Come to the reading room: practical information

Reproduction

Authorisations

Reproduction

Replication options:

photographs without flash in the reading room: permitted;
scanning: : any reproduction (with or without commercial use), for private or professional purposes, must be covered by a reproduction contract (PDF). This will be carried out by the archive’s replication team;
printing: printing can be ordered from the computers in the reading room (€0.25/print).

Photocopies and flash photographs in the reading room are not permitted.

! reproduction of building plans is subjected to a specific procedure

! press contracts should be filled in on the attached document (PDF).

Authorisations

Authorisations to consult public archives

A large proportion of the public archives held by the Brussels City Archives are freely open to the public. However, access to certain collections is subject to closure periods to protect privacy and personal data. Once the closure period has ended, the archives become freely available for consultation. The table below lists the public archive collections held by the City of Brussels Archives that are subject to closure periods. However, as part of historical and/or genealogical research, it is possible to make a request to consult public archives before the end of the closure period, and to obtain authorisation to do so. All requests for authorisation must be submitted to archives@brucity.be.

If you like to request copies of archives which you have been authorised to consult before the end of the closure period, please contact the reading room staff directly.

Public archives collections	Closure period	To consult a record before the end of the closure period, an authorisation must be issued by
Local authority properties	50 years (from the date the file was opened) ! please note that certain files are subject to restricted access for public safety reasons (see conditions)	Chief Archivist or his/her delegate
Burial plot registers	50 years (from the date of death)	Chief Archivist or his/her delegate
Electoral lists	100 years (from the election date)	Chief Archivist or his/her delegate
Birth certificates	101 years	Management Committee for the Civil Status Records Database (BAEC) Request via etatcivil.dem@brucity.be
Marriage certificates	76 years
Death certificates	51 years
Other certificates	101 years
City of Brussels staff records	100 years (from the person's date of birth)	have proof of death or written authorisation from the person concerned failing this: Alderman for Staff
Police personnel files		have proof of death or written authorisation from the person concerned failing this: The Mayor
Public education staff files (teachers and administrative staff in schools)		have proof of death or written authorisation from the person concerned failing this: Alderman for Public Education
Personnel files of City of Brussels councillors		have proof of death or written authorisation from the person concerned failing this: Chief Archivist or his/her delegate
Naturalisation and choice of homeland	100 years	have proof of death or written authorisation from the person concerned failing this: Archivist of the City of Brussels or his/her delegate
Legitimisations and acknowledgements	100 years
Population Registers	120 years	have written authorisation from the person concerned/their spouse/one of their children failing this: College of the Mayor and Aldermen
Arrival Registers		have proof of death or written authorisation from the person concerned failing this: Archivist of the City of Brussels or his/her delegate
Transfer Registers		have proof of death or written authorisation from the person concerned failing this: Archivist of the City of Brussels or his/her delegate
Departure Registers		have proof of death or written authorisation from the person concerned failing this: Archivist of the City of Brussels or his/her delegate
Foreign nationals' files	100 years (from the date the file was opened)	have proof of death or written authorisation from the person concerned failing this: The Mayor
Orders to leave the territory (OLT)		have proof of death or written authorisation from the person concerned failing this: Archivist of the City of Brussels or his/her delegate
Applications for authorisation to employ a foreign worker		have proof of death or written authorisation from the person concerned failing this: Archivist of the City of Brussels or his/her delegate
Police Archives		The Mayor
Registers of student rolls	100 years (from date of birth)	have proof of death or written authorisation from the person concerned failing this: The Archivist of the City of Brussels or his/her delegate authorises the issue of certificates, not consultation
Personal files of pupils in City schools	100 years (from date of birth)	have proof of death or written authorisation from the person concerned failing this: Archivist of the City of Brussels or his/her delegate
Local Council secret committee meetings	100 years	have proof of death or written authorisation from the person concerned failing this: The Mayor
Minutes of the meetings of the Conference of Mayors	50 years	Conference of Mayors
Mayor's Office	50 years	Chief Archivist or his/her delegate
Closed court cases	100 years (from the date of the judgement)	Alderman for Legal Affairs
Collocation files	100 years (from the date of birth of the person concerned)	have proof of death or written authorisation from the person concerned failing this: The Mayor
Annual militia census registers	100 years (from the person's date of birth)	have proof of death or written authorisation from the person concerned failing this: Archivist of the City of Brussels or his/her delegate
Decrees prohibiting habitation	50 years (from the date of issue of the ban)	have proof of death or written authorisation from the person concerned failing this: The Mayor
Requisition files: inventories of premises carried out by experts appointed by the owners of the premises (1940-1945)	100 years	Chief Archivist or his/her delegate
Files on buildings requisitioned by the Allied armies (1940-1945)
Files on buildings requisitioned by the German army (1940-1945)

BRUSSELS ARCHIVES

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