Service standards

Registration of births, deaths & marriages

If the information given is complete and accurate from the date of receipt by us, we will register a:

• birth within four days
• death within three days
• marriage within six days.

Issue of certificates

On receipt of a properly completed application, provision of identification, payment of the required fee and subject to eligibility:

The Perth Registry Office will produce a:

• certificate (WA births 1930 onwards, deaths 1940 onwards and marriages 1940 onwards) while you wait. To avoid the usual busy times please consider visiting the Perth Registry between 8.30am to 10am or 2pm to 4pm. For a mailed application allow up to two working days plus postal delivery time.
• certificate (WA births 1841-1929, deaths 1841-1939 and marriages 1841-1939). Allow two working days for processing if collecting a certificate in person from the Perth Registry or two working days plus postal delivery time for mailed certificates (no priority fee paid).
• priority-paid certificate (WA births 1841-1929, deaths 1841-1939 and marriages 1841-1939) while you wait, or within 24 hours of receipt by mail plus postal delivery time (priority fee paid).

Court staff at Albany, Armadale, Bunbury, Fremantle, Geraldton, Joondalup, Kalgoorlie, Mandurah, Midland or Rockingham Courts - see Locations & Links for addresses) will:

• produce a certificate (WA births 1930 onwards, deaths 1940 onwards and marriages 1940 onwards) usually on the same day.
• fax a certificate application (WA births 1841-1929, deaths 1841-1939 and marriages 1841-1939) to the Perth Registry Office for processing. Allow two working days plus postal delivery time (no priority fee paid).
• fax a priority-paid certificate application (WA births 1841-1929, deaths 1841-1939 and marriages 1841-1939) to the Perth Registry Office to be processed within 24 hours of receipt plus postal delivery time (priority fee paid).

Court staff at other regional courts (see Locations & Links for addresses) will fax all:

• certificate applications (WA birth, death and marriage 1841 onwards) to the Perth Registry Office for processing. Allow two working days plus postal delivery time (no priority fee paid).
• priority-paid certificate applications (WA birth, death and marriage 1841 onwards) to the Perth Registry Office to be processed within 24 hours of receipt plus postal delivery time (priority fee paid).

Commemorative birth certificates are not included in these service guarantees.

Change of name

On receipt of a properly completed Application to Register Change of Name form, identification and payment of the required fee, we will issue a Change of Name Certificate within five days plus postal delivery time. Allow an additional ten days if paying by personal cheque.

Corrections to records

If all necessary supporting information, including identification documentation, is provided and the required fee is paid, we will:

• Amend a record within four days plus postal delivery time.

Marriage ceremonies

Subject to all formalities being met and fees being paid, we will conduct a ceremony suited to your requirements, in a modern setting, within the hours of 9.30am to 3.30pm Monday to Friday.

Service standards

We undertake to:

• give friendly and helpful service
• treat all customers with courtesy, respect and impartiality
• maintain the highest ethical standards
• be sensitive to the special needs of customers
• answer telephone calls promptly and identify who is answering the call
• provide information needed on Registry processes
• reply to general correspondence within five working days. A contact name and phone number will be given in the correspondence
• continually strive to improve ourselves.

Accuracy

We recognise our responsibility to:

• accurately record all information given to us
• permanently preserve all records we create
• correct any record that contains inaccurate information.

Privacy & Disclosure of Information

The collection of information is authorised by the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1998. This information is used for registering life events occurring in Western Australia and issuing certificates.

Access to certificates is only approved in accordance with the Registry’s Certificate Access and Identification policies. General information regarding these policies is available from the Registry’s website at www.bdm.dotag.wa.gov.au/ 

Registry legislation also allows the Registrar to release information to approved agencies for statistical purposes, medical research, community planning, law enforcement and other uses provided for by law.

A copy of the Department's policy framework regarding information sharing is available at Information Sharing Between Government Agencies.

If you are not satisfied

If you are not happy with our service, you should ask to speak to a senior officer or write or email to the Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages at the address below.

Contact details

Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages
Department of the Attorney General
Level 10, 141 St Georges Terrace
PERTH  WA 6000
Phone: 1300 305 021
Fax: (08) 9264 1599

PO Box 7720
Cloisters Square
Perth WA 6850

Hours:  8.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays).

Last Updated: 16-May-2013