Skip to content
An ACT Government Website
Accessibility
Contact us ACT Digital Account
Accessibility Contact us ACT Digital Account

Apply for a birth certificate

You can apply for an ACT birth certificate:

  • when a birth is registered in the ACT
  • for yourself if you’re an adult
  • for your child if they’re under 18
  • for your adult child if they give you permission
  • for yourself if you’re under 18 and have parental permission
  • for your adopted child if you have their birth parents’ permission.

Information on a birth certificate:

The Births, Deaths and Marriages ACT 1997 has been amended and the inclusion of sex on a birth certificate is now optional.

If you have changed your sex, you can read more about including sex information on a birth certificate on the Change your name or sex as a young person page.

Following the registration of a change of name, your birth certificate will include former name details. These details can be removed in certain circumstances to protect your privacy. Please email bdm@act.gov.au for more information.

View types of birth certificates with sample images.

If you’re under 18 years of age and want to order a copy of your own birth certificate, email bdm@act.gov.au first to discuss your options.

All requests for certificates:

If your birth, or your child’s was registered in another state, territory or country you will need to contact the relevant authority in that location to order a copy.

You can apply for a new, additional or replacement birth certificate using the online form below.

Apply for a birth certificate

For information about a fee waiver, email bdm@act.gov.au or call Access Canberra on 13 22 81.

Fee waivers will be assessed against the Birth, Deaths and Marriages Financial Hardship Fee Waiver Policy (PDF 380kB).

When you register the birth of your child

When your child is born you have 6 months to register the birth. As part of the registration, you can apply and pay for a copy of the birth certificate.

Read more about registering the birth of your child.

For you or your child aged under 18

You can apply for a copy of your own certificate if you’re over 18.

If your child is under 18 you can apply for a copy of their birth certificate.

If you are a legal guardian, you must include your guardianship order in your application

You can apply online:

  1. Complete the Apply for a certificate form.
  2. Pay the fee and keep a copy of the receipt number.
  3. Show your identification when your certificate arrives by registered post.

View the acceptable forms of identification.

For someone over the age of 18

You can apply on behalf of someone else if they give you permission to.

You can apply online:

  1. Complete the Application for a certificate form.
  2. Upload 3 copies of proof of identity for the person identified on the certificate
  3. Upload a completed Third-party consent form.
  4. Pay the fee and keep a copy of the receipt number.
  5. Show your identification when your certificate arrives by registered post.

If you were adopted

People who were adopted can apply for an Integrated Birth Certificate (IBC).

Standard Australian adoption practice is to update an adopted person’s birth certificate with the adopting parents’ details replacing those of the birth parents as the legal parents.

Applying for an IBC does not replace or invalidate this birth certificate. Either can be used as Primary proof of identity.

An IBC captures the adopted person’s registration history, at birth and at adoption.

It includes the person’s:

  • name at birth
  • name after adoption
  • adoptive legal parent information
  • older adoptive siblings' details
  • date of adoption.

IBCs are available for historical adoptions if approved by Child and Youth Protective Services.

IBCs are free.

Eligibility

You’re eligible for an IBC if one of the following circumstances applies to you:

  • born in the ACT and adopted in the ACT
  • born in the ACT and adopted in another Australian State or Territory

How to apply for an IBC

If you were adopted and:

  • are aged under 18 years you will need the consent of both your adoptive and birth parents to apply
  • are aged over 18 years you can apply directly.

If you are the adoptive parents of a person under 18 you will need consent from their birth parents.

You can apply by contacting the Adoption and Permanent Care Team at Child and Youth Protective Services:

The team will provide you with identifying information and a letter of authority to access the Adoptions register.

Once you’ve received this information:

  1. Complete the Application for a certificate form.
  2. Upload 3 copies of proof of identity and the letter of authority
  3. Keep a copy of the receipt number.
  4. Show your identification when your certificate arrives by registered post.

Cultural support to get a birth certificate

If you’re an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person, an approved community representative can support your application for a birth certificate if:

  • you do not have the proof of identity documents you need to apply
  • you need a birth certificate for a child you look after, but you’re not a parent named on the child’s certificate.

To get help to support your application, you can contact either:

  • one of the approved Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community representatives
  • us at bdm@act.gov.au.

Approved Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives:

  • Gugan Gulwan
  • The Ngambri Land Council
  • The Torres Strait Islander Corporation
  • The United Ngunnawal Elders Council
  • Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services
  • Yeddung Mura Aboriginal Corporation
  • Buru Ngunnawal Aboriginal Corporation
  • King Brown Tribal Group
  • Ngarigu Currawong Clan
  • Mirabee (formally known as Little Gudgenby River Tribal Council)

Access to birth certificates will follow the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Led BDM Access Policy [PDF 358KB].

Turnaround times

Access Canberra will process your request within 15 business days of receiving all required documents. This timeframe does not include Australia Post delivery times.

Call Access Canberra on 13 22 81 if you don’t receive your certificate within this timeframe.