Which Route Is Right for You
| Your situation | Best route |
|---|---|
| In Sri Lanka, not in a hurry | Online through the eBMD portal: about 5 working days, posted or collected |
| In Sri Lanka, need it today, and the record is from 1960 to 2020 (births, deaths) or 1960 to 2023 (marriages) | One Day Service at any Divisional Secretariat |
| Record older, or not in the database | The Divisional Secretariat where it was registered, in person or by online application to that office |
| Living abroad | eBMD availability request, then pay and collect at your Sri Lankan embassy or consulate |
Not sure whether your record is digitised? Your nearest Divisional Secretariat can check.
Source: Registrar General's Department, Request certified copies online (eBMD) and the birth, marriage and death copy pages (registry rows rgd_ebmd_online_local, rgd_ebmd_coverage, rgd_ebmd_overseas). Last checked 29 Sep 2026.
Fees
| Copy of a birth, marriage or death certificate | Fee |
|---|---|
| You know the certificate number and registration date | Rs. 120 per copy |
| The office has to search the registers (up to two years) | Rs. 250 for the first copy, Rs. 120 for each extra copy |
- Paper applications: pay at the Divisional Secretariat, or into the Registrar General's account No. 7039827 at Bank of Ceylon (Battaramulla branch) and hand in the bank slip. ATM and online bank payments aren't accepted.
- Online (eBMD): pay by card through the payment link. The portal shows the certificate fee and any delivery charge only at that step.
- From abroad: pay at the Sri Lankan mission.
Source: Registrar General's Department, Charges under the Births and Deaths Registration Act, marriage charges, and the birth, marriage and death copy pages (registry rows rgd_copy_fee_known, rgd_copy_fee_search, rgd_copy_payment). Last checked 29 Sep 2026.
Checklist by Route
Pick how you're applying to see what you need:
Apply from home. After the RGD confirms the record exists, it sends you a payment link, then posts the copy or you collect it. About 5 working days in total.
Enter the details of the birth, marriage or death as accurately as you can: names, date, and where it was registered.
Open the RGD eBMD Online PortalThe portal sends verification PINs and, within 2 days, the payment link.
Paid through the Lanka Government Payment Service once the payment link arrives. The portal shows the certificate fee and delivery charge at that step.
Step-by-step screenshots for the local portal.
Download the eBMD Local Portal User Manual (PDF)If the record is in the eBMD database (births and deaths from 1960 to 2020, marriages from 1960 to 2023), any Divisional Secretariat can issue it through the One Day Service. If it isn't, go to the Divisional Secretariat where it was registered.
Also available at the District Registrar Division of any Divisional Secretariat. The printed form still shows older fees; see the fees section below.
Download the Birth Certificate Application (PDF)For General and Kandyan marriages.
Download Marriage Certificate Application B121 (PDF)Pay at the Divisional Secretariat, or into the Registrar General's Bank of Ceylon account (No. 7039827, Battaramulla branch) and bring the bank slip. ATM and online bank payments aren't accepted for paper applications.
Check online whether the record exists, then pay and collect at the Sri Lankan embassy or consulate you chose. You get a paper copy only.
You get an email saying whether the certificate was found in the eBMD system.
Open the RGD eBMD Online PortalPay there: overseas applicants can't pay online. Requests not collected within 30 days expire.
Certificates are never emailed or sent digitally.
The RGD's own translators produce translated copies at its branch offices. There's no one-day service.
Also available at the offices where the translators work.
Download the RGD Translation Application (PDF)Of the certificate you want translated.
You can order any number of translated copies.
How to Get a Certified Copy, Step by Step
The same steps apply to birth, marriage and death certificates:
Work out whether your record is digitised
Births and deaths registered from 1 January 1960 to 31 December 2020, and marriages from 1 January 1960 to 31 December 2023, are in the eBMD database. Any Divisional Secretariat can check for you.
Choose your route
Digitised: apply online, or use the One Day Service at any Divisional Secretariat. Not digitised: apply to the Divisional Secretariat where the event was registered (in person, or online to that office). Abroad: request it through the eBMD portal and collect it at your embassy.
Have the details ready
The certificate number and registration date keep the fee at Rs. 120 a copy. Without them, the office searches up to two years of registers and charges Rs. 250 for the first copy.
Pay
Online: by card after the payment link arrives. In person: at the Divisional Secretariat, or at Bank of Ceylon into account No. 7039827 with the slip. Abroad: at the mission.
Receive the copy
By post or collected. If no record is found, you're told on Form B38.
Translated Copies
The RGD's own translators produce translated copies at its branch offices, on weekdays from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm. Bring the translation application and the original, or a certified copy from a Divisional Secretariat. You can order any number of copies, and there's no one-day service. The RGD pages don't publish a translation fee.
Source: Registrar General's Department, birth, marriage and death copy pages, translation sections (registry row rgd_translation_service). Last checked 29 Sep 2026.
Using the Copy for Attestation Abroad
If you need the certificate attested by the Foreign Ministry for use abroad, the Ministry only accepts a copy issued, or re-certified as a true copy, by a District Registrar on or after 1 January 2008. The certificate handed over when the birth, marriage or death was registered isn't enough on its own. For translations, the Ministry encourages using the RGD's own translators. See the document attestation guide for the rest of the process.
