Do you have an idea for a Guinness Book of Records but you don't know how to get it checked? Whether you're planning on breaking an existing record or you've come up with a crazy new one, it's not hard to submit your record and get it approved. Plus, it doesn't cost you anything (unless you apply for a judge, which will be explained later, for a small fee). Anyone can apply, but anyone under the age of 18 must first have permission from a parent or legal guardian. Read the following article to learn how to apply and increase your chances of pocketing a Guinness World Record title of your own.
Steps
Step 1. Choose a record
When thinking about what kind of record you would like to break, keep this in mind:
- Avoid what is not a record. Your request must be about a beatable record! Is it the tallest, the longest, the heaviest, the smelliest? You may be able to lick your elbow, but it's not considered a record! Guinness World Records Ltd. rarely accepts "firsts", unless it is a "significant first", that is, "really" important, such as "First man on the moon" or "First film to gross more than a billion dollars".
- Don't go down the road of animal cruelty: Don't gorge your animals just to make them the heaviest or the fattest. They will suffer while you try to beat a primacy, which could result in them falling ill or even dying. In the 2008 Guinness Book of Records it was indicated that they don't want to see people apply for a world record if they lick their elbows and don't want to see the fattest cat in the world.
- Don't try to break the law - driving at high speed on public roads is dangerous and illegal, so don't just try.
- Don't try very dangerous or scandalous stunts like "teen surgeons": kids who perform medical or surgical operations are neither fantastic nor special, you are making yourself a danger to society. The same goes for "fast home builders" who try to build homes as fast as possible. Those houses collapse just as fast!
- Make sure your record is interesting to a wide range of people, such as "Tallest Man" or "Most One-Handed Yo-Yos".
Step 2. Contact Guinness World Records
Always be careful to contact them "before" attempting a record, so you know what to do. To do this, contact them at https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com. Just click on "Beat a Record" and follow the instructions on the screen. Make sure you tell as much as possible about your request. This is your chance to check all the details.
- Guinness World Records does research before accepting or rejecting any record proposal, which is why it may take weeks or months to approve your record. For faster approval you can try the "Fast Track!" (fast route) which provides the following benefits:
- Approval of the record within 3 working days of the application.
- Priority of the answers to all your questions asked on the site regarding the request through the "Fast Track".
- Priority check of your application within 3 days of submitting the evidence.
- However, the cost of the fast route is £ 400, or € 493.77. If you decide to use the fast track after you have already sent in the proofs, the cost is only £ 300, or € 370.32. Remember that Fast Track does not guarantee that your record will be approved. For more information visit the official website.
Step 3. Follow the guidelines
If you are applying for an existing record, Guinness World Records will send you the guidelines followed by the current record holder; if it's a new record, and they approve it, they'll write you new guidelines. When you have received them, you will be ready to give it a try.
Step 4. Invite a qualified judge to attend the event
But it's only a possibility, and they don't necessarily require it for everyone applying for a Guinness World Record. However, having a judge at your event has potential benefits, such as:
- Instant verification of your record and presentation of your official certificate.
- An article about your record on the official website of the Guinness Book of Records.
- Support during your attempt to establish a record.
- International media coverage for your event.
- Availability of your judge for interviews and press conferences.
- Guinness World Records organizes on-site judgments for corporate activities, charity functions, product launches, public and marketing events, sporting events, and to raise awareness for good causes.
- With the release of the Guinness World Records game edition, the company now manages a wide range of judges for PC, console and arcade games, from international programs to local arcades.
Step 5. Collect the evidence
In the guidelines you will receive there are details about the evidence they need: be prepared to shoot a video as evidence, take photos, and have at least two independent written statements from witnesses.
Step 6. Send all evidence to Guinness World Records Limited
You will receive more information about this when you have applied for the record.
Step 7. Wait
If you've requested a judge at your event, he or she can approve your record right away. Otherwise, when they have received the package with the evidence, the Guinness World Record researchers will evaluate it to make sure that you have followed the rules correctly. This process may take a few months, so be patient and relax!
Step 8. Celebrate
If your attempt is successful, you will receive your official Guinness World Records certificate in the mail within 4-6 weeks or, if there is a judge present at your attempt, the certificate will be delivered to you immediately. You will be in the next issue of the Guinness Book of Records.
