tas.gov.au - external site
health.tas.gov.au/coronavirus - external site

Key info

  • It may be necessary to change the details on a birth, death or marriage certificate.
  • Spelling mistakes or incorrect information can be changed if proof is provided showing the correct details.
  • You won't be charged a fee if Births, Deaths and Marriages made the error. The original certificate must be returned and a replacement will be issued free of charge.
  • You can apply to correct the error by email, post or at a service centre.
Find a Service Centrebutton_linkApply to correct a certificate at your nearest Service Tasmania service centreTasmanian Government - Department of Justice Logo

About applying to correct an error on a birth, death or marriage certificate

If you receive a certificate and it has an error, you can apply to have the mistake corrected.

If the error was made at the time the record was registered, proof must be provided confirming details as they were at the time of the event. Please contact Births, Deaths and Marriages for details of acceptable types of proof.

How to apply

Email Service CentrePost
bdm@justice.tas.gov.auFind your nearest Service CentreRegistry of Births, Deaths and Marriages
30 Gordons Hill Road
ROSNY PARK TAS 7018

What you need to apply

You must:

  • provide a completed application form (PDF, 475KB) and include details of the error
  • include both parents signatures on the application form if changes are being made to a child's name/s
  • provide proof showing the correct details
  • provide payment for the certificate to be corrected (if it was not a Births, Deaths and Marriages error)
  • provide proof of identity documents (originals if applying at a service centre, certified copies if applying by email or post)
  • return the original incorrect certificate (by post if applying by email or mail).

Can I apply?

You can apply to correct your own certificate.

Other people who can apply to correct a birth certificate include:

  • a child's parent
  • a person's child - proof of relationship must be provided
  • a child's legal guardian - non-parent guardians must provide proof
  • the person's current partner - proof of the relationship must be provided, such as a marriage or significant relationship certificate
  • an executor of their estate, administrator or trustee - proof of authority must be provided
  • someone with written authority or power of attorney - proof of authority (PDF, 416KB) must be provided.

Anyone can access a birth record more than 100 years old.

Other people who can apply to correct a death certificate are the deceased person's:

  • parent
  • child - proof of the relationship must be provided
  • partner - proof of the relationship must be provided
  • legal guardian - non-parent guardians must provide proof
  • executor of their estate, administrator or trustee - proof must be provided.

Anyone can access a death record more than 25 years old.

Other people who can apply to correct a marriage certificate are:

  • a child of the couple - proof must be provided
  • an executor of their estate, administrator or trustee - proof of authority must be provided
  • someone with written authority or power of attorney - proof of authority (PDF, 416KB) must be provided.

Anyone can access a marriage or relationship record more than 75 years old.

Proving your identity

There are 2 ways you can prove your identity:

  • show your original identity documents at a Service Centre, or
  • send certified copies of your identity documents by post or email.

You must provide one of these combinations of current documents:

  • One document from category 1, 2 and 3
  • Two documents from category 2 and one from category 1 or 3
  • Two documents from category 3 and one from category 1 or 2.

At least one document must show your current address.

  • An Australian birth certificate
  • Citizenship certificate
  • Immicard
  • New Zealand citizenship certificate together with passport
  • New Zealand birth certificate.

  • Australian driver licence
  • Australian passport
  • Firearms licence
  • Foreign passport
  • Proof of age card
  • Working with vulnerable people card.

  • Medicare card
  • Australian marriage certificate (issued from Births Deaths and Marriages office)
  • Centrelink or Department of Veteran Affairs card
  • Security or crowd control licence
  • Tertiary education institution ID card
  • Credit card or bank statement
  • Recent utility account with current residential address (issued within last 3 months)
  • Aurora+ phone application (name and address details must match the applicant's and be visible when sighted at a service centre. Must not be a screenshot)  
  • Lease or rent agreement with current address
  • Australian Taxation Office assessment with current address.

If you have changed your name, please provide proof (from the list below) of each name change. This is so we can link your current name to the name recorded on the birth record.

Please provide one of these documents:

  • name change certificate(s) issued by Births Deaths and Marriages
  • marriage certificate(s) issued by Births Deaths and Marriages
  • divorce paper issued by court (showing previous name)
  • statutory declaration (if changed by common usage)
  • relationship certificate issued by Births Deaths and Marriages.

How much it costs

Type of amendmentDescriptionCost

Correct a record

Application to correct information in the register.

$58.74

Postage costs

There are additional costs that apply for certificate postage.

Postage TypeCost

Registered Post

$5.90

Express Post (within Australia)

$7.80

Fees and charges last updated 1 July, 2023.

Payment options

OnlineVisa LogoMasterCard Logo
Service CentreCash IconCheque IconMoney Order IconDebit and EFTPOS IconVisa LogoMasterCard Logo
PostCheque IconMoney Order IconVisa LogoMasterCard Logo

More Information

Please visit Births, Deaths and Marriages for more information on applying to correct an error on a birth, death or marriage certificate.