Archives New Zealand offers Remote Services to assist researchers intending to visit or unable to visit our reading rooms. In order to be as specific as possible with your enquiries, we recommend that you undertake background research at local libraries and consult Archives New Zealand’s publications, online reference guides and our online finding aid, Archway before contacting us.
Family historians should note that all New Zealand birth, death and marriage certificates are available from the Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
We try to respond within 15 working days of receiving an enquiry, but during times of high demand for the service, we may not be able to meet this deadline.
All enquiries are subject to the pre-payment of a research fee, which must be made whether or not the search is successful. We charge flat rates for some records, or NZ$25 per half hour of research undertaken on other subjects. We are able to do a maximum of an hour of research (NZ$50) for an individual client. People wanting more extensive research to be done on their behalf will need to employ a private researcher.
Payment can be made by faxing, phoning or posting your credit card details to us (Visa, Mastercard and Bankcard only).
Please do not email these details as we cannot guarantee the security of your email outside our computer system.
Alternatively, New Zealand researchers can pay by cheque, and international researchers by international money order, payable to Archives New Zealand. Our charges, in New Zealand dollars, are outlined below:
Flat Rate Charges (per item)
| New Zealand Defence Force personnel record: | $25 per record |
| Probate file: | $20 per record |
| Intention to Marry notice: | $8 per record |
These charges include up to 40 scanned or photocopied pages
General Research (per request)
| All other enquiries: | $25 per half hour |
This charge includes up to 20 scanned or photocopied pages per half hour of research.
Requests should be made in the first instance through our online research and copying service.
Alternatively you may email or write to one of the four Archives New Zealand offices to make enquiries.
Please note that we do not accept enquiries over the telephone. You will also need to select the office to which you want to direct your enquiry.
The inclusion of your full postal address in all enquiries (including email) is essential, and your request will not be processed until we have this information.
Archives New Zealand is unable to carry out extended research assignments into records on your behalf (maximum 1 hour) and you may need to employ a private researcher.
We suggest you contact the following groups if you want to consider hiring a private researcher: