Certificate copies

Service over Christmas 2025

Copies of certificates of births, marriages and deaths registered in Essex can be ordered from the Essex Record Office.

Over the Christmas period, you will still be able to use our standard service (up to 15 working days).

Our priority services will be suspended over the Christmas period. If you would like to collect from us before Christmas your order must be placed before midday Monday 22^nd December. These orders will be available to collect from the Essex Record Office by midday on Tuesday 23^rd December. Our priority service re-opens on Tuesday 30^th December though please note that the 1st January is not a working day.

If you would like your order to be posted please allow additional time for postage over the Christmas period. All of our post is sent via Royal Mail. https://www.royalmail.com/christmas/last-posting-dates#lastpostingdates

What we can and can't supply

We can give you certificates for births, marriages and deaths that happened:

• in the area administered by Essex County Council, and
• from 1 July 1837.

We can’t give you certificates for births, marriages and deaths that happened:

• in areas of Essex run by other Councils including Southend-on-Sea, Thurrock, e.g. Orsett, London Boroughs of Havering e.g. Romford, Hornchurch and Harold Wood, Barking and Dagenham, Waltham Forest, Newham and Redbridge e.g. Ilford.
• anywhere else in the UK or the world.
• before 1 July 1837.

We can't supply civil partnership certificates or marriage certificates where a same sex civil partnership has been converted into a marriage. Please contact The Essex Registration Service directly.

We can’t supply certificates to people outside the UK. Try the General Register Office.

We can't  supply certificates for events that have not been registered by Essex Registration Service. (In the case of marriages taking place in a religious building, the marriage will be registered by Essex Registration Service within seven days of the schedule being delivered to them) To register a birth, marriage or death please contact The Essex Registration Service directly.

Records of adoptions

Records of adoptions in England and Wales are held by the Registrar General. For adoption certificates please contact GRO adoptions at the General Register Office or by telephoning 0300 123 1837.

How much does it cost and how long will it take?

Prices are determined by the General Register Office for England and Wales.

If we are unable to find that the event you are requesting has been registered in Essex or if you choose to cancel your order we reserve the right to charge an admin/search fee of up to half the certificate fee.  Please note that for marriages it can take up to 21 days after the ceremony for marriages to be registered. In the case of death registrations, involvement of the Essex County Coroners can also cause substantial delays to registration.

 *Our working days are Monday-Friday. If an order is placed outside of working hours we will begin processing it from 9am on the next working day. 

Postage and Collection

Once your certificate has been produced, it will be posted to you with our next post collection, normally 12:00 midday Monday to Friday. Please remember to allow extra time for your certificate to arrive in the post.

You can choose from:

Free  -  Priority orders are sent 1st class and Standard orders are sent 2nd class.

£9.80 -  Royal Mail Special Delivery (Delivery Monday -Friday)

If you have chosen to collect your certificate, we will contact you when the certificate is ready to collect.

We will not be held responsible for post that does not arrive. All statutory fees for certificates are non-refundable. We are unable to replace certificates which go missing in the post. We recommend that orders over £50 should be collected or sent Special Delivery Guaranteed.

Can I order more than one certificate?

You can use our online form to order up to 10 certificates. You will only pay once for postage and packaging.

Ready to order?

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