Registrar – births, marriages and deaths

Registrars keep legal records of every birth, marriage, civil partnership and death in their districts. Their duties depend on which type of registration work they are employed in.

Work activities

Registrars are responsible for keeping legal records of every birth, marriage, civil partnership and death within their own districts. When a new child is born, the parent(s) will need to register the birth. The registrar interviews the parent(s) to find out the child’s name, date of birth and any other relevant details in order to complete a computer record of the entry. If all the information given is correct, the informants sign the register and the registrar will then issue an official birth certificate.

When someone dies, their relatives will usually need to see a registrar in order to register the death. The registrar will interview the relatives to get all the relevant information, such as the deceased person’s name and cause of death. If the registrar thinks there is anything suspicious about the death, or that it may not have been natural causes, or they suspect neglect, they have to report it to the coroner.

Registrars interview people before their wedding to check that they are legally allowed to marry. For example, they would check each couple’s ages, to see if they are both old enough to marry without their parents’/guardians’ consent. When a wedding takes place, the registrar is present to register the event. When they have reached the grade of superintendent, registrars are allowed to conduct these ceremonies themselves, but a registrar would still need to complete the registration details.

Superintendent registrars can conduct weddings in register offices and also at various approved premises throughout the UK. For example, at certain stately homes and hotels. It is important that registrars are willing to work unsocial hours. Most weddings take place on Saturdays and Sundays, so weekend work is very common. Civil partnerships are registered in a similar way to marriages.

Personal qualities and skills

To do this job well, you’ll need to:

Be comfortable dealing with all types of people. Some people you deal with may be excited and others distressed, so it’s important that you are able to cope in different situations.
Have good interviewing skills and the ability to ask the right questions to get the information you need.
Be able to detect whether the information you have been given is true. There are many examples of people lying in order to get official documents, so showing good judgement in this area is a key aspect of the career.

For this job, you’ll also need to:

Be an accurate and careful worker with good handwriting for all the paperwork you’ll have to do.
Have an interest in how the law relates to births, marriages, civil partnerships and deaths.
Be comfortable using a computer.

You will probably need to travel to different places within your district to carry out marriage ceremonies, so it would be useful to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle. If you become a superintendent registrar, you will have to speak in front of people when carrying out the marriage ceremony, so it’s important that you are a confident public speaker.

Pay and opportunities

Salaries vary depending on the post and local agreements. The pay rates given are approximate. Registrars start on around £18,000 per year. You could earn up to £42,000.

Hours of work: Registrars normally work 35-40 hours per week. This is likely to include Saturdays and some Sundays and bank holidays. They might also have to do on-call work, to record deaths outside office hours. Part-time work is sometimes available.

Demand for registrars is steady. However, vacancies occur only occasionally. Local authorities are having to make substantial savings in the light of government spending cuts. Some services might be shared between councils. This might mean a freeze on recruitment in most areas.

Where could I work?

Registrars are employed by the local authority but are responsible to the Registrar General. Opportunities for registrars occur in offices in most towns and cities throughout the UK.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised on all the major job boards, on the Government’s Find a Job service and on the LG jobs website.

Entry routes and training

There are no set entry routes into this career. However, employers prefer entrants to be educated to at least GCSE level. Passes at grades 9-4 in subjects like English, maths and ICT/computing would be useful.

Most of the training to become a registrar is done on-the-job. You will be trained in areas such as registration law and procedures.

Promotion is usually from deputy additional registrar to additional, then from deputy registrar to registrar and then to deputy superintendent and superintendent.

Qualifications

There are no minimum entry requirements for this career; however, you should have a good standard of general education. GCSE passes at grades 9-4 in subjects such as English, maths and ICT/computing would be very useful. Some applicants have more GCSEs, or higher level qualifications such as A-levels.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

No formal academic qualifications are specified. However, applicants with administrative experience have an advantage. Those from certain backgrounds cannot work as a registrar whilst continuing in their employment. These include: doctors, midwives, ministers of religion, funeral directors, and anyone working in the life assurance industry.

Related careers

Administrative officer – civil service
Local government administrator