Guide
Lost your birth certificate? How to get a copy in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and India
- US
- Your birth state's vital records office
- England and Wales
- £12.50 from the General Register Office
- Ontario
- $35 for a regular online replacement
A birth certificate is replaced by the office that registered the birth, not by a national body. Here is where to go in each country DigiSafe serves, from the official pages.
A real moment
“The passport form asks for your birth certificate. The original went missing in a house move years ago, and you are not even sure which office to ask.”
Order a certified copy from the office where the birth was registered: the state vital records office in the US, the General Register Office for England and Wales, the province in Canada, the state registry in Australia, and the local registrar in India. You usually need the full name, date and place of birth, and parents' names.
The checklist
What to have ready
Last checked against the official sources on 1 October 2026
United States
- Your birth state's vital records officeThe federal government does not issue birth certificates. The state office sets the method, speed and cost.
- The city and county of birthYou need both to order.
- A notarised sworn statementFor an authorised copy that proves identity in California; without it you get an informational copy.Only if you were born in California
United Kingdom
- England and Wales: order from GROOnline, about 10 minutes, £12.50, sent 4 days after you apply. Without the GRO index number it costs £3.50 more and takes 15 working days.
- Scotland: order from National Records of Scotland£15 for the first copy and £10 for each extra one. You need the full name, year and place.
- Northern Ireland: order from GRONI£15 for one certificate. A long certificate is needed for a driving licence or passport.
Canada (Ontario example)
- Order from ServiceOntarioOnline, by mail or in person in Toronto or Ottawa. A regular online replacement costs $35 and takes 15 business days plus post.
- A guarantorNeeded for the online application.Only if the person on the certificate is 9 or older
- Proof of urgencyA printed proof is needed for a rush order.Only if you need it urgently
Australia (New South Wales example)
- Order from the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and MarriagesOnline is quickest: $70 standard (up to 3 weeks) or $105 priority (up to 2 weeks).
- Two proof of identity documentsOne from each of the Registry's two lists, and current.
- Report the lossThe Registry can block the old certificate from verifying, and a police report helps if it was stolen.Only if it was lost or stolen
India
- The local registrarBirths are registered where they happened, by the registrar the state appointed, such as the municipality or panchayat.
- Copies for a feeUnder section 17 of the RBD Act, anyone can get copies after paying the fee the state sets.
- The CRS portalOpen for some states and union territories only. Others use their own portals.
Where to order, country by country
Who is allowed to order a copy
Official costs and times
US
Your birth state's vital records office
England and Wales
£12.50 from the General Register Office
Ontario
$35 for a regular online replacement
New South Wales
$70 standard, $105 priority
India
The local registrar where the birth was registered
United States: your birth state, not Washington
The CDC says the federal government does not issue birth certificates. Contact the vital records office of the state or territory where you were born, which sets how you order, how fast it comes and what it costs. You need the city and county of birth.
United Kingdom: three separate offices
In England and Wales, order from the General Register Office online for £12.50; a priority copy costs £38.50 and is sent the next working day if you order by 4pm. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own registers and prices.
Canada and Australia: your province or state
Provinces and states issue birth certificates. In Ontario, ordering a replacement makes the old certificate invalid. In New South Wales, the Registry can block a lost certificate so it cannot be used to verify identity, and it warns against third-party sites offering to apply for you.
India: the registrar where you were born
Under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, births are registered by the local registrar where they happen. One free copy goes to the person who registered the birth, and anyone can get more copies for the fee the state sets. For anyone born on or after 1 October 2023, the birth certificate is the required proof of date and place of birth for things like school, a driving licence and a passport.
Keep a copy before you need it
A scan in DigiSafe will not replace a certified copy, but it gives you the registration details every office asks for: name, date and place of birth, parents' names and the registration number.
Step by step
- 1
Find the office that registered the birth.
- 2
Check who is allowed to order a copy.
- 3
Collect the full name, date and place of birth, and parents' names.
- 4
Order through the official site, not a third party.
- 5
Report the loss if it was stolen.
- 6
Scan the new certificate into DigiSafe when it arrives.
Questions people ask
Can I get a copy of my birth certificate online?+
Usually. England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ontario and New South Wales all take online orders, and US states set their own methods. In India, it depends on your state's registration portal.
Does ordering a replacement cancel my old birth certificate?+
In Ontario, yes: once a replacement is ordered, the previous certificate is no longer valid. Other places set their own rules.
How much does a replacement birth certificate cost in the UK?+
In England and Wales, £12.50 from the General Register Office, or £38.50 for priority. Scotland charges £15 for the first copy and Northern Ireland £15 for one certificate.
Who can order a copy of a birth certificate?+
It depends on the place. Ontario lets you order your own if you are 13 or older, or your child's if you are a named parent. New South Wales lets you order your own, or one for a child in your care under 18.
Where this comes from
Official sources, dated.
Every requirement on this page comes from the official pages listed here, last checked on 1 October 2026. Rules change and offices can ask for more, so check the official page before you go.
- 1CDC: Where to write for vital recordscdc.gov
- 2USA.gov: How to replace a birth certificateusa.gov
- 3California CDPH: Certified copies of birth recordscdph.ca.gov
- 4GOV.UK: Order a birth, death or marriage certificategov.uk
- 5National Records of Scotland: Order a certificatenrscotland.gov.uk
- 6nidirect: Ordering life event certificatesnidirect.gov.uk
- 7Ontario: Get or replace an Ontario birth certificateontario.ca
- 8NSW: Birth certificatesnsw.gov.au
- 9NSW Registry: Lost or stolen certificatesnsw.gov.au
- 10Office of the Registrar General, India: CRS FAQ (PDF)dc.crsorgi.gov.in
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