Guidance - Copying of Birth, Death, Marriage and Civil Partnership Certificates
Number: 7
Date: 27 October 1999
(Revised April 2009)
Introduction
1. This guidance note sets out the arrangements for the reproduction of official birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates (’extracts’ in Scotland). Copyright in the layout of certificates is owned by the Crown. The Crown does not assert any rights of ownership in the contents of the forms.
Reproduction
2. You are authorised to reproduce the layout of the form in any format including on the web, in films and in print. This authorisation is subject to the following conditions:
- That you must not use reproductions of certificates to provide evidence of birth, death, marriage or civil partnership. Where a copy is required to provide evidence that an event was registered you must order an official certificate (’extract’ in Scotland) from a local registration office or General Register Office (listed below);
- That the material is not used to advertise or promote a particular product or service, or in a way which could imply endorsement by HM Government;
- That you comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Human Rights Act 1998. This guidance does not authorise you to reproduce the contents of any certificate containing personal data about living individuals;
- That you reproduce the Royal Arms and any departmental logo only as an integral part of a certificate.
3. Any further queries regarding reproduction should be directed to the appropriate GRO (listed below).
Contact details for General Register Offices
England & Wales
General Register Office
www.direct.gov.uk/gro
Communications Manager,
General Register Office,
Trafalgar Road,
Southport, PR8 2HH
gro.communications@ips.gsi.gov.uk
Scotland
General Register Office for Scotland
www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/famrec
New Register House, Edinburgh, EH1 3YT
Northern Ireland
General Register Office Northern Ireland
www.groni.gov.uk
The General Register Office, Oxford House
49-55 Chichester Street, Belfast, BT1 4HL