Third party authority

The Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria (BDM) holds confidential and sensitive information. There are strict controls on who can access this information. In general, people can access their own information only.

A person can authorise someone else to access their information – for example, their birth or marriage certificate. This is known as ‘third party authority’.

People who can give third party authority include:

• The person the information is about
• The person's parent or guardian (where the person is under 18)
• The person's next-of-kin, executor, administrator or trustee (where the person has died)
• Anyone who has an Enduring Power of Attorney over the registered person's affairs.

Apply for someone else's information

To apply for someone else's information, you must:

• Apply for a certificate, including the reason you need certificate
• Attach a third party authority form (below), signed by both you and the person who gave you the authority
• Prove your identity
• Provide certified proof of identity from the person who gave you the authority. Learn more about certifying documents
• Pay the relevant fee.

Third party authority to access my child's birth certificate

You do not need third party authority to access your child's birth certificate if your child is under 18 and you are:

• A parent named on the birth certificate
• The child's guardian (You will need to provide evidence that you have parental responsibility for the child).

Third party authority form

Use this form to give someone else authority to apply for your birth, marriage, replacement change of name or single status certificate, or a death certificate where you are the next-of-kin.