New restrictions on who can access a birth certificate came into effect today.

The Registry General issued a public notice about the implementation of the Registration (Births and Deaths) Amendment Act 2026.

Access provided by the Act includes offspring and personal or legal representatives of the individual, as well as certain public officers.

A spokesman for the Registry General said the change was designed to protect against identity theft and fraud through “one of Bermuda's most widely relied-upon identity documents”.

He added: “A review by the Registry General, supported by findings of the National Anti-Money Laundering Committee Working Group, identified the unrestricted public availability of certified birth certificates as a potential vulnerability that could be exploited for fraudulent purposes.”

The Registration (Births and Deaths) Amendment Act 2026 was approved by the Senate on September 14.

It makes a similar amendment to the Registrar-General (Recording of Documents) Act 1955 to apply the same restriction on access to birth certificates.

Birth certificate access is now restricted to the subject of the certificate; parents or guardians of the individual; children and grandchildren of the person who are at least 18 years old; the individual’s legal representatives; someone authorised in writing by the individual who is at least 18 years old; police officers with a court order; and public officers whom the Registrar-General is satisfied requires a copy for their duties.

Documents will be required to confirm the identity of the individual requesting the birth certificate and the capacity in which they are acting.

The Registrar-General may request further evidence if it is deemed necessary.

A guidance note on what to bring can be found at the Registry General’s office in the Government Administration Building on Parliament Street, or in the department’s resource section on the Government’s website.

Anyone who falls outside of the stated categories can still search the register and obtain a plain copy of an entry, but will not receive a certified birth certificate.

The public’s right to search the birth register during ordinary office hours upon fee payment remains the same.

There have been no changes to the fees, which stand at $35 for the certificate and $25 to search, plus an additional $25 for express service if needed.

The Registry General will contact members of the public if their application is in progress and impacted by the new eligibility requirements.