cost of certificates

[kassie]

I have sent for 12 bmd certificates so far and as I live in Canada I have to pay seven pound per certificate.  I will be coming to Wales next spring to do some reseach and have a holiday.  Where do I have to go to get copies of bmd certificates for cheaper than seven pound.  I seem to remember someone saying they get copies for 30p and as I want to get as many certificates as I can 30p is a good deal.

Kassie

[Necromancer]

the only source of a Cert is a Local Registry Office or the GRO - the latter is £7.00, dunno about the Locals.... if anybody can get one cheaper we'd love to know   

[Garethboxing]

Local register offices also charge £7. As far as I know it's a legal requirement, so there's no way around it.

    Gareth

[oldtimer]

Hi Kassie

I wonder if you are thinking of photocopies of church registers? If you plan to visit any record offices whilst you are over here, and find anything of interest, you will be able to have a copy made for about 30 or 50p.

Although baptism and death entries won't give you as much information as a certificate, a marriage entry is always more interesting than a certificate I think, because you can actually see your ancestors handwriting on the page. Providing they could write, of course  ! !) And they always have the same info as a certificate.

Oldtimer

[kassie]

Thanks Newf, and Gareth.

Thanks Oldtimer I think you are right.  Darn it I thought it was to good to be true.

Kassie

[GreySquirrel]

£7 per certificate is the statuory fee and therefore the minimum.

In addition, district register offices, which are run by the local authorities and are no longer accountable to the General Register Office, have recently been given extra "well being" powers which means that they can charge more than £7 per certificate.

Devon County Council is charging £8 per certificate, Cornwall I think is £7.50 and I heard that Kent charges something like £14. I don't know of any other local authorities which charge more yet, but I'm sure others will follow.

In other words, buying direct online from GRO is best.

[kerryb]

I agree Grey Squirrel.  The last time I looked Sussex were charging £11 per certificate, I just go straight to the GRO now.  For the amount I have ordered that bit of extra money would soon add up!

Kerry

[Garethboxing]

I hadn't realised that some local authorities were so money-grabbing 

  But in other areas I would always go to the local register office first. I find they are generally (especially if you go there in person) far more ready to go the extra mile to help, plus their local knowledge can be invaluable.

  Gareth

[kerryb]

Hi Gareth

I don't disagree with you but I have found my experience of the GRO to be like that, I got a certificate back recently which turned out not to be the one I was expecting, I emailed them because there were two identical ones on the same page and I wanted to know if the remaining one was the one I wanted, they searched the other one and let me know it was a duplicate of the first so that I did not order and find it the same as the one I already had!

Very helpful 

Kerry