ACT Birth Certificate

Please note that 80% of certificates will be processed within 15 days of receiving all required documents (not including Australia Post delivery times).

Certificates are sent by registered person‐to‐person post and addressed to the applicant. As a result, the applicant will need to produce appropriate identification at the post office in order to collect the certificate. Without that identification, Australia Post will not allow you to collect the certificate.

You may not be eligible to apply. You will be required to attach documents providing third party consent, power of attorney or legal need.

Access Canberra is only able to produce a certificate if the person was born in the ACT. If they were born in another State or Territory, you will need to apply to the relevant authority in that State or Territory

You may not be eligible to apply. You will be required to provide documents providing consent from one of the parents listed on the birth certificate or establishing custody or guardianship.

You will be required to attach consent from a parent listed on the birth certificate.

The Third Party Consent form can be completed online.

You can save the form and continue later if you have not yet got the completed consent form ready to attach.

For further information about accessing birth death and marriage register, please refer to the Births, deaths and marriages certificate access policy (PDF 131KB).

If you require any further information about the Access Policy or the application process please contact Access Canberra on 13 22 81.

Hint: You can take a photo of the document you wish to upload if you do not have a scanner. This document can then be emailed to a webmail account (e.g. Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo) to be attached to the form if using a different device.

So that the certificate may be issued, you will need to attach evidence of your authority to obtain the certificate which may include the following: Registered Power of Attorney, Court Order or Guardianship Order. You will also need to attach 3 forms of your identification from primary proof of identity list below, one of which must include a photograph.

• Photographic Drivers Licence issued in Australia (current or expired up to 2 years)
• Australian Birth Certificate (not a commemorative or an extract)
• Australian or Overseas Passport (current or expired up to 2 years)
• Australian Citizenship Certificate or Naturalisation Certificate
• Dept of Immigration and Citizenship travel documentation (valid up to 5 years after issue)
• Dept of Immigration and Citizenship Certificate of Evidence of Resident Status
• Australian Proof of Age Card
• Proof of Identity Card
• Police Officer Photo Identity (ACT only)

Hint: You can take a photo of the document you wish to upload if you do not have a scanner. This document can then be emailed to a webmail account (e.g. Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo) to be attached to the form if using a different device.

You will be required to attach evidence supporting the change of name (e.g. A change of name certificate or marriage certificate).

Hint: You can take a photo of the document you wish to upload if you do not have a scanner. This document can then be emailed to a webmail account (e.g. Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo) to be attached to the form if using a different device.

If the birth occurred in the ACT and you have not yet registered it, please fill out the online Birth registration statement.

A certificate can only be issued after the registration has been completed.

If you are applying for a certificate relating to a birth that occurred recently, please be aware that there may be a delay in the issue of that certificate while the appropriate paperwork about that event is received, processed and the registration created. Access Canberra will complete your application and produce the certificate once the registration is finalised. We appreciate your patience.

You will be required to attach evidence supporting the change of name (e.g. A change of name certificate or marriage certificate).

Hint: You can take a photo of the document you wish to upload if you do not have a scanner. This document can then be emailed to a webmail account (e.g. Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo) to be attached to the form if using a different device.

Birth parent details

The birth parent is the person who gave birth to the child, i.e. the mother. Please provide names exactly as they appear on the certificate

Father/other parent details

You will be required to attach evidence supporting the change of name (e.g. A change of name certificate or marriage certificate).

Hint: You can take a photo of the document you wish to upload if you do not have a scanner. This document can then be emailed to a webmail account (e.g. Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo) to be attached to the form if using a different device.

Tips on how to attach documents by using a smartphone:

1. Take a photo of your document with your phone or tablet camera. Make sure the whole page is pictured and readable. Remember to take pictures of all pages including double sided documents. Note: If the text is unreadable in your photo, take another photo but before taking the photo, tap the screen where the text is and it should autofocus to make the text easier to read.
2. Share the photo/s of your document to your webmail app (e.g. Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, etc).
3. Open and sign in to your webmail app (e.g. Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, etc.). Open the email that has the photos attached and download the attachment. Click ‘Save as’ to confirm where the attachment is saved (you can save it in Downloads if unsure).
4. Return to the SmartForm, to the page where you needed to attach the document and upload the saved attachment. Note: depending on which SmartForm you are completing, you may be able to save the progress made on the SmartForm and reopen on another device to complete.
5. Click the Upload file button, browse to the location you saved your photo to and select the file.