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attestation guidelines, General Facts 11.6 and category 1 (registry rows mfa_attestation_bmd, mfa_attestation_translations). Last checked 29 Sep 2026.
Offices & Hours
Divisional Secretariats issue certified copies; the RGD's translators work from its branch offices.
District Registrar Division, any Divisional Secretariat
Weekdays 8:30 am to 4:15 pm; cash counters close at 3:00 pm341 Divisional Secretariats island-wide
Seva Piyasa, Registrar General's Department
Birth certificate copies only; for marriage and death copies use a Divisional SecretariatSuhurupaya, Battaramulla
RGD translator offices
Weekdays 9:00 am to 2:30 pmRGD branch offices (list on the RGD website)
Official Links & Forms
The RGD's eBMD service, copy pages and charges table:
Sources & last checked
Checked against Registrar General's Department. Every source for this topic, with dates, is on our verified sources.
LankaSolve is an independent information service and is not affiliated with the Government of Sri Lanka or the Registrar General's Department. Fees, record coverage and online services can change. Check with the Divisional Secretariat or the RGD before you apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a copy of my birth certificate in Sri Lanka?
Three ways. Online through the RGD's eBMD portal (about 5 working days, posted or collected). At any Divisional Secretariat through the One Day Service, if the birth is in the eBMD database (registered 1960 to 2020). Otherwise, at the Divisional Secretariat for the place of birth, with the application form and fee.
How much does a birth certificate copy cost?
Rs. 120 per copy if you know the certificate number and registration date. If the office has to search the registers (up to two years), it's Rs. 250 for the first copy and Rs. 120 for each extra copy. Marriage and death certificate copies cost the same. The RGD's printed birth application form still shows older amounts (Rs. 100 / Rs. 200).
Can I get a birth certificate online?
Yes. Apply at online.ebmd.rgd.gov.lk. Once the RGD confirms the record, it sends a payment link to your email and phone within 2 days. Pay by card, then choose postal delivery or collection from the Divisional Secretariat. The whole process takes about 5 working days.
How do I get my birth certificate if I live abroad?
Submit an availability request on the eBMD portal and choose your Sri Lankan embassy or consulate. If the record is found, you're emailed instructions to visit the mission, where you pay and collect a paper copy. You can't pay online from abroad, and certificates are never emailed. Collect it within 30 days or the request expires.
Which certificates are in the eBMD database?
Births and deaths registered from 1 January 1960 to 31 December 2020, and marriages from 1 January 1960 to 31 December 2023. Anything outside those dates comes from the Divisional Secretariat where it was registered. Your nearest Divisional Secretariat can check whether a record is in the database.
What is the One Day Service for birth certificates?
If the certificate is in the eBMD database, the Registrar Division at any Divisional Secretariat in the country can issue a certified copy the same day, so you don't have to go to the office where it was registered. Birth certificate copies are also issued at the RGD's Seva Piyasa at Suhurupaya, Battaramulla.
Can I pay for a certificate copy at an ATM or online?
Not for a paper application. Pay at the Divisional Secretariat, or into the Registrar General's account No. 7039827 at Bank of Ceylon (Battaramulla branch) and hand in the bank slip. ATM and online bank payments aren't accepted. Online eBMD applications are paid by card through the payment link.
Can I get an original copy of my birth certificate online?
Yes. What people call an "original copy" is a certified copy from the Registrar General's Department. Apply on the eBMD portal, pay by card when the payment link arrives, and it's posted to you or you collect it from the Divisional Secretariat, in about 5 working days.
Can I download my birth certificate as a PDF?
No. The RGD issues certified copies on paper: posted to you or collected from a Divisional Secretariat. For people overseas, the RGD says certificates are never emailed or sent digitally. A PDF from another website isn't a certified copy issued by the RGD.
I lost my birth certificate. What do I do?
Apply for a new certified copy the same way: online through eBMD, or at a Divisional Secretariat. If the birth is in the eBMD database (registered 1960 to 2020), any Divisional Secretariat can issue it through the One Day Service.
How do I find my birth certificate number?
It's printed on your existing birth certificate. If you don't have it, you can still apply: the office searches the registers (up to two years) and charges Rs. 250 for the first copy instead of Rs. 120.
Can I get a marriage certificate online in Sri Lanka?
Yes. Marriage certificates are on the same eBMD portal. Marriages registered from 1960 to 2023 are in the database, so any Divisional Secretariat can also issue them through the One Day Service. The fee is the same: Rs. 120 a copy.
Is an old birth certificate accepted for Foreign Ministry attestation?
Not on its own. The Foreign Ministry only attests a copy issued, or re-certified as a true copy, by a District Registrar on or after 1 January 2008. Get a fresh certified copy before you book. See the document attestation guide.
What if no record of the birth is found?
The Divisional Secretariat tells you on Form B38 that no registration was found. The RGD has a separate process for registering an unregistered birth.
How do I get a translated copy?
The RGD's own translators produce translated copies at its branch offices, weekdays 9:00 am to 2:30 pm. Bring the translation application form and the original or a Divisional Secretariat certified copy. There's no one-day service. For attestation, the Foreign Ministry encourages using the RGD's translators.