Description

A certified copy is a signed copy of the original entry in a document. Certified copies are usually requested for legal purposes. For baptism certificates, we provide a signed transcript of an entry. For other records, we usually provide a copy.

If you require Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies to certify a document as a true and accurate copy of an original entry in a document in our collections please choose from the following options:

1) Baptism Certificates

Modern certificates are often required for church or legal reasons. Acting as the Diocesan Record Office HALS can create a certificate if the entry can be found in an Anglican parish register in our custody. A paid research service is available if the required entry cannot easily be found, and other parishes or dates are to be considered; alternatively you can consult the records yourself, for free, to undertake that search.

You can check if a register has been deposited by consulting the online catalogues (search for DP as a HALSRef and the parish as a keyword). Contact the church itself if it has not yet been deposited. Certificates for other sacraments can also be created, although we recommend that marriage certificates are ordered from the General Register Office or local Registrars. For routine copies of historical parish register entries use our Copying Services or consult the website Find my Past where many can be viewed

A baptism certificate includes a formatted transcript of the original entry, certified under the authority of the Diocese of St Albans

2) Vehicle Registration certified copies

Hertfordshire County Council was responsible for the registration of motor vehicles from 1899, and the archives holds many of the records of first registration within the county. You can check if your number survives amongst the Hertfordshire records by consulting the online catalogues (search for MT as a HALSRef). Records survive from 1903-1977 although there is a gap 1910-1934. You are welcome to consult the records at HALS, free of charge. An uncertified copy of an entry can be ordered using our Copying Services.

It is important to note that the information recorded is quite minimal. The registration date is usually given, and often details of the first dealer and perhaps owner. Only rarely is any further vehicle information given, and after first registration there are no further entries, and no related records held at HALS.

A certified copy includes both the copy and the certification of it.

3) Certification Service

If you have a need for a certified copy or transcript of a document from our collections, which is not covered by the other options listed above, please use the ‘Certification’ option for each item required. This should be used in conjunction with ordering the copy or transcript from us, and is an additional service to that order.

Certification would be added to the copy or transcript by a senior member of staff

EU and other overseas customers

Contact us at [email protected] before ordering any goods or services as we are currently unable to fulfil these requests