registration office

[ˌredʒɪˈstreɪʃən ˈɒfɪs]
nounpl: registration offices
cartório de registro
1. A government office where official records and documents are registered and kept
We went to the registration office to register our business.
Fomos ao cartório de registro para registrar nosso negócio.
2. An office responsible for maintaining civil records such as births, marriages, and deaths
The registration office issues birth certificates.
O cartório de registro emite certidões de nascimento.
3. An administrative office where people register for services or events
She went to the registration office to enroll in the university program.
Ela foi ao escritório de registro para se inscrever no programa universitário.
In Brazil, cartórios are highly formal institutions staffed by notaries (tabeliães) and play a crucial role in legal transactions. Unlike in some English-speaking countries where registration is often handled by government agencies, Brazilian cartórios are private entities regulated by the government that handle everything from property transfers to document authentication. In Portugal, these services fall under conservatórias. In the US and UK, registration offices typically refer to government civil registries that maintain vital records.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
registry officecivil registrynotary's officerecords officevital records office

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
cartório de registro
Most common term in Brazil for official registration and notary services
Rio de Janeiro
cartório de registro civil
Emphasizes civil registration aspect
São Paulo
cartório
Often shortened to just 'cartório' in informal speech
Portugal
conservatória
Portuguese term for registration office

Related Words

cartórionotary publiccivil registryvital recordsdocument registration

Related Idioms & Phrases

go on record
register one's name
file for registration
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