Frequently asked questions

Payment methods and charges

Are you able to provide a secure server for credit card transactions?

Yes. We take this issue very seriously.

We use the latest encryption technology and do not retain card details on our servers. Our site is well protected and we regularly monitor and implement the latest security developments.

How does your payment appear on my credit/debit card statement?

Our payment appears as "findmypast.com" on your credit or debit card statement.

How can researchers outside the UK pay to view the information?

You can purchase the subscriptions or pay-per-view units online using a credit card via our secure server. A currency converter is also on the site to enable you to calculate how much it will cost in your currency.

Is it possible for our library to purchase a licence to access the indexes?

Corporate Accounts

We offer corporate access to a large number of private and public organisations, including libraries, family history societies and government departments.

Our corporate account functionality allows multiple users to access our site via one or more accounts. There is no limit to the number of users who can access the site at any one time. It also allows access to be restricted to a fixed IP address, or IP address range, ensuring that your account can only be used from users logged on to your system.

The process of setting up a corporate account is fairly simple and is detailed below:

Corporate packages

Corporate plan	Number of units	price/unit
£120	1500 units	£0.08
£190	2500 units	£0.075
£250	3500 units	£0.07

*All units have a 365 day expiry, we will be happy to extend the life of the units if they are not used within this period.

Step 1

Consult the unit Packages chart above and decide how many units you would like to purchase. Email sales@findmypast.com with your chosen order value as well as a contact name and postal address for us to send an invoice.

Step 2

Register the accounts you would like to use to access our system by visiting www.findmypast.com/RegistrationServlet. You can register as many accounts as you wish, but it is advisable to have as few accounts as possible. Having one account for each IP address with all users at that IP address using the same password is the most manageable option. Once you have registered your account(s), email sales@findmypast.com with the registered email addresses and we will process your corporate account(s).

Step 3

Once we have received payment, your units will be added to your corporate account and the account will be activated for use.

Please feel free to contact us if you wish to discuss our corporate offering further.

For what period of time is the minimum payment valid?

The minimum payment of £6.95 GBP will be valid for 90 days.

Do I have to use my units in one go or can I revisit the site until they are all used up?

The site will allow you to use your units over returned visits to the site depending on the price plan you have chosen - you do not have to use them all up in one go.

Will I be charged the same amount of units to view all of the various records?

Searching is free for all of our records, aside from the Living Relatives data, but viewing the records is not.

If you are using pay-per-view units:

Each time you view:

A page from the birth, marriage or death indexes you will be charged 1 unit.
Transcripts from the censuses you will be charged 3 units.
Images from the censuses you will be charged 3 units.
Other records carry different charges

Many of our customers have found that by taking out a subscription they have saved themselves money and enjoyed easier access to the various records, without worrying about how many units each search will require.

Does the site tell you how many units you have left as you are searching?

The site will indicate how many units you have used and how many are remaining.

Do I receive notification of when my units will expire?

Yes, you will receive email notification that your units are going to expire fourteen days before the expiry date.

Similarly for subscriptions, you will receive email reminders before your subscription lapses.

We have introduced a loyalty scheme for our subscribers. If you renew your Explorer or Discovery subscription before it expires you will receive an automatic discount, guaranteed to be the best available for the subscription in question at that time of renewal.

Is there a "bulk search" service for those conducting one name studies?

We have a special arrangement for members of the Guild of One Name Studies, details of which are available from the Guild.

Heavy users of our site who are not Guild members can take advantage of our competitive pricing plans, particularly our subscriptions. Subscribing to findmypast allows you unlimited access for a flat yearly or six-monthly fee.

How do I pay to use the site if using my work computer?

You can use your credit or debit card to pay online using our secure server; it will not affect your company computer. You could also purchase a voucher from various libraries and archives in the UK that you can redeem on the website. (Please see our vouchers page for further details.)

If you are using a work or public computer you will need admin rights or permission if you wish to install the enhanced viewer.

I have purchased units but they are not showing in my account, what should I do?

It is likely that you may not have purchased the units successfully. Please contact us on

UK: 020 7549 0990 (direct dial)
International: +44 20 7549 0990
USA: 1-866-279-4013

Or email us at info@findmypast.com

And we can investigate for you.

Am I charged to re-view pages?

You are charged for viewing pages in a new session. However, if you return to a page that you have already looked at during your current session, you will not be charged again.

We recommend that you print or save the image to keep track of your research.

What is a 'session'?

A session is defined as the time from when you log on to the service to the time when you log off or the connection to the service is interrupted.

I can’t see anywhere to enter my card details

If you are experiencing problems with the payments page, it may be owing to the fact that you are using the AOL browser. You can get around this problem quite easily; firstly open up the payments page by clicking on “buy units”.

Next, select a payment plan, then left-click on any blank part of the page and use the up and down arrow keys on the keyboard to scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you can fill out your card details.

[ previous \| item 5 of 9 in frequently asked questions \| next ]