Births, Deaths and Marriages

Whānautanga, Matenga, Mārenatanga

Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) registers and maintains New Zealand birth, death, marriage, civil union and name change information, and issues certificates and printouts.

BDM service timeframes:

Our kaimahi are working hard to process applications as quickly as possible.

Check this page for regularly updated BDM service timeframes:

Service timeframes

New civil registration system in 2024:

A new civil registration system is coming in 2024. Births, Deaths and Marriages will provide more details as we move closer to this change.

False claims about birth certificates:

There have been false online claims about birth certificates.

New Zealand birth certificates:

  • are not linked to bonds or financial institutions
  • only have reference numbers on the back for internal use by the Department of Internal Affairs — these are not shared with other agencies
  • cannot usually be used on their own as proof of identity.

Birth certificates and source documents FAQ (PDF 98KB)

Birth certificates and source documents FAQ accessible (TXT 3KB)

Services BDM helps provide

Death and bereavement

Proving your identity

Separating or getting divorced

Information for marriage celebrants

Adoption and fostering

Fertility issues and assisted reproduction

Changing your gender

Search historical records

Getting married

Changing your name

Having a baby

Most popular BDM forms

Marriage licence application form

If you live in NZ or will arrive here more than 3 days before your wedding

Notice of intended marriage form BDM60 (PDF 229KB)

Notice of intended marriage form BDM60 — accessible alternative (TXT 21KB)

If you arrive in NZ less than 3 days before your wedding

Notice of intended marriage where parties are ordinarily resident outside NZ form BDM58 (PDF 369KB)

Notice of intended marriage where parties are ordinarily resident outside NZ form BDM 58 — accessible alternative (TXT 27KB)

Birth certificate application form

Request for NZ birth certificate or printout form BDM93B (PDF 265KB)

Request for NZ birth certificate or printout form BDM93B - accessible alternative (TXT 5.5KB)

Change your own name application form

Application to register a name change BDM120 (PDF 586KB)

Application to register a name change BDM120 accessible alternative (TXT 22KB)

Change your child's name application form

If your child is 2 to 18 or was born outside NZ

Name change by statutory declaration — of person aged under 18 who has not been married, in a civil union or de facto relationship BDM 122 (PDF 553KB)

Name change by statutory declaration — of person aged under 18 who has not been married, in a civil union or de facto relationship BDM 122 accessible alternative (TXT 37KB)

If your child is under 2 and was born in NZ

Application to register a name change within 2 years of birth BDM36 (PDF 417KB)

Application to register a name change within 2 years of birth BDM36 accessible alternative (TXT 15KB)

Utility links and page information

Last updated