Family Historian User Group

Is it possible to view birth certificates (NOT indexes) online? If so, which are the best sites?

I'm not interested in ordering birth certificates, I just need to see them. Happy to pay the corresponding fee, of course.

Thanks

Mike


ID:1968

Mike,

Bad news, I'm afraid. Under current legistlation, you can only view the details of a BMD certificate in England & Wales when you purchase a certified copy from the GRO or local register office. (£7) The only information you will find available online are the indexes to enable you to purchase the correct certificate.

This restriction may change in the future under the current Registration review by the Government, but changes to allow you to view certificates without purchasing them are only likely to affect BMDs registered more than 100 years before the present date.

If you know roughly where & when someone was born, have you checked the baptism register in the relevant parish registers - this might give you the information you are looking for - assuming that they were baptised of course, and bearing in mind that it could be a couple of years after they were born. Depending on the date, these should be available in your county record office/local studies library, or may still be in the church.


Jeremy

Thanks for that very informative reply, Jeremy, and useful hints.

Regards
Mike