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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.

False claims about birth certificates

There have been online claims about birth certificates that aren't true. New Zealand birth certificates:

  • aren't linked to bonds or financial institutions
  • only have reference numbers on the back of them for internal use by the Department of Internal Affairs - these aren't shared with other agencies
  • can't usually be used on their own as proof of identity.

Birth certificates and source documents FAQ (PDF 64KB)

Birth certificates and source documents FAQ accessible alternative (txt 2.3KB)

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 263KB)

Request for NZ birth certificate or printout form accessible alternative BDM93B (TXT 6KB)

Change your own name application form

Application to register a name change BDM120 (PDF 644KB)

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 626KB)

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 414KB)

Application to register a name change within 2 years of birth BDM36 accessible alternative (TXT 16KB)

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