Australian Capital Territory Civil Registration

How to Find Records

 * National Library of Australia Website: Australian birth, death and marriage records: Australian Capital Territory
 * FamilySearch Webinar: Australia BDM Civil Registration Index online tutorial. Indexes for some states have been added since this class was recorded: Australian Capital Territory, South Australia, Tasmania

Online Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes

 * Access Canberra
 * Australian Capital Territory Marriages - at Findmypast ($). Index.
 * Australian Capital Territory Deaths - at Findmypast ($). Index.

New South Wales Online Records, Including ACT Prior to 1911

 * New South Wales Birth, Death, and Marriage Index
 * 1787-1986 - Australia, New South Wales Death Index at MyHeritage; index only ($)
 * 1788-1945 - New South Wales Deaths at Findmypast; index only ($)
 * 1788-1914 - New South Wales Births at Findmypast; index only ($); Also at MyHeritage ($)
 * 1788-1856 - New South Wales, Australia, Colonial Secretary's Papers at Ancestry; index & images ($)
 * 1788-1945 - New South Wales Marriages at Findmypast; index only ($)
 * 1788-1966 - Australia, New South Wales Marriage Index at MyHeritage; index only ($)
 * 1813–1835,1894 - New South Wales, Australia, Butts of Marriage Licenses at Ancestry; index & images ($)
 * 1825-1851 - New South Wales Registers Of Convict Applications To Marry at Findmypast; index & images ($); Also at Ancestry ($)
 * 1826-1856 - New South Wales, Australia, Colonial Secretary's Letters at Ancestry; index & images ($)
 * 1826-1879 - New South Wales, Australia, Convict Death Register at Ancestry; index & images ($)
 * 1828-1839 - New South Wales, Australia, Convict Applications for the Publication of Banns at Ancestry; index & images ($)
 * 1850-1942 Military records : marriages, baptisms and births of military units in New South Wales, ca. 1850-1942 at FamilySearch, images.
 * 1873-1923 Divorce records Index 1873-1923 at NSW Archives, index
 * 1930 onward Australia, Australian Capital Territory, Deaths at MyHeritage - index ($)

Australia Online Records

 * Australia, Birth, Marriage, and Death Exchange, index
 * 1776-1980 at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1787-1985 Australia, Death Index, 1787-1985, index - at Ancestry ($)
 * 1788-1922 Australia, Birth Index, 1788-1922, index - at Ancestry ($)
 * 1788-1950 Australia, Marriage Index, 1788-1950, index - at Ancestry ($)
 * 1788-1935 Australia, Marriages, 1788-1935, index - at Findmypast ($)
 * 1792-1981, index, incomplete. How to Use this Collection
 * 1792-1981 Australia, Births and Baptisms, 1792-1981, index - at Ancestry ($). Also at Findmypast ($). Also at My Heritage ($)
 * 1810-1980, index, incomplete. How to Use this Collection
 * 1810-1980 Australia, Marriages, 1810-1980, index - at MyHeritage ($)
 * 1816-1980, index. How to Use this Collection
 * 1816-1980 Australia Deaths & Burials, 1816-1980, index - at Findmypast ($). Also at My Heritage ($)
 * 1851-1997 Australia Newspaper Vital Notices, 1851-1997 - at Ancestry, ($), index, incomplete.
 * 1860-2019 Australia Death Notices, 1860-2019, ($), index

British Armed Forces

 * British Armed Forces and Overseas Births and Baptisms at Findmypast; index & images ($)
 * British Armed Forces and Overseas Banns and Marriages at Findmypast; index & images ($)
 * British Armed Forces and Overseas Deaths and Burials at Findmypast; index & images ($)

Contact an Office

 * Access Canberra: Births, deaths and marriages forms and fees

History
Prior to 1911 the area now known as the 'Australian Capital Territory' was administratively part of New South Wales. Between 1 January 1911 and 29 July 1938 it was officially known as the 'Federal Capital Territory'. NB: For births in the Canberra region prior to 1918 see the indexes of New South Wales. For marriage and death records prior to 1930 also see New South Wales. Registrations of these events in the Canberra region may be recorded under the Districts of Queanbeyan or Yass.

Rights of Privacy
Rights of privacy laws limit access to records recent enough to contain information about living persons. You can access any of the following records:
 * births that happened over 100 years ago
 * deaths that happened over 30 years ago
 * marriages that happened over 75 years ago

For records created since the cut-off dates, only these people have access to a record:
 * the person named on the birth, marriage or change of name record
 * an immediate family member named on the death certificate, such as a spouse, parent or child
 * a parent, grandparent or guardian of a child over 18 years old who wishes to apply for a birth certificate and who has given written permission.

Information Recorded in the Records
When civil registration first began, there was no common standard of recording information, so the information listed may vary from state to state. Later records generally give more complete information than earlier ones.

Birth records


 * Surname and forenames of child
 * Date and place of birth of child
 * Sex of the child
 * Multiple births
 * Surname and forenames of father
 * Age, birthplace, and occupation or rank of father
 * Maiden surname and forenames of mother
 * Place and year of marriage of parents
 * Age and birthplace of mother
 * Number and sex of previous issue, if deceased
 * Name, relationship, description, and residence of informant

Marriage records


 * Surname and forenames of parties
 * Occupations and places of residence of parties
 * Ages and places of birth of parties
 * Marital status prior to the marriage
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Name of celebrant and denomination
 * Names of witnesses
 * Surnames and forenames of parents

Death records


 * Surname and forenames of deceased
 * Date and place of death
 * Occupation, age, and sex of deceased
 * Place of birth and place and date of marriage of deceased
 * Length of residence in Australia and in what colonies, states, and territories
 * Name of spouse and names and ages of living children of deceased
 * Number and sex of issue, if deceased
 * Name and occupation of father
 * Maiden surname of mother
 * Cause of death and duration of last illness
 * Name of medical practitioner
 * Date and place of burial
 * Religion and name of minister or witness
 * Names of undertaker and informant
 * Residence and relationship or description of informant
 * Date and place of civil registration