra NZ$2.00:
- If we find the event in 1995 and you wish to have a certificate then the total fee for the certificate is NZ$43.00 (NZ$26.00 plus the NZ$17.00 search cost); or
- If we cannot find the event the total fee will be NZ$17.00 (NZ$15.00 plus NZ$2.00 search cost) and you will not receive a certificate. However, you can request more years to be searched or we can refund the amount remaining to you.
Non-Disclosure Direction A non-disclosure direction may be placed on a person’s records if the person, or his or her personal representative (e.g. person’s parents or other person authorised in writing), reasonably believes that disclosure of the registered information, or any part of the registered information, would be prejudicial to the personal safety of that person or his or her family. A non-disclosure direction expires after 5 years unless it is reinstated or withdrawn.
If a non-disclosure direction is in place on a person’s record(s), generally only the person who is the subject of the information (or a parent if the person is under 18), or any other person authorised by the subject of the information may access registered information on the record(s). If any other person attempts to access registered information when a non-disclosure direction is in place he or she will be advised that the information exists but that the information cannot be provided.
Please contact us for further information.
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