Frequently Asked Questions

Application Enquiries

Where is BDM?
What is the difference in types of birth certificate (ie Standard, Commemorative, Panda)?
How long will the certificate take?  
If I need a certificate urgently, how long will it take?
How much is a certificate?
How do I get a birth, death and marriage certificate?
Can I apply online?
Where do I get the forms?
Where do I lodge the forms?
What payment options are there?
What ID do I need?

Change of Name Enquiry

How do I change my name or my children’s name?
Do I have to do a declaration of change of name after marriage?
What ID do I need ? 
Can I revert back to my maiden name after relationship change etc?

Marriage Enquiry

How do I get married in Australia?
How much does it cost to get married at the Registry?
Will an overseas marriage certificate be sufficient for change of name in Australia?  
How do I organise a Registry Office marriage? 
Can I change the time or date of my wedding?

Corrections

What do I do if there is a mistake on my certificate?

Family history

Does BDM offer a genealogy service?  
Can I search for family history on your website?
How do I get copies of certificates for family history?
How much does it cost to obtain a copy of a certificate?
 

Where is BDM ?
The Births, Deaths & Marriages Registration office is located at:
Office of Consumer and Business Affairs
Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Office
Level 2, Chesser House 91-97 Grenfell Street
Adelaide SA 5000 GPO Box 1351 Adelaide SA 5001
DX 225
For more information - http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/bdm/contact.html
[Back to top]

What is the difference in types of birth certificate (ie Standard, Commemorative, Panda)?
For legal purposes, the standard certificate is what you would normally require for passports applications, motor registration etc. Apart from Standard Certificates, the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Office has a range of beautiful Commemorative Certificates available for purchase. The arrival of the Giant Pandas at the Adelaide Zoo in 2009 touched a chord with the public of South Australia. To complement this event BDM introduced this new design, showing two pandas with their favourite food. For more information and to view the range of certificates, refer to our website: http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/bdm/applying/birth/index.html
[Back to top]

How long will the certificate take?
Processing times may vary depending on workloads, but standard applications are normally processed within 5 working days. Time should be allowed for postal delivery. Please allow up to fifteen (15) working days for delivery of Commemorative Certificates.
For information on current waiting times, please refer to our website: http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/bdm/
[Back to top]

If I need a certificate urgently, how long will it take?
A priority service is available at a cost of $32.00. Applications may be lodged online, by post or at our counter prior to 4pm. Priority applications lodged online are processed within 24 hours and can only be collected from the Grenfell Street registration office. If selected, a SMS will be sent to notify applicant that certificate is ready to collect. Priority applications lodged at the front counter are processed within ½ hour, and those received by mail are posted out by express post the same day.
[Back to top]

How much is a certificate?
A standard birth, death, marriage or change of name certificate will cost $42.00.
For the full list of fees - http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/bdm/fees.html
[Back to top]

How do I get a birth, death and marriage certificate?
To apply for a South Australian birth, death or marriage certificate you must complete the relevant form. Application forms are available from our Office, bill paying Post Office or through this website. Applications can be lodged in person, via our website or by post. The form explains the identification you will need to produce. http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/bdm/forms.html
[Back to top]

Can I apply online?
Yes - you can apply either priority or normal service for birth, death or marriage certificates online via our website: http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/bdm/applyonline.html . Applications for existing Change of Name certificates must be done by post or in person.
[Back to top]

Where do I get the forms?
Forms can be downloaded from our website - http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/bdm/forms.html, collected from a bill paying Post Office or from our Office on Level 2, 91-97 Grenfell Street, Adelaide. Regional customers can collect forms from Service SA outlets as listed on the following link: http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/bdm/contact.html
[Back to top]

Where do I lodge the forms?
Applications may be lodged online through this website - http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au//bdm/applyonline.html or you can also lodge applications in person at our Office on Level 2, 91-97 Grenfell Street, Adelaide, or by post.
[Back to top]

What payment options are there?
The Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Office accepts payment by the following methods:

• Counter applications: cash, cheque, money order, credit card, direct debit
• Postal applications: cheque, money order, credit card
• Online applications: credit card

Cheques should be made payable to “Births, Deaths and Marriages”. Our processing times do not include postage times. Please allow additional time for postal deliveries.

[Back to top]

What ID do I need?
It depends on what you are applying for, but all applications for certificates must be accompanied by evidence of the applicant's identification. Failure to provide identification will result in processing delays with the application.

Acceptable documents to be used as identification are listed on our forms or on the website - http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/bdm/applying/policy.html

[Back to top]

Change of Name Enquiry

How do I change my name or my children’s name?
Application to register a change of name (adult over 18) - This form can only be used if your birth is registered in South Australia or you have been a resident here for more than three (3) months. Only one change of name is allowed in any twelve month period. http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/assets/files/change_name_adult.pdf

Application to register a change of name (Child under 18) - This form can only be used if the child's birth is registered in South Australia or the child has been a resident here for more than three (3) months. Only one change of name is allowed in any twelve month period. http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/assets/files/change_name_child.pdf
[Back to top]

Do I have to do a declaration of change of name after marriage?
When a woman who has married in Australia decides to take her husband’s surname, there is no need to register the change of name.
For more information go to our website: http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/bdm/registering/index.html

[Back to top]

What ID do I need?
An application will require documentation regarding your/child’s birth, your/parent’s identity, residence in South Australia and any previous changes of name. The application forms detail these requirements or go to our website:

For a change of name (adult over 18)
http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/assets/files/change_name_adult.pdf

For a change of name (child under 18)
http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/assets/files/change_name_child.pdf

[Back to top]

Can I revert back to my maiden name after relationship change etc?
Yes. There is no general requirement for a declaration and registration of change of name. It should be sufficient for a woman to produce her birth and/or marriage certificate(s) to an institution, and to state that she is now using her maiden surname or a former married surname, as the case may be. For more information go to http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/bdm/registering/index.html
An information leaflet is also available - Reverting from a married surname

[Back to top]

Marriage Enquiry

How do I get married in Australia?

