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How to Get a Birth Certificate Copy in Sri Lanka

Verified · 29 Oct 2026Partly online

Apply at the Registrar Division of a Divisional Secretariat with form B63. A certified copy costs Rs. 120 if you know the certificate number and registration date, or Rs. 250 if a search of records is needed. Records from 1960 to 2020 in the e-BMD database can be issued by any Divisional Secretariat, including through One Day Service. You can also order copies online at online.ebmd.rgd.gov.lk (opens in a new tab), which takes about 5 working days.

At a glance

Fee
Rs. 120
See all 2 fees
Time
Same day at a Divisional Secretariat, or about 5 working days online
Where
Registrar Division of a Divisional Secretariat
+ 3 more places
Online?
Partly online
Form
B63

Do you need this?

When you need it

  • You need a certified copy of your own or your child's birth certificate, for example for an NIC, passport, school admission, visa or bank.
  • You have lost your copy of a birth certificate.

Who can apply

  • Copies are issued for births registered in Sri Lanka.
  • If the record is in the e-BMD database (certificates from 1 January 1960 to 31 December 2020), you can get copies from any Divisional Secretariat closest to you. Ask there whether your record is in the database. Otherwise, apply at the Divisional Secretariat for the place of birth.
  • If no registration is found, you are told so on form B38.

Documents you need

Documents to bring

0 of 4 ready

  • Get it from the Registrar Division of any Divisional Secretariat, or download it from the Registrar General's Department website.

  • Knowing these makes the copy cheaper (Rs. 120 instead of a search fee).

  • Pay at the Divisional Secretariat, or at the Bank of Ceylon Battaramulla branch to the Registrar General's account no. 7039827 and hand in the bank slip with the completed form at the Divisional Secretariat. Payments through ATMs or online are not accepted.

Only if…

Process at a glance

  1. Step 1
    Find the details you have

    The certificate number and registration date make it quicker and cheaper. Without them the office searches the records (up to two years) for Rs. 250.

  2. Step 2
    Apply at a Divisional Secretariat

    Fill in form B63 and pay the fee at the Registrar Division. If the record is in the e-BMD database (certificates from 1 January 1960 to 31 December 2020), any Divisional Secretariat can issue it, including through its One Day Service - you can check at the one closest to you whether your record is there. For other records, go to the Divisional Secretariat for the place of birth. Copies of any certificate in the e-BMD database can also be collected from the Seva Piyasa at Suhurupaya, Battaramulla.

  3. Step 3
    Collect or receive the copy

    If the birth is registered, you get as many copies as you paid for. If you included a stamped, self-addressed envelope with the form and the payment receipt, the copy is posted to you. If the birth is not registered, you are told so on form B38.

  4. Step 4
    Or order the copy online

    Apply at online.ebmd.rgd.gov.lk (opens in a new tab). A payment link is sent to your email and phone within 2 days; pay by Visa or MasterCard. You can have the copy posted to you or collect it from the Divisional Secretariat. The whole process takes about 5 working days.

  5. You're done

Step by step

  1. Step 01

    Find the details you have

    The certificate number and registration date make it quicker and cheaper. Without them the office searches the records (up to two years) for Rs. 250.

  2. Step 02

    Apply at a Divisional Secretariat

    Fill in form B63 and pay the fee at the Registrar Division. If the record is in the e-BMD database (certificates from 1 January 1960 to 31 December 2020), any Divisional Secretariat can issue it, including through its One Day Service - you can check at the one closest to you whether your record is there. For other records, go to the Divisional Secretariat for the place of birth. Copies of any certificate in the e-BMD database can also be collected from the Seva Piyasa at Suhurupaya, Battaramulla.

  3. Step 03

    Collect or receive the copy

    If the birth is registered, you get as many copies as you paid for. If you included a stamped, self-addressed envelope with the form and the payment receipt, the copy is posted to you. If the birth is not registered, you are told so on form B38.

  4. Step 04

    Or order the copy online

    Apply at online.ebmd.rgd.gov.lk (opens in a new tab). A payment link is sent to your email and phone within 2 days; pay by Visa or MasterCard. You can have the copy posted to you or collect it from the Divisional Secretariat. The whole process takes about 5 working days.

Fees

Fees

Certified copy, when you know the certificate number and registration date
Rs. 120

Per copy.

Certified copy, when a search of records is needed (up to 2 years)
Rs. 250

Each additional copy is Rs. 120.

Where to go

Forms

More detail

Contact the Registrar General's Department

  • Hotline: 1930
  • General lines: +94 11 2889488 / +94 11 2889489 / +94 11 2072017 / +94 11 2072018
  • Online copies (technical help): ICT Division, 011 2889518
  • Address: Registrar General's Department, Suhurupaya, Battaramulla

Common problems

The Divisional Secretariat says it cannot find my record.
Records from 1960 to 2020 are in the e-BMD database and can be issued anywhere. For older records, apply at the Divisional Secretariat for the place of birth. If the birth was never registered, you are told so on form B38. Then use the guide on registering a birth, which covers late registration.
There is a mistake in the birth certificate.
Do not apply for another copy of the wrong details. Use the guide on correcting birth certificate details (form B37A, or B7 to B10 for a name).
I have no document that proves my date of birth.
Ask the Additional District Registrar at the Divisional Secretariat for the place of birth about a Certificate of Probable Age. The NIC process accepts it in place of a birth certificate, together with one proof of your name and date of birth.

FAQ

How much does a birth certificate copy cost in Sri Lanka?
Rs. 120 per copy if you know the certificate number and registration date. If the office must search the records, it is Rs. 250 for the first copy and Rs. 120 for each extra copy.
Can I get a birth certificate online in Sri Lanka?
Yes, for certified copies. Apply at online.ebmd.rgd.gov.lk (opens in a new tab) and pay by card when the payment link arrives. It takes about 5 working days, and you can have it posted or collect it.
Where do I get a copy of my birth certificate?
From the Registrar Division of the Divisional Secretariat for your place of birth. If your record is in the e-BMD database (1960 to 2020), any Divisional Secretariat can issue it.
What if the birth was never registered?
You cannot get a certified copy until the birth is registered. See the guide on registering a birth (including late registration).

Official sources

Checked against these official pages29 Oct 2026

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