Some offices are open on a full-time basis and others on a part-time basis. All register offices follow an appointment system, but times and availability may vary during the year.

• Aykley Heads House (ceremony room facilities available)
• Barnard Castle (ceremony room facilities available)
• Bishop Auckland (ceremony room facilities available)
• Chester-le-Street 
• Consett
• Crook
• Seaham
• Stanhope
• Stanley

Registrars ceremony rooms on a map

Find our registrars ceremony rooms on a map.

Aykley Heads House

Aykley Heads office is open on a full-time basis and the opening hours are from 9.00am to 4.00pm. Appointments for birth and death registrations and taking notices for marriage and civil partnerships are available from 9.30am to 3.30pm (all appointments must be pre-booked). 

The office is situated on the outskirts of Durham City at Aykley Heads, just a short bus or car journey from Durham itself. It is ideally located set back from the main road in its own grounds and there is good public transport links nearby as well as the University Hospital of North Durham. The building is a Grade 2 listed, moderate-sized country villa.

There are three ceremony rooms on the ground floor which are easily accessible. The main ceremony room can accommodate up to 65 people and is highly decorative and has a clean and fresh appearance. The second ceremony room can accommodate up to 35 people and offers an attractive alternative to the main ceremony room. The third ceremony room can accommodate up to 20 people and is located in a stairwell area and will appeal to those couples who prefer a smaller but formal ceremony. Photographs can be taken in the grounds of Aykley Heads House. 

The office is fully computerised, with credit card payment facilities. 

Barnard Castle

This office is open on a part-time basis covering Wednesdays and Fridays. The office offers birth and death registrations (the registrar attends by prior appointment and all appointments must be pre-booked). 

The office is in a row of terraced properties near the centre of this beautiful old market town in the heart of scenic Teesdale. The front entrance of the building is accessed via steps. However, an alternative access is available at the side of the building. Accessible toilet facilities are also available.

The ceremony room has seating for up to 34 guests and parking is available nearby. The room is decorated in red, cream and gold with complementary framed prints and silk floral decorations. Photographs can be taken nearby or you may choose to travel a short distance to have these taken in the grounds of Bowes Museum by prior arrangement.

Bishop Auckland

The office is open on a full-time basis and the opening hours are from 9.00am to 4.00pm. Appointments for birth and death registrations and taking notices for marriage and civil partnerships are available from 9.30am to 3.30pm (all appointments must be pre-booked). A service to issue certificates to personal callers is available between 11.00am to 12.00pm and 1.00pm to 3.00pm.

Following the creation of a unified registration district in 2006, Bishop Auckland was designated the new headquarters for the service. A new central repository is located here to accommodate all the indexes, registers and records for issuing all types of certificates. All certificate requests and enquiries are processed by this office. 

The office is on the main road in a double-fronted Victorian end-terrace house. The building has recently been refurbished to improve its accessibility and to cater for increased customer enquiries.

The ceremony room has seating for up to 25 guests and is tastefully decorated in shades of midnight blue and cream with matching drapery and beech framed upholstered seating. Floral displays and framed prints complement the ceremony room and the Victorian fireplace gives a warm glow to the overall setting.The Bishop Auckland premises also offers ceremonies in their register office. This can be used for couples who wish to have a less formal ceremony.

Parking is usually available on the main road and on smaller side roads. There is also a small public park opposite for photographs and for guests to congregate after the ceremony.

The building has credit card payment facilities. On entering the building, clear signage directs customers to the reception office. A comfortable waiting area is provided on the ground floor for all service users including those awaiting certificate requests to be processed.

Chester-le-Street

This office is open on a part-time basis covering Tuesday and Wednesday. The office offers birth and death registrations (the registrar attends by prior appointment).

Consett

This office is open on a part-time basis covering Tuesday and Thursday. The office offers birth and death registrations (the registrar attends by prior appointment).

Crook

This office is open on a part-time basis on a Thursday morning only. The office offers birth and death registrations (the registrar attends by prior appointment).

Seaham

The office is open on a part-time basis covering Tuesday and Friday. The office offers birth and death registrations (the registrar attends by prior appointment and all appointments must be pre-booked).

Stanhope

This office is open on a part-time basis on a Thursday afternoon only. The office offers birth and death registrations (the registrar attends by prior appointment). 

Stanley

This office is open on a part-time basis covering Monday and Friday. The office offers birth and death registrations (the registrar attends by prior appointment and all appointments must be pre-booked).