Malaysia Civil Registration

Research use: Information can be used to compile pedigrees and family groups. Identifies parents, children and spouses and dates and places of vital events. Other relatives are often identified.

Record type: Births, marriages, deaths, divorces.

Time period: 1859-present. In 1961 registration became compulsory for all except Muslims, who were governed by the Muslim Ordinance of 1957. Contents: Births:  Child’s name, birth date and place; parents’ names, residence, and occupation; witnesses’ ages, relationships, residences. Marriages: Bride and groom names, ages, residences, occupations, marriage date and place; sometimes ages and/or birth dates and places; parents' names;  residences, occupations; witnesses and officer who performed ceremony; former spouses. Death registers: Name of deceased, age, death date and place, occupation, name of surviving spouse, informant’s name and residence, cause of death, sometimes birth date and place, parents’ names, children’s names.

Location: National Archives and local civil registry offices.

Population coverage: Before 1980, 10%; after 1980, 80%.

Reliability: Excellent.

Obtaining Civil Registration Records
Civil registration records can be obtained through the National Registration Department. Click here for the official website. Records include birth and death certificate, register identity card and address, adoption birth certificate, adoption register, marriage register, and citizenship register.

To obtain a copy of the records or to extract a certificate, applicants must appear in person at the office of the National Registration Department. The National Registration Department has branches in each state and federal territory. Click here to find the location of the branches.

Click on the following records to read more about how to search and extract the records:


 * Birth registration
 * Identity card
 * Adoption
 * Marriage
 * Death
 * Citizenship