Ordering Copies of Your Baby’s Birth Certificate: Fees and Timings in England, Wales and Scotland

Registering a baby’s birth is one job; getting the right number of official copies afterwards is another. A birth certificate is needed for many later steps, and copies can be ordered from the General Register Office (GRO) in England and Wales or from Scotland’s People in Scotland. This guide sets out how each process works, what the fees were on the official pages when checked in September 2026 and which timings apply. Northern Ireland has a separate process, which the GOV.UK page points to. The site’s guide to registering your baby’s birth covers the registration itself.

Why more than one copy can be useful

GOV.UK says the GRO service can be used to support a passport application, and that a certificate ordered for that purpose can be sent directly to HM Passport Office. A first passport, described in the guide to getting your baby’s first passport, is one common reason. Scotland’s People says its certificates are official copies that can be used for all legal purposes, like applying for a passport. Keeping a spare copy can avoid a delay if one is with an application or misplaced.

England and Wales: ordering from the GRO

GOV.UK says a person needs to register on the General Register Office website to get a copy of a birth, adoption, death, marriage or civil partnership certificate in England and Wales. It says registration takes around 10 minutes and needs a debit or credit card. The page lists these fees and timings:

• Standard certificate: £12.50, sent 4 days after applying, when the GRO index reference number is supplied.
• Without an index reference number: an extra £3.50 for each search, with certificates sent 15 working days after applying.
• Priority service: £38.50, sent the next working day if ordered by 4pm.
• Extra copies: the same price as the first.

Other routes are available. GOV.UK says certificates can be ordered by phone from the GRO on 0300 123 1837, by post using the relevant GRO application form, or from the local register office where the birth was registered. The GRO’s phone lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.

A baby registered abroad

GOV.UK says that if a birth has been registered with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Overseas Registration Unit, a copy cannot be obtained from the GRO until the November of the following year. A family that needs a copy sooner can email the Overseas Registration Unit with the registered person’s name, the registration date and the reference number, and the reply explains how to get the copy and the cost, which GOV.UK describes as usually £50 plus courier fees.

Scotland: Scotland’s People and local councils

Mygov.scot says a certificate can be ordered online from Scotland’s People or from the local council. The details needed are the full name of the person on the certificate, the date of birth and the place where the event took place, for example where they were born. Scotland’s People adds that for some common surnames the parents’ names or the mother’s maiden name may be needed. The fees and timings listed are:

• £12 for a certificate, with additional copies of the same certificate at £10 each;
• a standard processing time of 15 working days to dispatch an order; and
• postage options at checkout, including priority processing for next-day dispatch.

Mygov.scot says orders from a local council cost different amounts depending on the council, so the fee should be checked on the council’s website. Scotland’s People also warns that some events registered in the last 2 years may not be available to view or order yet, and asks families needing a copy of a certificate that has not been published yet to contact it. National Records of Scotland notes that most certificates can be ordered online, except adoption certificates, no trace divorce letters and extracts from the 1939 National Identity Register.

Timing tips

• Order copies before a deadline such as a passport application, allowing for the standard timings above.
• Have the GRO index reference number ready for England and Wales, as it avoids the extra search fee and the longer wait.
• Order extra copies in the same transaction where possible, since Scotland’s People charges less for additional copies of the same certificate.
• Only use official channels: the GOV.UK page, Scotland’s People and local register offices.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a birth certificate copy in England and Wales? GOV.UK gives £12.50, with extra copies at the same price, plus £3.50 per search if there is no GRO index reference number.

How long does it take in Scotland? Scotland’s People gives a standard processing time of 15 working days to dispatch, with next-day priority available.

Can I use a copy for a passport? GOV.UK says the GRO service can support a passport application, and Scotland’s People says its certificates can be used for all legal purposes, like applying for a passport.

The bottom line

Extra copies of a baby’s birth certificate are ordered through the GRO in England and Wales (£12.50 on the GOV.UK page) or Scotland’s People (£12, with £10 for additional copies). Have the reference details ready, allow for the stated processing times and check the current fee before ordering.

Sources

• GOV.UK, "Order a birth, death, marriage or civil partnership certificate"
• Scotland’s People, "Order certificate – official copies"
• mygov.scot, "Order a copy of a birth, death or marriage certificate"
• National Records of Scotland, "Order a copy of a certificate"