Who can apply for a birth certificate

You can apply if the birth or adoption was registered in NSW and the certificate is for yourself, or for a child in your care who is under 18. Anyone applying for someone else has to show they are eligible or have permission. The registry then sets out extra documents for:

• guardians applying for a child, who add a copy of the guardianship order
• legal practitioners applying for a client, who add their Law Society ID or practising certificate and a letter on letterhead
• government casework practitioners applying for a child in the care of the Minister
• an adult child born in Australia after 20 August 1986 who needs a parent’s certificate for an Australian passport or citizenship: with a living parent’s letter of authority, or without one, in which case the registry decides whether to send the certificate straight to the passport or citizenship authority
• others acting for someone, with a letter of authority or written power of attorney, plus proof of identity for both people.

From Apply for a NSW birth certificate.

If you were born in Victoria you can apply for your own certificate, and anyone can get a historical birth certificate more than 100 years old. You need no authorisation for your own child’s certificate while they are under 18, or for a person who has died and was born over 100 years ago. For any other adult, including your own child once they turn 18, you need their written authority: a letter with their residential address, daytime telephone number and signature, as well as proof of identity for both of you.

From Get a birth certificate and Get someone else’s birth certificate.

Queensland’s page says you can apply if:

• “you are the person”
• “you are their parent”
• “you are their legal guardian or have legal parental responsibility”
• “you are their solicitor”
• “you are an executor of the person’s estate.”

Others may be able to apply with supporting documents, which the registry lists separately.

From Get a birth certificate.

Western Australia sets out access in a table by type of applicant, each with the evidence it needs. In its order, the types are:

1. historical: anyone aged 16 or over, for births 100 or more years ago
2. family: the person named (under 16, with written consent from a parent named on the certificate); a parent named on it, with further conditions if an adult child has since changed name or sex; a custodian or guardian, with the document that proves it; a child, current spouse, brother, sister or grandparent, restricted unless they hold written authority from the person or a parent named, evidence that the person has died and the spouse is named on the death certificate, or evidence that the certificate is needed for a legal right or entitlement; and, for original adoption information, written authority from the Department for Communities
3. deceased estate: an executor, administrator or the Public Trustee
4. welfare agencies, on letterhead and acting for the person named
5. state or federal courts, on court letterhead or with a court order
6. law enforcement bodies, for an investigation, a prosecution, a warrant or a court order (not debt collectors or private investigators)
7. medical organisations contacting people about a possibly life-threatening condition, referred to the Registrar
8. government bodies with a right of access under law
9. a solicitor acting for someone entitled under the family or estate rules
10. other agents, including consulates, with written authority
11. a power of attorney, which the registry checks before accepting.

From Birth registration and certificates, which has a separate table for certificates showing sex or gender before a registration was changed.

Anyone born in South Australia can apply for their own certificate, and anyone can get one more than 100 years old. For someone else’s certificate, South Australia limits applicants to:

• a parent of the child
• the person’s own child
• a legal guardian, with evidence if not a parent
• a current spouse, with evidence where the surnames differ
• an executor, administrator or trustee of the estate, with evidence of authority
• a person holding written authority or a power of attorney, with evidence.

Each of them shows their connection to the person and gives a reason for applying.

From Birth certificates.

You can apply for your own. The other people Tasmania lists are:

• a parent of a child
• a person’s child
• a child’s legal guardian, with evidence if not a parent
• the person’s current partner, with evidence of the relationship
• an estate’s executor, administrator or trustee, with evidence of authority
• a person with written authority or a power of attorney, with evidence.

A certificate showing gender and change of name history goes only to the registered person, or to their parents while they are under 16, unless the person has died or is incapacitated. Any birth record more than 100 years old is open to all.

From Apply for a birth certificate.

The Territory’s page describes how to apply rather than listing applicants: online, or with the paper application in person (in Darwin, Alice Springs, or at the Katherine and Tennant Creek court houses), by mail or by fax, always with identification documents. It does not set out who may apply.

From Apply for birth, death or marriage certificate.

Access Canberra says you can apply for an ACT birth certificate:

• “when a birth is registered in the ACT”
• “for yourself if you’re an adult”
• “for your child if they’re under 18”
• “for your adult child if they give you permission”
• “for yourself if you’re under 18 and have parental permission”
• “for your adopted child if you have their birth parents’ permission.”

Every request is assessed against the territory’s access policy.

From Apply for a birth certificate.