Born in Ontario in 1919 or 1920: which office has the birth record?
The Archives of Ontario hold births from 1869 to about 1919, and ServiceOntario from about 1920. Different pages give different cutoff years, so for those two years check both offices.
The cutoff between the two offices is not the same on every official page, which is why 1919 and 1920 cause so much confusion. For those two years, check both offices.
Ontario, 1869 to about 1919
- Who has it
- Archives of Ontario
- What to ask for
- Certified copy of the birth registration
- What it costs
- About CA$33 plus printing and delivery (about CA$11 to CA$19 plus HST).
- How long
- About 14 business days. No rush option.
Ontario, about 1920 and later
- Who has it
- ServiceOntario (Office of the Registrar General)
- What to ask for
- Certified copy of the birth registration
- What it costs
- About CA$35 regular online or CA$65 premium.
- How long
- About 15 business days regular, 5 business days premium, or 6 to 8 weeks by mail.
The full guides
- Ontario Birth Registration, 1869 to 1919, for Citizenship by Descent (Archives of Ontario)
- Ontario Birth Certificate, 1920 and Later, for Citizenship by Descent (ServiceOntario)
More questions
- BAnQ or DEC: which one has my ancestor’s birth record?
- Do I ask the DEC for a certificate or a copy of an act?
- Is my FamilySearch copy enough, or do I need a certified one?
- My ancestor was born before civil registration. Where is the birth record?
- My order is taking months. Did I order the right thing?
- What if my ancestor’s birth record does not exist or was never archived?
Fees and times are approximate, checked against official pages on 2026-10-01. Confirm with each office before ordering. Legal questions go to a licensed Canadian lawyer or consultant.