The Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages

The Registry creates and preserves records of Western Australian births, deaths, marriages and changes of name.

COVID-19: Coronavirus

The WA Government has released a COVID-19 roadmap, which will see some restrictions relaxed. In line with this and advice from the WA Department of Health, the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages has reopened the Public Counter and Marriage Registry.

Although the Public Counter and Marriage Registry is open, customers can continue to access our services through alternative methods such as email and post.

The Registry creates and preserves records of Western Australian births, deaths, marriages and changes of name in accordance with the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1998. Eligible customers are able to apply for certificates from these records to be used for a range of legal, personal and historical purposes.

Apply for a birth certificate

Apply for a death certificate

Getting married in WA

Search family historical records

Changing your name

Registry Office locations

The Perth Registry Office has two wedding rooms which offer magnificent views overlooking the Swan River. Friendly civil ceremonies are conducted Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) commencing at 9.00 am and concluding at 4.00 pm. To book your wedding at the Perth Registry Office contact the Registry’s Marriage Services Team on 1300 305 021.

Wedding Rooms at Westralia Square
Grevillea Room (seats 35 guests) and Banksia Room (seats 20 guests)

All couples are required to lodge a Notice of Intended Marriage, identification (passport or birth certificate) and, if previously married, a divorce certificate or death certificate of their previous spouse. These documents must be lodged with the Perth Registry Office at least one month before their desired date of marriage.

If you are eligible to post or email the Notice of Intended Marriage form, you will need to arrange for your signatures to be witnessed by a qualified person (as stated on the Notice) and have your supporting documents certified as true copies. Original documents will need to be sighted before your marriage ceremony can take place.

On the day of the ceremony, two witnesses must be present to witness your marriage and sign the marriage documentation. Your witnesses:

must be 18 years or older
know either party
can be family or friends.

Note: The Registry does not supply witnesses for your ceremony.

On occasion where the couple or witnesses do not speak and/or understand English the Registry will provide an interpreter free of charge. This includes Auslan.

As the Registering Authority for all marriages in Western Australia, the Perth Registry Office is the only establishment that can issue the certified marriage certificate immediately after your marriage ceremony. This certificate is used to legally recognise your changed marital status.

Note: The Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages is not affiliated to the Perth Marriage Office which is operated by a private authorised marriage celebrant.

If there is an error or details missing on a birth, death or marriage certificate issued by the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, you should contact the Registry for advice on how to correct the certificate.

A recognition certificate for early pregnancy loss is available to commemorate the loss of a child which occurred before 20 weeks gestation, or if gestation weeks are unknown, the baby weighed less than 400 grams.

Recognition certificates are only available to the parent/s of the child. If only one parent signs the application the other parent's name will not appear on the recognition certificate.

The certificate will be issued free of charge however there is a limit of three certificates per child. A recognition certificate cannot be used for official purposes.

A person who has undergone gender reassignment and wishes to have their new gender legally recognised can apply to the Gender Reassignment Board for a recognition certificate.

Once this application is successful, a person, who was born in Western Australia, can apply to amend their birth certificate to show their new gender, one month after they have been issued with a recognition certificate.

If you were born in another State or Territory that has similar legislation, please apply to the relevant Registry Office for your birth certificate.

Overseas marriage authorities often require evidence that parties to the prospective marriage are free to marry. Such evidence may be a Result of Marriage Search Certificate from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. This certifies that you have never been married in Western Australia, or if previously married, no further marriage has been registered. Only the person who is a party to the prospective marriage can apply and applications can only be submitted to the Registry Office in Perth.

For further information on getting married overseas visit the Smartraveller website.

If you were legally adopted in Western Australia, you can apply for a copy of your post-adoption birth certificate from the Registry using the Birth Certificate application.

If you are a party to an adoption or a relative of an adopted person and would like to know how to access other information relating to the adoption please contact the Department for Child protection - Post Adoption Services.

Please refer your enquiries to the Family Court of Western Australia. Information about divorce procedures can be accessed from the above link or from the Federal Family Court of Australia's site.

Although the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages maintains a register of Western Australian Authorised Marriage Celebrants, all requests for appointment must be referred to the Commonwealth Attorney General’s Department. This also includes Ministers from independent religious organisations.

Ministers from recognised denominations should contact their Nominating Authority for further information about becoming an authorised marriage celebrant.