A Notice of Intended Marriage must be lodged at least one month and one day, and not more than eighteen months, before the marriage takes place, regardless of where you marry in Australia. Upon lodging the Notice of Intended Marriage, the following documentation will need to be presented to the Marriage Celebrant by each party to the marriage:

• If born in Australia - Birth Certificate
• If born overseas - Birth Certificate or Passport from country of origin
• If previously married - Divorce papers (Decree Absolute), or Death Certificate (if previous spouse is deceased)

For more information go to our website: http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/bdm/marriages/index.html

[Back to top]

How much does it cost to get married at the Registry?

Lodgement or re-lodgement of Notice of Intent Marriage. $93 (inc. GST)
Solemnisation of a Registration Office Marriage. $157 (inc. GST)
Total fee when marriage solemnised at Registration Office. $250 (inc. GST)

[Back to top]

Will an overseas marriage certificate be sufficient for change of name in Australia?
When a woman who has married in Australia decides to take her husband’s surname, there is no need to register the change of name. Production of the marriage certificate and a statement by the woman that she is now known by her husband’s surname is generally accepted as sufficient evidence.

Women who have married overseas will find that this is not adequate for some agencies - for example Passports Office (passport application) and some Registration and Licensing agencies (change of name on licence or car registration). In these cases the woman may be required by those agencies to produce a Change of Name certificate and will therefore need to undertake a formal change of name process with the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Office. Less commonly, a man may decide to adopt his wife’s surname on marriage. Similar arrangements apply in that case.
[Back to top]

How do I organise a Registry Office marriage?

The Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Office provides a fresh and modern marriage room for your special day, especially if you prefer a simple 'no fuss' ceremony.

As with all marriages occurring in Australia, a Notice of Intended Marriage needs to be lodged, together with production of documentation and payment of the prescribed fee. Lodgement of the Notice is accepted at our office from Monday to Friday between the hours of 8:30am to 4:30pm. Please refer to our section on Marriage Requirements for more information.

Marriages are performed weekdays (except public holidays) at our office at Chesser House between 10am & 4:30pm. The ceremony takes approximately 10 -15 minutes, with ample opportunity to take photos and record the event . For further information go to our website: http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/bdm/marriages/wedding.html

[Back to top]

Can I change the time or date of my wedding?
Yes. In the event of cancellation, a notice in writing must be received by the Registration Office at least 14 days prior to the date of the ceremony. In these cases, only the solemnisation fee will be refunded. Where the bridal couple requests a change of day or time, new booking arrangements will be negotiated and a suitable day/and or time will be confirmed at no extra charge. Telephone us on (08) 8204 9599 to make the arrangements.
[Back to top]
 

Corrections

What do I do if there is a mistake on my certificate?
In some cases you may feel that some of the information on the certificate may be incorrect (ie spelling errors).

• Please contact this office if there is a problem with your certificate and one of our officers will advise you of the process for applying to amend the error(s).
• Please note that there may be a fee for amendments to the register if information given to us at the time of registration was incorrect.
• Documentary evidence may be required in some instances.

If your certificate is amended, you will be required to surrender the old original certificate.

An application to correct an entry can be downloaded from our website: http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/assets/files/sa_correction_app_web.pdf
[Back to top]

Family history

Does BDM offer a genealogy service?
The Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Office is only able to provide information by way of certificates and does so following receipt of a formal application. We are unable to offer an online searching facility for historical records.

Please refer to How to apply for certificates for information regarding lodgment of applications. You can also contact the South Australian Genealogy & Heraldry Society -  http://www.saghs.org.au/ to use for your family tree research.

[Back to top]

Can I search for family history on your website?
No, refer to question above.
[Back to top]

How do I get copies of certificates for family history?
To apply for a South Australian birth, death or marriage certificate you must complete the relevant form. Application forms are available from our Office, bill paying Post Office or through this website. Applications can be lodged in person, via our website or by post. If you are applying for:

• Birth certificates more than 75 years old
• Death certificates more than 25 years old
• Marriage certificates more than 60 years old

you are not required to provide identification with your application.

Refer to our website for more information: http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/bdm/applyonline.html
[Back to top]

How much does it cost to obtain a copy of a certificate?
A standard birth, death or marriage certificate or an existing Change of Name certificate will cost $42.00.
For the full list of fees go to our website: http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/bdm/fees.html

[Back to top]

If you can't find an answer to your question, you can contact us directly.

Some of the content accessed from this page requires the Adobe Reader.

• Home

• Media releases

• Popular pages
  • Business advice
  • Consumers advice
  • Youth advice
  • Online services

• Languages

• A-Z Search

• Help