Order a copy of a birth, death or marriage certificate

You can order a certificate online from the ScotlandsPeople website. You need to create an account first on the ScotlandsPeople website.

ScotlandsPeople can only process online orders right now. They cannot process any orders made in another way.

Opening hours

The online service is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 4.30pm.

Order a copy certificate from your local council

You can order a copy certificate from your local council registration service. This service from your local council may be affected by Covid.

You can get more information from the registration section of your local council website.

Get information from local council registration services

Copy certificates you can order

You can order certificates of:

Fees for copy certificates

Priority service

The priority service costs £15 for each certificate plus the certificate fees.

If you order many copies of the same certificate at the same time, you only pay the priority service fee for the first certificate.

How long the order takes

It usually takes 15 working days to get a copy certificate.

But orders are taking longer than usual to right now due to coronavirus and may take longer than this.

Urgent certificate orders

For urgent orders you should order a certificate online.

Once you've ordered you should contact ScotlandsPeople on the website to give details of the urgent order.

Adoption birth certificates and no trace divorce letters

This includes urgent orders for adoption birth certificates and no trace divorce letters.

Someone from ScotlandsPeople will then contact you about the urgent order.

Census and old parish records

You cannot order copies of these online right now.

You should contact ScotlandsPeople to find out about these.

Further information

You can get further information about copy certificates and records from:

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