Access to Registers

Related Pages: Identification Requirements Policy

Access to the Northern Territory Registers is governed by legislation dealing with privacy issues and the Registrar’s Access Policy. The Northern Territory Government's policy is that index information cannot be released unless:

• the birth is over 80 years,
• the death is over 30 years, or
• the marriage is over 60 years.

This is subject to the index data being in an accessible form. Index data generally consists of registration details and the person's name and date and place of birth, marriage or death. Additional details may be included such as a deceased's age and address, or the names of the parents on a birth certificate.

Currently a person requiring access to a full certificate must satisfy the requirements of the Access Policy.

Extract from Access Policy

The Access Policy in relation to Birth, Death, Marriage and Change of Name searches and issue of certificates is that an application may be made by the following:

• The person named (birth, marriage or change of name certificates).
• A parent/grandparent/guardian of a child over 18 years of age who wishes to apply for a certificate must obtain written permission from the person concerned before the office can issue a certificate.
• Any other applicants determined by the Registrar as being eligible to apply. This may include various Government Departments requiring information for statistical, medical, social research or law enforcement purposes.

Criteria

In establishing access entitlement, the general requirement is that an applicant have a personal or legal interest in an event.

Copies of the full Access Policy are available from the Births, Deaths and Marriages Offices, Darwin and Alice Springs.

Identification Requirements

Customers who satisfy the requirements of the Access Policy also need to produce identification in accordance with the Identification Requirements Policy (see in Related Pages).

 

For further information, email RegistrarGeneral.DOJ@nt.gov.au