Zambia Civil Registration

How to Find the Records
Birth certificates can be ordered from the Registrar General by any person born on or after 1 January 1973. Copies of marriage certificates for marriages in Zambia can be requested from the Registrar General. The next of kin of persons whose death was registered in Zambia can apply for a certificate by writing to the Registrar General.

Offices to Contact
Registrar General of Births, Deaths & Marriages P. O. Box 32311 Lusaka, Zambia Telephone: +260 211 236427 or +260 211 221128 Website: zambiaembassy.org (for those living abroad in the United States)

Historical Background

 * 1898 - European, Aliens and Coloured births and deaths registration Act of 12 June, 1898
 * 1908 - Records begin
 * 1973 - Births and Deaths Registration Act (all births, still births and deaths to be registered beginning March 1973
 * 2016 - Computer registration/standardization of records

Coverage and Compliance
Not all events were recorded. Civil registration was supposed to be mandatory but in practice was voluntary. There were no penalties for not registering. Before March 2016 about 4% of deaths were registered. In 1994 overall registration was estimated to have been about 80%.

Births
Birth certificate forms included these fields in 1994:


 * Number of entry in register
 * Date of birth
 * Details of child: name, race, sex
 * Place of birth: Town (where applicable, district, province
 * Details of mother: age, number of children previously born alive (still living, now dead)
 * Mother's usual place of residence: town (where applicable, district, province
 * Circumstances of birth: In hospital/clinic/rural health centre; At home attended by trained medical personnel; At home not attended by trained medical personnel; Other

Marriages
Marriage certificate forms included these fields in 1994:
 * Number of entry in register
 * Date of registration
 * Date of marriage
 * Husband's name; race; age; whether first marriage (yes/no); occupation
 * Wife's name; race; age; whether first marriage (yes/no); occupation
 * Place of marriage: province; district; town; registrar; church

Deaths
Death certificate forms included these fields in 1994:
 * Number of entry in register
 * Date of registration
 * Date of death
 * Details of decendent: African/European/Asian/Coloured or Mixed; sex; year; month; day; single/married/widowed/divorced; occupation
 * Place of death: province; district; town
 * Circumstances of death: Hospital/Clinic/Rural Health Centre; Home attended; Home not attended; Other
 * Causes of death: direct; antecendent; other significant conditions; statistical classification
 * Usual place of residence