Section 78: Searches and copies

Adoption and Children Act 2002 · 2002 c. 38View on legislation.gov.uk

Part 1: Adoption — Chapter 5: The Registers

The Registrar General must continue to maintain at the General Register Office an index of the Adopted Children Register.

Any person may—

search the index,
have a certified copy of any entry in the Adopted Children Register.

But a person is not entitled to have a certified copy of an entry in the Adopted Children Register relating to an adopted person who has not attained the age of 18 years unless the applicant has provided the Registrar General with the prescribed particulars.

The terms, conditions and regulations as to payment of fees, and otherwise, applicable under the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 (c. 20), and the Registration Service Act 1953 (c. 37), in respect of—

searches in the index kept in the General Register Office of certified copies of entries in the registers of live-births,
the supply from that office of certified copies of entries in those certified copies,

also apply in respect of searches, and supplies of certified copies, under subsection (2).

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Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.