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What do I need to know?
For access to records of births, deaths and marriages you need to contact an organisation called Births, Deaths, and Marriages Victoria (BDM).
Please go to the BDM website to search their records. You need to know the name of the person or people you are searching for and the approximate date of the birth, death or marriage. Remember to add a date range for your search and to filter results if they exceed 100.
Public Record Office Victoria does not administer this search, it is created and maintained by the BDM.
About these records
Certificates of birth, death or marriage provide dates and details about key life events, and are a good starting point in constructing a person’s history.
We do not hold copies of certificates. Digital copies of certificates are available at a cost from the Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria.
You can access free indexes to births, deaths and marriages that contain summary details from the certificates directly online at Births, Deaths Marriages Victoria.
For all enquiries, visit BDM's family history page or their contact us page.
Next Steps
What are in these records?
The indexes include, as appropriate:
- Family name
- Given names
- Event
- Parent 1's family name at birth / Spouse's family name
- Parent 2's given name / Spouse's given name
- Reg. year
- Reg. no
Information on the original records has changed over time, but in addition to the above may include:
Births
- parents' places of birth and age at the time of the child's birth
- mother's family surname
- marriage details of the parents
- previous children born of the marriage
- name of the informant of the information recorded.
Deaths
- cause of death
- place of birth of the deceased
- parents' names
- mother's family surname
- father's occupation
- marriage details
- children born of the marriage
- name of the informant of the information recorded.
Marriages
- the surnames and given names of the bride and the groom
- the occupations of both the parties to the marriage at the time of the marriage
- the usual residence of both parties to the marriage at the time of the marriage
- the date and place of marriage
- the dates and places of birth of bride and groom
- the parents' names including the mothers' family surnames of both parties to the marriage
- the signatures of both parties to the marriage, two witnesses to the marriage and the celebrant who performed the ceremony.
Exact times of births, deaths and marriages are not recorded on the certificates.
Material in the Public Record Office Victoria archival collection contains words and descriptions that reflect attitudes and government policies at different times which may be insensitive and upsetting
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples should be aware the collection and website may contain images, voices and names of deceased persons.
PROV provides advice to researchers wishing to access, publish or re-use records about Aboriginal Peoples