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Registering a birth
You must register the birth of your baby within 42 days of the birth in England and Wales. If you can't go to the district where your baby was born you can go to another office and the registrar will send your details to the appropriate district office.
To find out which district you live in, please use the council finder.
Book an appointment to register a birth
Please be prompt for your appointment. If you are more than 10 minutes late you will have to make another appointment.
Details you need to provide
- Date, place and time of the birth. The time will only be recorded if the baby is one of twins, triplets etc
- Whether the baby is a boy or girl
- The forenames and surname by which the baby is to be brought up
- Forenames and surname and any other names used by the father or parent (where the details are to be entered in the register)
- Date and place of birth of the father or parent
- Occupation of the father or parent at the time of baby's birth (if not employed, the occupation last followed)
- Forenames and surname and any other names used of the mother, including maiden surname
- Date and place of birth of the mother
- Occupation or previous occupation of the mother
- Date of marriage if applicable
- Number of previous children by the mother. It may be helpful to bring parents' birth certificates and marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate to confirm the information above, although they are not required to be seen. It is important to check carefully that the register is correct before signing
Parental responsibility
Married parents automatically have joint legal parental responsibility as do unmarried parents where both attend the registration and sign the register.
Paternity testing
There are occasions where scientific tests for paternity are required. The Registration Service will only accept paternity tests from the companies listed with the High Court Family Division
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Registering a birth after fertility or surrogacy
Registering a baby conceived after fertility treatment
There is usually no difference to a birth registration when a child is born following fertility treatment. The child is registered as the child of the couple who were treated together, with no reference to any donor involved in the treatment.
A recent change in the law means that the above also applies to female couples who were in a civil partnership at the time of conception, provided their treatment was at a registered clinic and they sign consents.
Registering a baby conceived after fertility treatment where the father has died before the treatment
If the child is conceived through fertility treatment after the death of the man or woman receiving treatment with the mother, it is possible for the man or woman to be registered as the child's father or second female parent either when the birth is registered, or at a later date if not named initially. Please contact us for further information.
Registering a baby born to a surrogate mother
This must be done in two phases:
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Initial registration - the baby is registered as the child of the woman who gave birth, and her husband/partner if she has one, unless it can be shown that he did not consent to the treatment, or was judicially separated from the woman at the time of conception.
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Re-registration - the commissioning parents then apply through the courts for a Parental Order, which is sent to The General Register Office. This must be done when the baby is between six weeks and six months old. A fresh entry is made for the child in a special register held at The General Register Office, showing the commissioning parents as the child's mother and father.
The General Register Office will write to the commissioning parents, explaining how they can apply for a new birth certificate.
The new entry held in The General Register Office supercedes the original entry made at the local registration office. The original entry is annotated and no further certificates are issued from it.
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Certificates you will receive
You will receive a short birth certificate.
You can also purchase full birth certificates at £4.00. Full birth certificates ordered after registration cost £7 if in a current register or £10 if in an archived register.
Alternatively, you can buy a commemorative certificate for £10.
Changing details on a birth record
If an error is found on a record, you are able to change or add details.
You can also change the details to reflect a marriage between the parents. You should contact the register office where the birth was registered to carry out this process.
There is no charge for corrections or re-registrations, but if you would like a new certificate displaying the changes, you will need to buy one.
Register a stillbirth
Stillbirth registration began on 1 July 1927 to help protect infant life. It gives parents the opportunity to have their child officially acknowledged and to give him or her names if they wish to. It is also an important source of historical and statistical information.
When a child is still born the midwife or doctor will issue a medical certificate of still birth which will be used to register the stillbirth.
To book an appointment to register a stillbirth please telephone 0345 045 1363. Stillbirths in England and Wales must be registered within 42 days of the stillbirth.
You can find details of who can register the stillbirth at Gov.uk.
There is no charge for this service. Fees are payable for certificates.
Changing details on a stillbirth registration
If errors are discovered, you are able to change or add details. You should contact the register office where the stillbirth was registered to carry out this process.
There is no charge for corrections or re-registrations, but if you would like a new certificate displaying the changes, you will need to buy one.
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