Liberia Civil Registration

Online Records

 * 1912-2017 - Liberia, Vital Records, 1912-2017 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1965-2017 - Liberia death records, 1965-2017 at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Offices to Contact
For Births and Deaths

Ministry of Health and Social Welfare P. O. Box 10-9009 1000 Monrovia 10 Liberia West Africa

For Statutory/Western/Faith-based Marriages

The Center for National Documents, Records and Archives (CNDRA) National Archives Building 12th Street Sinkor, Monrovia Liberia West Africa

Telephone: 0770- 824304 Email: [mailto:info@cndra.gov.lr info@cndra.gov.lr]

For Traditional/Customary Marriages

Ministry of Internal Affairs Email: Form to send an email

For Divorces

Divorces are supposed to be done in a court. Records of divorce cases are confidential, and the records should not be shared with anyone.

However for traditional marriages, the divorce could be done in a variety of ways according to customs and traditions.

Historical Background
Births and Deaths

"...in the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is an office of Vital Statistics which" is "charged with the administration of uniform registration of births and deaths occurring in Liberia and the permanent and safe preservation of all records received or made...

Marriages

The Repbublic of Liberia has two types of legal marriages: western or faith-based marriages and traditional/customary marriages.

The legal age for marriage is 18 years for females and 21 years for males. Exemptions: Traditional marriages can occur at age 16 for both sexes with parents’ or guardians’ consent. However, the Liberian Children’s Act (2011) provides that no person or society shall subject a child to marrying any person when she or he is still under the age of 18 (section 4).

Western/Faith-Based Marriages

A Registrar of Marriages is assigned in each county, territory, and chartered district to create and keep marriage licenses and marriage records. At the end of each year, the registrar sends the record books to the Center of National Documents and Records Agency.

Traditional/Customary Marriages

The Ministry of Internal Affairs manages tribal affairs, apparently including traditional marriage records.

Traditional/customary law allows men to have up to four wives in polygamy.

Example of a traditional marriage certificate application

Divorce

For an explanation of divorce in Liberia, see Divorce: An Overview of the Law, by corpusjurisliberia.

Births
Information

Regarding the child:


 * Name
 * Date of birth
 * Sex
 * Weight at birth
 * Date of registration
 * Place of occurrence [of the birth]
 * Place of registration
 * Attendant at birth

Regarding the mother of the child:


 * Date of birth or age
 * Marital status
 * Occupation
 * Nationality
 * Place of usual residence

Regarding the father of the child:


 * Date of birth or age
 * Marital status
 * Occupation
 * Nationality

Marriages
Information

Regarding the bride:


 * Date of birth or age
 * Place of usual residence
 * Religion of the bride

Regarding the groom:


 * Date of birth or age
 * Place of usual residence
 * Religion of the groom

Regarding the marriage:


 * Date of marriage
 * Date of registration
 * Place of marriage
 * Place of registration

Deaths
Information

Regarding the deceased:


 * Name
 * Sex
 * Date of birth or age
 * Citizenship

Regarding the death:


 * Date of death
 * Date of registration
 * Place of death
 * Cause of death
 * Type of place of death (hospital, home, etc.)

Information for fetal death:


 * Date of fetal delivery
 * Date of registration
 * Place of registration
 * Sex of the fetus