Order a copy of a document
If you’d like a copy of a document, you can buy it from us
All you need is:
- a document reference e.g. name of parish, newspaper title or document name
- a document date
- specific entry details such as names or places.
If you don't have these details, a search is required to check the item is suitable for copying, and to identify the costs. A search fee will apply.
If you would like your copy certified, please let us know in the enquiry form.
If your request is urgent, we can fast track it for an additional fee. Expedited search and copy fees are £36 (in addition to the usual cost of copies or certified entries). See our fees and charges for more information.
Certified copies and transcripts
A certified copy is a signed copy of the original entry in a document. Certified copies are usually requested for legal purposes. For parish register entries, we provide a transcript of an entry. For other records, we provide a copy.
If you require us to certify a document as a true and accurate copy of an original entry in a document in HALS collections you can request a certified copy or transcript of:
- parish register entries, including baptism, marriage and burials
- vehicle registration records
- certification of your own information, including magistrates court records, other institution records and subject access requests.
Reuse an image from the archives
Contact us about reproduction rights if you want to publish a document we hold at the archives. That might be in your own publication, website, exhibition or TV programme.
Give us as much information as possible (including the document's reference number) so we can check if the items can be reproduced. This may take us some time so please do give us as much notice as possible.
Reproduction fees
We charge a fee for permission to reproduce items. See our fees and charges
The owner may also impose a reproduction fee or other condition of their own.
Permission of use
We usually only grant permission for a specific use. You'll need to contact us again if you want to use it elsewhere in the future.
Once permission is granted, you'll need to credit "Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies (HALS)" and include the reference number where the document is reproduced.
It might not always be possible to reproduce items if they're subject to copyright or if the owner has placed restrictions on their reproduction. Many documents in the collections are still in copyright, even if they're very old.
If the copyright owner is not known, it'll be your responsibility to trace them.
View a document at the archives
You can pre-order up to 3 documents during regular opening hours
You can ask to see more during your visit.
You can also pre-order documents we hold off-site on Tuesdays to Thursdays. Order by 11am or 2.30pm and they'll be ready to view within an hour. On Friday mornings, order by 10am. Also order by 10am on Friday if you are visiting on a Saturday when we’re open.