Why you must give us correct and timely data

The law requires people to notify the us about certain life events. If you are one of these people, you must make sure the data you give us is accurate, complete and on time.

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The data you provide must be correct. Otherwise it may harm the services and research that this data is used for.

The law requires people to notify the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria (BDM) about certain life events.

The events include births, deaths and marriages.

If you are one of these people, you must make sure the data you give us is accurate, complete and on time.

This data is important. It is kept in perpetuity. It gives an individual, their family or an administrator a record of a significant life event. Federal, state and local governments use it for planning and service delivery.

It is also used by researchers. For example, health researchers may use it to identify trends in causes of death. The research findings may have an impact on where funds are allocated.

What to do if you’re unsure

If you’re unsure about any of the information, do not guess.

You can:

  • Contact the person/couple (if possible) or their family
  • Contact your professional association for advice
  • Contact us

You can also refer to our help pages:

State or Commonwealth laws govern the information you must provide. These laws provide penalties for making a false or misleading statement.

Read an overview of:

How the data is used

This information allows other important processes to occur. For example, funeral directors cannot bury or cremate a body until the doctor has given them the medical certificate of cause of death.

Our data is also used in ways that include the following.

Health

  • Causes of death
  • Mortality and fertility, including:
    • Infant, child and maternal mortality
    • Indigenous mortality
  • Specialist health topics: cancer, diabetes and suicide deaths

Population

  • Population estimates between census counts
  • Population projections
  • Births, marriages and deaths
  • Life expectancy
  • Population growth
  • Maintenance of electoral rolls

Social

  • Ageing population
  • Education and community planning
  • Child and parental programs
  • Social support and payment programs

Economic

  • Population growth:
    • Ageing and economic impact
    • Sub-regional growth and impact

Individual use

  • Identity and life event confirmation
  • Eligibility for social payments
  • Genealogy and family health history (as predictors of future health)
  • Identity confirmation
  • Confirmation of a life event
  • Citizenship and passport
  • Fraud prevention

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