Registry Office, One Stop Shop or..?

[Dragana.BL]

Good afternoon,
Could you please tell me what would be the English term for a municipal administration office where citizens may get a certified copy of birth/marriage/death certificate, have a copy of a document notarized/stamped, or submit requests for services that the municipality is in charge of ? The term „one stop shop“ (preferred in the translations of certain local documents that I have seen) is somehow too unofficial in my opinion (I may be wrong though) and may refer to several other things? „Registry office“ refers only to the office where one might get a certified print-out of birth/marriage/death certificate (as far as I know) so it seems to me that it is not „broad“ enough, i.e. it does not cover notarization/stamping services or other (personal) services of citizens` interest that fall within municipal competence..?
Please advise me on the right term! Thank you very much.
Respectfully,
Dragana

P.S. Is it possible to send private messages to language professionals on the forum?

 

[5jj]

Very few British people ever need to have a certified/notarised copy of anything. The last (and only) time that I ever did, I went to a solicitor who was also a public notary, and got her to do it.

By the way, though it's commonly known as the 'registry office', it is in fact the 'register office'.

You are free to send a private message to any member. Many of us do not answer individual enquiries about language by PM - we prefer to give answers that everybody can read.

 

[Ouisch]

In the US, on the other hand, it is very common to own a notarized or certified copy of your birth certificate, marriage license, a will, a divorce decree, etc. The actual office where you go to get such documents is often called by different names from state to state. For example, here in Michigan the State Vital Records Office handles such requests. In California you have to go to the County Recorder's Office. However, the generic term "City Hall" is often used no matter where you live, as in "I had to go to City Hall on my lunch hour to get a copy of my birth certificate."

 

[JohnParis]

Or - oddly enough - the Court House in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
I really don't think that there is one name for what you are seeking. There are many.

 

[Dragana.BL]

Thank you all for your kind efforts! I didn`t even think it would be easy! : ))))) Anyway, thank you for giving it a thought... Good night!

 

[BobK]

Good afternoon,
Could you please tell me what would be the English term for a municipal administration office where citizens may get a certified copy of birth/marriage/death certificate, have a copy of a document notarized/stamped, or submit requests for services that the municipality is in charge of ? ...

I suspect you may be referring to the sort of place that may exist in your home country, that has no precise analogy in England - so obviously it has no precise translation in English.

b