Marriage - Copy Certificates and Historical Searches

We can help if you wish to trace a marriage registered in Lambeth from 1837 to the present day and if you want to purchase copies of certificate.

How to apply for a copy certificate

If you wish to obtain copies of a certificate for a marriage that was registered in Lambeth you can apply by post, by telephone, or in person.

In person

If you come to see us, we will give you an application form and help you fill it in. Or you can contact us and we will send you one by post.

By telephone

If you wish to apply for a certificate by telephone and would like to make a credit or debit card payment please call the number below.

Staff at our call centre will take your name and contact number and then a member of the register office will call you back.

By post

If you are applying by post, send us a letter requesting a copy of the certificate including the place and date of the wedding and the full names of the bride and groom. Please also enclose a cheque for £7 (made payable to London Borough of Lambeth).

Fee

A charge of £7 will be made for each copy certificate.

How long will it take?

For personal application we offer the same day service for applications received in the office by 1pm. We will aim to issue the certificate within three hours.

Applications received after 1pm can be collected after 11am from the following working day.

For applications applied for by credit or debit card via the call centre, we will contact you once we have located the entry for payment details. We will then aim to issue the certificates within two working days.

For postal applications, we will log your form on the day it arrives and aim to issue the certificate within two working days.

For historical searches please see below.

If we can't issue a certificate

We won't be able to issue a copy certificate if we don't hold the record you're looking for or can't trace it from the information you provide.

If you applied by post we will aim to write and let you know within two working days.

If we don't hold the record, we'll let you know which Register Office does.

Historical searches

Superintendent Registrars do not have the staff to undertake searches of an indefinite or protracted nature.

If you do not have the exact details or you have found a reference from other sources, for example the volume number/page details, it is suggested that you submit your application to the marriage certificate service from the General Register Office.

Usually a search in the marriage index, covering a period not exceeding 5 years, will be made but only where accurate details have been given of the marriage registration.

If a wider search is required it is necessary for the applicant or someone on his/her behalf to make a general search in the indexes.

For further information make enquiries of the Superintendent Registrar.