Tanzania
A well developed and functioning civil registration system ensures the registration of all vital events including births, marriages and deaths and issues relevant certificates as proof of such registration. Civil registration promotes efficient government planning, effective use of resources and aid, and more accurate monitoring of progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Birth Registration
| Legal framework for birth registration | Under s.26 of chapter 108 of the Tanzanian laws |
| Official authorities in charge of registering births | Registration Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA) |
| Organizational structure | Centralized |
| Is there a legal obligation to register the birth of a child? | Yes |
| Is an official birth certificate issued as a result of birth registration? | Yes, within 5 days |
| Legal informant to register a birth | Father and mother; In default of the father and mother, the informant may be the occupier of the house in which to his or her knowledge the child was born, any person present at the birth, or the person having charge of the child. |
| Time allowed for registration | 3 months |
| Fee for birth registration | Yes |
| Can the fee be increased or waived? | No |
| Fee for birth certificate | No |
| Penalty for late registration | Yes, and increased after 10 years; Fees vary by location and the time of registration, and are higher at RITA headquarters than at district or municipality registration centres, such as Kinondoni and Temeke. |
| Other official fees involved in the birth registration process | No |
| Requirements or fees specific to children who are eligible for citizenship but were born outside the country | No |
| Requirements or fees specific to children whose parents are foreign nationals | No |
| Requirements for birth registration | |
| Information collected | Regarding the child: Name, Sex, Date of birth, Date of registration, Place of occurrence, Place of registration, Type of birth (single, twin, triplet and so forth), Type of place of occurrence (hospital, home, etc.)
Regarding the mother of the child: Date of birth or age, Place of usual residence, Place/country of birth Regarding the father of the child: Date of birth or age, Place of usual residence, Date of marriage in case of late registration
Zanzibar: Regarding the child: Name, Date of birth, Sex, Type of birth (single, twin, more than two), Born alive or born dead, Place of birth, Health centre, District Regarding the father of the child: Name, Citizenship or citizenship in another country, Residence, Place of birth, Occupation Regarding the mother of the child: Name, Marital status (not married, married, widow), Citizenship or citizenship in another country, Age, Place of birth, Residence, Occupation of mother Regarding the declarant of the birth: Name of the informant (specifying parent, traditional midwife, medical staff or other), Proof of birth, Date of registration |
| Processing | Manually (on paper), Electronically (via computer, tablet or mobile phone through SMS, USSD or other channel) |
| Place of registration | Civil registrar’s office, Hospital/health centres, Ward executive offices (place of occurrence of the birth) |
| A birth certificate is required for: | Identification, Travel, Education, Inheritance, Obtaining social assistance |
Download sample birth registration form
Data sources: Information on civil registration systems was compiled over a period from December 2016 to November 2017 using the existing relevant legal frameworks and in consultation with CRVS experts, officials within the relevant national institutions, and UNICEF country offices. All reasonable precautions have been taken by UNICEF to verify this country profile; updates will be made to reflect changes in policy and implementation and/or new information.
Marriage Registration
| Legal Framework for marriage registration | Under s.13-17 of the law of marriage act, chapter 29 of the Tanzanian laws |
| Official authorities in charge of registering a marriage | Registration Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA) |
| Organizational structure | Centralized |
| Legal age for marriage | 15 years for females, 18 years for males |
| Legal obligation to register the marriage? | Yes |
| Is an official marriage certificate issued as a result of marriage registration? | Yes |
| Legal informant to register a marriage | Spouses |
| Time allowed for registration | 21 days |
| Fee for marriage registration | Yes |
| Can the fee be increased/waived? | No |
| Fee for marriage certificate | No |
| Penalty for late registration | No |
| Other official fees involved in the marriage registration process (i.e. hospital administrative fee) | Yes |
| Additional registration requirements or fees if one spouse was born outside the country or has dual citizenship | No |
| Requirements for marriage registration | Husband’s presence at registration, Wife’s presence at registration, Proof of wife’s age, Proof of husband’s age |
| Information collected | Regarding the spouses: Date of birth or age of bride, Place of usual residence of bride, Ethnicity of the bride, Religion of the bride, Date of birth or age of groom, place of usual residence of groom, Ethnicity of the groom, Religion of the groom
Regarding the marriage: Date of occurrence, Date of registration, Place of occurrence, Place of registration |
| Processing | Manually (on paper) |
| Place of registration | Civil registrar’s office, Place of occurrence of the marriage |
| Marriage certificate required for: | Accessing health services, Transferring or sharing land ownership, administration of decease’s estate, insurance, inheritance) |
Download sample marriage registration form
Data sources: Information on civil registration systems was compiled over a period from December 2016 to November 2017 using the existing relevant legal frameworks and in consultation with CRVS experts, officials within the relevant national institutions, and UNICEF country offices. All reasonable precautions have been taken by UNICEF to verify this country profile; updates will be made to reflect changes in policy and implementation and/or new information.
Death Registration
| Legal Framework for deaths Registration | Under s.26 of chapter 108 of the Tanzanian laws |
| Official authorities in charge of registering a death | Registration Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA) |
| Organizational structure | Centralized |
| Legal obligation to register a death | Yes |
| Is an official death certificate issued as a result of death registration? | Yes, within 5 days |
| Legal informant to register a death | Nearest relatives of the deceased who were present at the death or in attendance during the deceased’s last illness, Other relative dwelling within the district, Each person present at the death, Occupier of the house in which to her or his knowledge such death took place;
In default of any of the persons mentioned above, the death may be registered by any resident of the house or person finding or taking charge of the body or facilitating the burial. |
| Time allowed for registration | 1 month, or up to 3 months (if the district registrar is satisfied that registration could not take place earlier and that there has been no undue delay)
Zanzibar: 2 months |
| Fee for death registration | Yes
Zanzibar: Yes, with a higher fee for deaths occurring in a hospital vs. a death at home |
| Can the fee be increased/waived? | No |
| Fee for death certificate | No |
| Penalty for late registration | Yes, and increased after 10 years; Fees vary by location and the time of registration, and are higher at RITA headquarters than at district or municipality registration centres, such as Kinondoni and Temeke. |
| Other official fees involved in the death registration process (i.e. hospital administrative fee) | No |
| Specific registration requirements or fees specific for people who have died who were residents in the country and also of foreign nationality | No |
| Requirements for death registration | Medical death certificate;
For a death occurring at home without the medical notification, a letter is required from the Ward Executive Officer stating names of the deceased, date of death, place of death and cause of death, together with documentation sealed by the same Ward Executive Officer that state the applicant is in fact the person chosen by relatives to apply for the document – which bears the names of said relatives, their relation with the deceased and their signatures. |
| Information collected | Regarding the deceased: Name, Sex, Date of birth or age, Ethnicity, Place of usual residence, Place of usual residence of the mother for deaths under 1 year of age
Regarding the death: Date of death, Date of registration, Place of occurrence, Place of registration, Cause of death, Certifier, Type of place of occurrence (hospital, home, etc.) |
| Information collected in case of fetal death | Fetal deaths are not registered. |
| Processing | Manually (on paper) |
| Place of registration | Civil registrar’s office, Place of occurrence of the death |
| Death certificate required for: | Inheritance, Obtaining letters of administration |
Download sample death registration form
Data sources: Information on civil registration systems was compiled over a period from December 2016 to November 2017 using the existing relevant legal frameworks and in consultation with CRVS experts, officials within the relevant national institutions, and UNICEF country offices. All reasonable precautions have been taken by UNICEF to verify this country profile; updates will be made to reflect changes in policy and implementation and/or new information.