Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships

Due to essential maintenance the Registration Office in Downpatrick will be closed from 12 noon on Friday 16 October 2020 and re-open on Monday 19 October. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

COVID-19 UPDATE:

Registration of a Birth: By Appointment Only

An appointment only birth registration service will resume from Monday 1 June 2020.

Complete the Birth Registration Form GRO4 and email a scan/photograph of it to registration@nmandd.org. We will then contact you to arrange an appointment.
Plan for one parent only to attend for a birth registration appointment where the parents are married. Where the parents are unmarried both are required to attend for joint registration.
.Do not bring your baby/babies and/or other children with you to your appointment.

Due to limited waiting space late appointments cannot be accommodated nor can any customers who have not made an appointment.

In line with government guidance please do not attend your appointment should you or a family member display any symptoms of COVID-19. Please cancel your appointment and we will be happy to rearrange for you at an alternative suitable time and date.

Registration of a Death or Stillbirth

An electronic system is now in place to register a death or stillbirth and you no longer have to undertake this in person with the Registrar.

Where a person dies:

• The Medical Practitioner will send the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) to the General Register Office (GRO) who will then forward onto the Registrar in the Council area of which the person last resided.

• The Registrar will contact the nominated next of kin by telephone to obtain further details to allow the registration to be completed.

• Once the registration is complete the Registrar can issue death certificates at a cost of £8 each.

• Payment can be made by card and the certificates will be posted to the next of kin.

• If certificates are not obtained at this time, they can be obtained from GRO via nidirect.gov.uk/articles/ordering-life-event-certificates at a cost of £15 each.

• Death certificates are usually required for closing bank accounts, claiming insurance policies, notifying private pensions and for Solicitors.

• To stop State Pension and or Benefits you should contact ‘The Bereavement Service’ by telephoning 0800 085 2463.
If you need any advice in relation to registering a death or stillbirth please email registration@nmandd.org or telephone 033 0137 4041.

Marriage/Civil Ceremony Restrictions from Monday 19 October 2020

Please be aware that your marriage/civil partnership ceremony must be conducted under the current NI Executive restrictions. In all instances outlined below, social distancing rules must be adhered to.

Marriage and civil partnership ceremonies at a registration office or approved venue will be limited to 25 people.
Can take place at a person’s home if one of the parties is terminally ill with up to 10 people in attendance (this includes the couple, two witnesses and the officiant).
No mixing of households is permitted at a private dwelling therefore it will not be possible for a ceremony to be held indoors as the registrar would not be permitted to enter the premises.
Outdoor gatherings at a private dwelling (including the garden of the dwelling) is restricted to six people from two different households. Children aged 12 and under from those two households are discounted from this total. If all other participants at the ceremony are not from the same household the ceremony cannot proceed as the registrar can be the only person from a separate household.

NOTE: In all instances outlined above social distancing rules must be adhered to.

Religious same sex marriage will be lawful in Northern Ireland from Tuesday 1 September 2020.

Email Notice forms and relevant documents to registration@nmandd.org or post notice forms and photocopied documents to the Registration Department at Newry Town Hall, Bank Parade, Newry, BT34 1DQ or Downshire Civic Centre, Ardglass Road, Downpatrick, BT30 6GQ.

Please do not post original documents. Payment can be made by cheque, payable to Newry Mourne and Down District Council, or card payment by phoning 033 0137 4041.

If you need any advice in relation to your wedding, please email registration@nmandd.org or telephone 033 0137 4041

For all Coronavirus information please click here to go to our dedicated page.

The Registrar registers births, deaths, marriages and performs marriages and civil partnerships in the Newry, Mourne and Down district.

Council Registration Offices

Opening Hours:

Monday to Friday: 9am-4pm

Closed for lunch: 12.30pm - 2pm

Contact Us

To make an appointment please contact:

Oifig An Iúir	Oifig Dhún Pádraig
Newry Office, Town Hall	Downshire Civic Centre, Downshire Estate
Bank Parade	Ardglass Road
Newry BT35 6HR	Downpatrick BT30 6GQ
Telephone: 0330 137 4041	Telephone: 0330 137 4041
Email: registration@nmandd.org	Email: registration@nmandd.org

Copies of Certificates

The local registration offices will only be able to provide certificates of births, still births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships at the time of registering the event. To obtain copies of certificates, you can apply:

Online: www.nidirect.gov.uk/gro

By phone: 0300 200 7890 within UK & NI or +44 300 200 7890 outside NI

By post: Application forms available at any registration office

In person: The General Register Office, NISRA, Colby House, Stranmillis Court, Belfast, BT9 5RR

Family History

Unfortunately, the Registrar cannot help with genealogical enquires, but anyone who has family history questions may wish to contact the General Registrar's Office on 0300 200 7890 or log onto to www.nidirect.gov.uk/gro for further information.

What Is The Purpose Of Registration?

The records provide positive information about individuals and are used for many legal and administrative purposes (for example; National Insurance, education, transfer of property, employment, or obtaining a passport).

They provide valuable statistics including fertility rates and population estimates. The statistics are published yearly in the Registrar General Annual Report.

A ‘Birth Registration’ form is filled in by the person registering the baby. A registration cannot be easily changed once completed.