Genealogy Chat

I have seen a number of threads regarding the cost of certificates in the last few weeks and have just done a bit of research into the costs. *********************************************************************** This Is Repeated On The 3 Main Boards - as not everyone looks at other boards ***************************************************************************************************************

All the these were found on google by searching for - birth marriage death certificates england. Please don't get ripped off - use your head and only use the offical site!! All prices are for standard delivery - and ordered online unless otherwise stated www.gro.gov.uk/gro Full certificate with GRO reference number.............................................................................................................£7 Full certificate without GRO reference number.............................................................................................................£11.50 Full certificate with GRO reference number by Post/ phone/ fax.......................................................................................................................£8.50 England and Walse Local Record Office......................£7 (generally but do double check) http://www.groireland.ie - Erie (Republic of Ireland) Full certificate by Post/ Person .......................................................................€10.00 http://www.groni.gov.uk/index.htm - Northen Ireland Full certificate without GRO reference number by Post/ phone/ fax/ Online/ person ....................................................................................................................... £11.00 Full certificate with GRO reference number by Post/ phone/ fax/ person ....................................................................................................................... £5.50 http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk - Scotland (births to 1905, marriages to 1930 and deaths to 1955 available from Scotland's Peole) Full certificate with seach in person...................................................................................£11 Full certificate with seach in post / telephone / fax ..................................................................................................£13 Full certificate with seach in online.....................................................................................£16 Priority Service (not available online ...............................................................................................extra £10 www.bmd-certificates.*co.uk Full certificate without GRO reference number searched a year both sides of date given and date must be between Jan 1837 and June/ July 2004...................................................................................................................£25 (the site actually says Jan 1837) gov-certificates.*co.uk Full certificate without GRO reference number.............................................................................................................£23 www.uktrace.*co.uk certificate without GRO reference number..............................................................................................................£49.95 Search only.......................................................................................................£14.95 www.ukcertificates.*com Full certificate with or without GRO reference number..............................................................................................................£19.95 Search only..........................................................................................................£10

Cripes!!

Andrew - Let me guess you've ordered from somewhere other than the GRO?!? Or just shocked at the price differences?

I've been lucky enough not to have had to buy any yet so thanks for the warning.Christine

Nope, I've only ever ordered certs from the GRO, originally in person, and nowadays online. I'm simply shocked at the prices being asked for!

£50 is just disgusting.

Hi, I agree with you there Andrew thats what i call going over board. How do they get away with then prices. Helen

I'm not sure if this is the right place to put this but- I went to Birmingham registry office today to order a birth certificate- I wasn't sure of the exact year, or the exact place, or the mother's maiden name. In view of this I thought I would have to pay a little more than £7- but they were so helpful. They told me that they search 2 and half years either side of the date you give them- and if they can't find a match they refund all your money!! I was thrilled- especially as they found the certificate I want for 7 quid. Great service.

Merry - have ammended and will do the others ASAP.

Hi Nelly, This is a good point, and common practise in all the local register offices I've used so far. One word of warning there though - which I fell foul of early on. If you are ordering more than one certificate this way, pay using at least 2 cheques. Most offices won't actually issue a refund, so when I ordered 2 certs, with checking points, one didn't match. Because they don't issue refunds, just return your cheque - I didn't get either cert, and had to start over! I now send one cheque for the value of on cert, and another cheque for the remaining amount. Debbie

Lunar, if I am sending for a certificate for a birth or a death registration, then I always apply to the register office, from which the cheque for £7 is returned if the registration cannot be found. In my experience, superintendent registrars have been extremely helpful and ''gone the extra'' mile for me. And nine times out of ten, the certificate has been sent to me by return of post. :-) Joy

I think these certificate sites work on a similar basis to the ones that offer personalised number plates. In that case you can find the number on the DVLA website, nine times out of ten, and at a few hundred pounds less cost... and these sites sometimes offer the plate-renewal at about double price or so, as well! I suppose they claim the margin's a sort of ''service charge''! Christine

shall we set up a web site , and share the profits? what do you think? £20 for a cert £10 per person per census look up? heaven help those that had 13 offspring!! jess x

All the certs I have purchased, and it must be coming up for a dozen so far, have come from GRO - £7 each. I guess I have been lucky as a newbie to have found them from the off on 1837. It's mind boggling what they're asking on some sites. I never realised. Lin XX

I've never bought a certificate from GRO, I've always contacted the Register Office direct. If I haven't been exactly sure of the year I have asked for a search to be done, so far I've been lucky and they've always found the right one. Most of the Register Offices I have been in touch with (about 10 in total) will do a five year search and all have been very helpful.

Lunar Were any of those sites offering a priority service for that amount? They should be!! Certs from the GRO site using their priority service are £23 with ref or £27.50 without ref. Not that I've ever used the priority service, am patient enough (just!) to wait a few more days for the sake of £16 !! Richard

How can a service that 'isnt straight fro the horses mouth' be a prioity service? what i mean is, if you apply to them, they must in turn apply to the GRO- it couldn't be quicker, could it? Jess x

Richard - Prioraty or expess services, were more expencive where offered. Some of the prioriy prices are listed on a copy of this thred on the general board, they are in the bottem half of page 1.

Margaret Margareto If you know where she was born, apply to the local registrar. If it doesnt match with the details you give them they will return your cheque. Margaret