The Central Register holds the treatment details of all individuals born from donor conception treatments in Victoria. Donors, donor-conceived people, parents, and descendants of donor-conceived people may apply for both identifying and non-identifying information,). An application fee of $84.60 applies per information category.
Who can apply
Donors: can apply for information about their donor offspring.
- Donor-conceived people: can apply for identifying information (name, date of birth, donor code) once they turn 18 or earlier if a qualified counsellor deems them mature enough. They can also apply for non-identifying information about donor siblings.
- Parents: can apply at any time after the child’s birth for information about the donor and their donor’s siblings.
How to apply
To apply, you need to:
- Complete the Central Register Application Form
- Provide proof of identity (eg: driver's licence, passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate, Medicare card or bank card)
- Pay the fee of $84.60 for each information category (identifying and non-identifying)
- Submit your form to the Donor Conception Registrar
The fee may be waived in cases of financial hardship, if you've already applied and paid or if you are a donor sibling of an applicant.
Role of the Donor Conception Registrar
The Donor Conception Registrar, an employee of Department of Health, manages the Central Register, and is responsible for ensuring that information is provided in compliance with the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act 2008. This includes providing explanatory material about the application process, the consequences of disclosure and available support services
Information and support session
Applicants can attend a free information and support session after submitting their application. This session will help you to explore motivation, implications and potential emotional challenges of the process. It also guides you in in completing your Statement of Reasons form.
Statement of Reasons
When applying for information, you must include a Statement of Reasons, explaining your motivations and goals for seeking information of contact. This form helps the contacted party understand your reasons and may facilitate further communication.
For what to include in your statement, see Writing your statement of reasons.
Records search and disclosure process
- Once your application is received, the Donor Conception Registrar will search the Central Register. Additional information may be required and in some cases DNA testing might be required to confirm the relationship.
- Non-identifying information can be provided immediately if it's confirmed you’re related to the subject(s) and does not require consent.
Contact preferences
The Donor Conception Registrar must notify the subject(s) of your request and may ask them to indicate contact preferences, which are legally binding. These preferences can include how the applicant may contact them (email, phone, letter) or if they prefer no contact at all. These preferences last for five years and the applicant must agree to comply with them.
Outreach
The Donor Conception Registrar will notify the subject(s) of your application and include your Statement of Reasons form.
- If the subject(s) is under 18, the Donor Conception Registrar will contact their parent(s) to seek consent for releasing information
- If the subject is older than 18, the Donor Conception Registrar will contact them directly, as only adults can consent to releasing their own identifying information.
While you may have been considering this matter for some time, the person being contacted may need time to consider their current circumstances and the implications for themselves and their family. Being contacted may be unexpected, especially for donors who might not know about their children born from their donations or recent changes to legislation. Similarly, donor-conceived people may not be aware their parents pursued donor conception treatment
Outcomes and legal obligations
Once the contact preferences or consent is obtained, the Donor Conception Registrar will inform you of the decision. If contact preferences exist, you must sign and Undertaking to comply with them. Penalties apply if you breach the terms.
Provision of identifying information
- Post 1998 Donors: Donor conceived people or descendants receive identifying information once the donor has been notified.
- Pre 1998 Donors: Donors have four months to consider the request. If they can’t be located, the four-month period begins when the application is made. Identifying information can be released sooner if the donor consents.
Searching for the subject
The Donor Conception Registrar conducts various searches (eg: electoral rolls, social media, death indexes to locate the subject(s) and obtain their consent. If no information can be found, you will be notified. Victorian Electoral Commission
To help find and contact the subject(s) of an application, the Donor Conception Registrar can consult with the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC). The VEC provides the following information, strictly under legal agreement with the Department of Health:
- Date of Birth of elector (excluding silent electors) to confirm identity
- Postal Address to inform the subject(s) that their information will be provided to the applicant and explain their legal rights regarding contact preferences.
The VEC's data is used solely for the purpose of identifying and contacting the subject(s) and is not shared with any third parties.
For more complex searches, the Donor Conception Registrar may also explore:
- Online death indexes
- Historical electoral rolls (and other records)
- Probate/wills/letters of administration from the Public Records Office of Victoria
- Missing persons register, immigration files, and other national archives.
If no record/and or current contact details are available, the applicant will be advised.
Reviewed 19 January 2025