How to Order a Copy of a Certificate from the National Records of Scotland

Updated

The National Records of Scotland (NRS) provides an official route to order copies of certificates and extracts from its registers. On the NRS website, the page "Order a copy of a certificate" is the starting point: it explains where to order copies of certificates and extracts from the registers. Use that page when you need an official copy of a Scottish birth, marriage, civil partnership, or death record held in the NRS registers. If your question is about something else — registering a marriage, changing your name, or visiting a search room — a different NRS page will serve you better.

What you can order

NRS states that it collects, preserves, and publishes information about Scotland's people and history. The certificate-ordering service covers copies and extracts from the registers it holds.

You want Where to start on the NRS site
A copy of a birth, marriage, civil partnership, or death certificate "Order a copy of a certificate"
To register a marriage or civil partnership "Registering a marriage or civil partnership"
To change your name "Changing your name"
To view physical or selected digital records in person "Accessing our search rooms"
Genealogy records (over 100 million records) Scotland's People, the official Scottish genealogy resource

The NRS site also links to related services: Scotland's Census for census results and case studies, Scotland's People for genealogy, and the Scottish Register of Tartans for tartan designs. Certificate ordering sits with NRS itself, not those other sites.

How to order: the practical steps

  1. Go to the NRS website at nrscotland.gov.uk.
  2. Open the "Order a copy of a certificate" page — it is listed under Popular pages on the homepage.
  3. Identify the record you need. The page covers copies of certificates and extracts from NRS registers. Have the details of the registered event ready so the record can be located.
  4. Follow the ordering instructions on that page. NRS describes the ordering route there rather than on the homepage.
  5. Expect an official copy produced from the register entry, not a informal printout.

The NRS homepage does not itself state prices, turnaround times, or whether an account is required for certificate orders. Those details belong to the ordering page, so check there before you begin.

Common mix-ups to avoid

  • Ordering vs. registering. "Registering a marriage or civil partnership" is about creating a record and lists the forms and documents you must provide. It is not the certificate-copy service.
  • Ordering vs. searching in person. "Accessing our search rooms" explains how to see physical records and selected digital records on site. If you want to consult records yourself rather than receive a copy, use that page.
  • NRS vs. Scotland's People. Scotland's People is the official Scottish genealogy resource with over 100 million records. If your goal is family-history research rather than a certified copy from NRS registers, start there.
  • Name changes. "Changing your name" covers how to apply, including cost and processing times — a separate process from ordering a certificate.

What to check before you order

  • Confirm the event was registered in Scotland and falls within the registers NRS holds.
  • Gather the identifying details of the registered event so the correct entry can be found.
  • Read the ordering page for the current cost and processing information, since the homepage does not carry it.
  • If you are unsure whether you need a certificate copy or a search-room visit, decide first whether you need an official copy sent to you or access to the records themselves.

For anything beyond ordering — marriage registration, name changes, search-room access, or genealogy — use the dedicated NRS page or Scotland's People rather than the certificate-ordering route.