How to Order a Birth Certificate in Ontario
Ontario has three birth documents: a birth certificate at $25, one with parental information at $25, and a certified copy of birth registration at $35. Order online, in person, or by mail.
How to Order a Birth Certificate in Alberta
Alberta charges a $20 government fee for each birth document, plus a registry agent service fee that varies. Apply in person at a registry agent, or from outside Alberta through Registry Connect or AMA.
Applies in: Alberta
The short answer
Complete the Application for Birth Documents and take it to a registry agent in Alberta. The Government of Alberta page for ordering a birth certificate or document is clear on two points: there is a $20 government fee for each birth document ordered, on top of a service fee that varies by provider, and applications sent directly to Vital Statistics will not be processed. Alberta has one size of birth certificate; what varies is how much information it carries.
This guide covers Alberta ordering only. For the national picture, see the guide to getting a birth certificate in Canada listed under Related guides.
The three documents
Birth Certificate with Personal Information Only. Shows the person's full name, date of birth, place of birth, sex, registration number, registration date, and date issued.
Birth Certificate with Personal Information and Parentage. Shows the same details plus the name of the parent or parents and the parents' places of birth.
Photocopy of a Registration of Birth. A photocopy of the paper registration completed at the time of birth, usually showing the person's details and the parents' names and places of birth. It cannot be used for identification and is generally used for genealogical, court, or consulate purposes.
Each certificate is a certified extract drawn from the registration record, amendments included. A certificate or certified copy issued for a person who has died carries a "Deceased" notation. Do not alter or laminate the document when it arrives. Doing either makes it invalid.
Who can apply
For birth certificates and certified copies that are not historical records, the Alberta page lists these applicants:
- the person whose birth is registered, at 12 years or older
- that person at 10 to 12 years old, with the Consent for Minor Younger than 12 form signed by a parent or guardian attached; a person younger than 10 cannot apply for their own certificate
- a parent named on the birth record or in a parentage order, with a copy of the order attached where one applies
- a guardian or trustee named in the guardianship or trusteeship document, with a copy attached
- a person adopting the person, named in the adoption document, with proof of a pending adoption attached
- a person with power of attorney, or an agent named in a personal directive, with a copy of the document attached
- a person with an Alberta court order, issued within 1 year of the application, that authorizes the application, with a copy attached
- a lawyer for an eligible person, with a copy of a valid Law Society card and a letter naming the client attached
For a person who has died, the applicants are the next of kin, an executor, personal representative, or administrator named in the will or a similar document, a Public Trustee named in the trusteeship document, and, where there are no living next of kin, a relative. Proof of death is required in each case, and proof of relationship or the estate document must be attached. Alberta's next of kin list covers a parent, step-parent, sibling, step-sibling, child, step-child, spouse, and partner. It does not cover a grandchild, grandparent, in-law, niece or nephew, or any former spouse, partner, or step relation.
Historical records work differently. Anyone may apply through the Provincial Archives of Alberta for a Registration of Birth that is 120 years old or older, or where the person has been deceased for 50 years or more, with proof of the death.
Cost
The government fee is $20 for each birth document ordered. Registry agents, Registry Connect, and AMA add their own service fees, and those fees vary, so ask for the total before you hand over the application. Delivery by mail to the address on the application carries no extra charge. For the cost of a historical record, contact the Provincial Archives of Alberta.
How to apply
From within Alberta. First, complete the Application for Birth Documents. Second, take the completed form and your acceptable ID to a registry agent. Do not mail the application in on its own; an application sent that way will not be processed.
From outside Alberta. Complete the same application form. Then take the Statutory Declaration for Proof of Identity and your acceptable ID to a Notary Public or Commissioner for Oaths and complete the declaration in front of them. Electronic signatures and remote commissioning will be rejected. Mail the original application and the original declaration to Registry Connect, or to AMA if you are an AMA member. Photocopies and faxes are not accepted. Sending the package anywhere else, including straight to the processing office, means it will not be processed.
After you apply
Whoever took your application forwards it for processing. When the birth is registered and the application is complete and correct, processing takes 3 business days from the day the application arrives. That period does not include mailing or delivery time. Missing information or a conflict in the information can delay the application.
