You can order a long-form birth certificate online and we will post it to you. This is a certified copy of an entry in the register. You can use it for legal and administrative purposes.
Uncertified copies for research are only available to order over the phone or at a civil registration service.
Phone or walk-in orders
You can order a certificate over the phone from most civil registration services. Some have a walk-in service. You do not have to order it from a service in the area the birth took place.
Phone orders take around 5 working days to process.
Information you need to provide
To order a birth certificate for any registered birth, you need to provide:
- full birth name on the certificate
- date of birth
- place of birth
- gender
- mother's full birth name
- father's full name, if recorded
Fees
A birth certificate costs:
- €20 for a full standard birth certificate
- €5 for an uncertified copy
- €10 to have a certificate authenticated - available from the General Register Office - gov.ie
A copy is free for social welfare purposes or registering for a public services card. You need a letter from the Department of Social Protection to get a free copy.
Postage costs:
- €2 for each order in Ireland
- €3 for each order outside of Ireland
Years certificates are available for
Certificates are available for births registered in the:
- the Republic of Ireland from 1864 to present
- Northern Ireland from 1922