How long does birth certificate take to get

Q: Can you get a birth certificate the same day in PA?

You may need to prove your relation to the person youre requesting a certificate for. It costs $20 per certificate. If you apply online or by mail, the process takes 2-3 weeks. If you apply in person, you can get it the same day.

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Table of Contents Show

Processing times
Common cause of delays
What if my certificate hasn't arrived?
Certificate fees
Get help ordering a certificate
Registration of births or deaths abroad
Ordering by phone
Ordering by post
Register offices
What is the fastest I can get my birth certificate?
How do I get my baby's birth certificate in Missouri?
Can you get a birth certificate the same day in PA?
How long does it take to get a birth certificate in Colorado?

Your certificate is an important document. We aim to get it to you as quickly as possible.

Processing times

When you apply for a certificate or registration, we email you details of documents you need to provide. Our processing times start when we receive all required documents.

If you didn’t receive an email after applying, contact us.

Common cause of delays

The most common cause of delays is not providing certified proof of identity documents.

We can only accept copies of identity documents that have been certified by authorised people (External link).

This helps ensure we keep the personal information of Victorians accurate and secure. We only release it to those with a genuine right to receive it.

Turnaround times for certificates and registrations

Type of application	Processing time
Certificate	21 days (3 weeks)
Birth registration and certificate for newborns	56 days (8 weeks)
Death registration and certificate in the last 3 months	7 days (1 week)
Marriage registration and certificate for newlyweds	28 days (4 weeks)
Relationship registration and certificate*	35 days (5 weeks)
Change of name registration and certificate	77 days (11 weeks)
Correction to a certificate	77 days (11 weeks)
Commemorative birth certificate	28 days (4 weeks)

Allow extra time for:

Public holidays
Postage:
- 6 working days for registered or standard post
- 2 working day for most express post

If you order legal and commemorative certificates together, we post them separately.

*The law requires a 28-day cooling off period when registering a domestic relationship. We can’t issue a certificate until 28 calendar days have passed and we have registered the relationship.

What if my certificate hasn't arrived?

If it hasn't arrived after two months, report a late or missing certificate.

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You need to register on the General Register Office (GRO) website to get a copy of a birth, adoption, death, marriage or civil partnership certificate in England and Wales.

You can use this service to research your family tree.

Order with the GRO index reference number.

It takes around 10 minutes and you’ll need a debit or credit card.

Start now

More information
Other ways to apply

There’s a different process for getting certificates in Scotland and getting certificates in Northern Ireland.

Certificate fees

Certificates cost £11 and are sent 4 days after you apply.

If you do not have a GRO index reference number, you’ll have to pay £3 extra for each search. Certificates are sent 15 working days after you apply.

If you need the certificate sooner, you can use the priority service for £35. It’ll be sent the next working day if you order by 4pm.

Extra copies are the same price.

Get help ordering a certificate

Contact the General Register Office for help ordering a certificate or questions about an order.

General Register Office
(for general enquiries)
Online form (for enquiries after you’ve applied for a certificate)
Telephone: 0300 123 1837
Textphone: 18001 0300 123 1837
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Saturday, 9am to 1pm
Find out about call charges

General Register Office
PO Box 2
Southport
PR8 2JD

Registration of births or deaths abroad

If you’ve registered a birth or death with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Overseas Registration Unit, you cannot get a copy from the GRO until the November of the following year.

If you need a copy sooner, email the name of the registered person, the registration date and reference number to:

for birth registrations
for death registrations

You’ll get a reply telling you how to get your copy and the cost - usually £50 plus courier fees.

Ordering by phone

To order certificates by phone, call the General Register Office.

General Register Office
Telephone: 0300 123 1837
Text relay: 18001 0300 123 1837
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Saturday, 9am to 1pm
Find out about call charges

Ordering by post

To order certificates by post, fill in the relevant GRO certificate application and send it to the address on the form.

Register offices

You can also order certificates from the local register office where the birth, death or marriage was registered.

What is the fastest I can get my birth certificate?

It typically takes 4 to 8 weeks to receive your certified birth certificate copy in the mail. If you need your replacement sooner, premium services such as VitalRecordsOnline.com offer a Rush Package with expedited shipping. Some states may even be able to provide a copy within 2-3 business days.

How do I get my baby's birth certificate in Missouri?

Take to your local public health agency, schedule an appointment to visit the Bureau of Vital Records in Jefferson City, or mail request. Call the Bureau of Vital Records in Jefferson City to schedule an in-person appointment at 573-751-6387 or text 573-291-8290.

Can you get a birth certificate the same day in PA?

You may need to prove your relation to the person you're requesting a certificate for. It costs $20 per certificate. If you apply online or by mail, the process takes 2-3 weeks. If you apply in person, you can get it the same day.