Federation Of Family History Societies

Administration charge for certificates

We have recently been asked if it is in order for a local register office to impose an administration charge in addition to the standard cost of £7 for a birth, marriage or death certificate.  This is something which has been asked previously but we have again put the question to the General Register Office at Southport.

The answer received yesterday was “Our view remains as expressed in the guidance – that the fees for certificates issued by superintendent registrars are set by statute and a superintendent registrar has no power to charge an additional fee, such as an administrative charge.  Only where the local authority provides an additional, discretionary service, is it able to charge a supplementary fee (to recover the cost) under the powers available to it under the Local Government Act 2003.”

In view of this reply it may be pertinent to ask local register offices which do levy such additional charges, under what authority they feel able to do so.

Roger Lewry
FFHS Archives Liaison

6 January 2010