Delivery is by mail to the address on the application at no extra charge, to a registry agent office or AMA location that offers call box service by arrangement (a service fee may apply), or to the John E. Brownlee building in Edmonton or the Land Titles building in Calgary by arrangement with a registry agent, at no extra charge, during counter hours of 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays.
A document can only be picked up with acceptable ID, and only by the person who applied for it. Someone picking it up for you needs your written letter of authorization and their own acceptable ID, and a designated agent needs the same letter. The page states there are no exceptions.
Questions go to the Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Contact Centre at 780-427-7013 in Edmonton and area, or toll free in Alberta at 310-0000 before the number, from 8:15 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays.
What the opened pages do not state
The Alberta page opened for this guide states the $20 government fee and says the service fees charged by registry agents, Registry Connect, and AMA vary. It does not state any provider's service fee, so this guide gives no total price for ordering through a named provider. It also does not state a fee for the Statutory Declaration step used by applicants outside Alberta, so no figure is given for that step.
Related guides:
- How to Start Getting a Birth Certificate in Canada — the national route and which province or territory issues which record.
- How to Legally Change Your Name in Alberta — the Alberta legal name change process and the birth certificate that follows it.
- How to Start Getting a Marriage Licence in Canada — marriage licences across Canada, including the Alberta registry agent route.
Alberta birth documents: what the order costs
| Government fee, each birth document ordered | $20 |
|---|---|
| Registry agent, Registry Connect, or AMA service fee | Additional, and it varies by provider |
| Delivery by mail to the address on the application | No extra charge |
| Processing by Vital Statistics once a complete application arrives | Within 3 business days, not counting mailing or delivery time |
Alberta has one size of birth certificate. What varies is the information on it: personal information only, or personal information with parentage.
Questions people ask
How much does an Alberta birth certificate cost?
There is a $20 government fee for each birth document ordered. Registry agents, Registry Connect, and AMA charge additional service fees that vary, so the total depends on where you apply. Delivery by mail to the address on the application has no extra charge.
What birth documents can I order in Alberta?
Three kinds. The first shows personal information only. The second adds parentage, meaning the parents' names and birthplaces. The third is a photocopy of the registration itself, as it was completed at the time of birth. The photocopy cannot be used for identification. People order it for family history research. Courts and consulates also ask for it.
Where do I apply for an Alberta birth certificate?
From within Alberta, that is the whole route: the completed form and acceptable ID at a registry agent counter. From outside Alberta, complete the application and a Statutory Declaration for Proof of Identity in front of a Notary Public or Commissioner for Oaths, then mail the originals to Registry Connect or to AMA if you are a member. Either way, an application sent on its own, outside these routes, will not be processed.
Who can order an Alberta birth certificate?
The person whose birth is registered can apply at 12 years or older, or between 10 and 12 with a parent or guardian's signed consent; a child under 10 cannot apply for their own certificate. A parent named on the birth record or in a parentage order, a guardian or trustee, a person adopting the person, a person with power of attorney, an agent under a personal directive, a person with an Alberta court order, and a lawyer for an eligible person can also apply, with the documents the Alberta page lists for each case.
How long does an Alberta birth certificate take?
Whoever took the application forwards it for processing. When the birth is registered and the application is complete and correct, processing takes 3 business days from the day the application arrives. That period does not include mailing or delivery time. Missing information can delay it. So can information that conflicts with the record.
Can anyone order an old Alberta birth record?
Yes, for historical records. Anyone may apply through the Provincial Archives of Alberta for a copy of a Registration of Birth that is 120 years old or older, or where the person has been deceased for 50 years or more, with proof of death. Contact the Provincial Archives for the cost of a historical record.
Sources
- Government of Alberta, Order a birth certificate or document — the three document types and what each contains, the full eligibility list including the deceased-person and historical-record rules, the $20 government fee and the varying service fees, the in-Alberta registry agent route and the outside-Alberta Registry Connect and AMA route, the 3-business-day processing statement, and the delivery and pickup rules.