Register a birth

When your baby is born, you must register their birth with the local registrar where the birth took place within 42 days.

It is important that parents do not wait more than a week or two from the date of birth to book an appointment to register the birth.

Our offices have now resumed face to face registrations.  If you had completed a stage 1 telephone registration, but have not completed stage 2, please book an appointment below. 

Book an appointment online

What you need to bring to your appointment

• Passports or valid ID at the time of birth.
• The discharge notes or red book from the hospital.

What we need to register your baby

Information about the child

• The date and place of birth - if the birth is one of twins or triplets and so on, the times of each child's birth will also be needed.
• The sex of the child.
• The first names(s) and surname (family name) in which it is intended that the child will be brought up.

Information about the mother

• First name(s) and surname (family name).
• Maiden surname if married or has been married.
• Date and place of birth.
• Current or last employment at the time of the baby's birth.
• Address at the time of birth (the address that you usually live at).
• Date of marriage, if married to the child's father at the time of birth.
• Number of previous children.

If the father's details are to be included in the register, we need to know:

• first name(s) and surname (family name)
• date and place of birth
• job at the time of the child's birth, or, if not employed at that time, the last job
• address at the time of birth.

Please remember that the information that you give us is very important and should be correct. You will be asked to check the information before you sign the register. Make sure you do this carefully. If mistakes are made, for example, in the spelling of names, it is difficult to change them later.
 
If you sign the register page and notice any errors at a later date, there will be a cost of up to £90 for a correction application to be considered.

Who can register the birth?

If the parents are married at the time of the birth or conception, the mother or father can register the birth on their own and include both parents' details.

If the parents aren't married, the details of both parents can be included on the birth certificate if they do one of the following:

• Sign the birth register together.
• The parent who is unable to attend the registry office in person must complete the statutory declaration of parentage form certified by an appropriate body. The other parent takes the signed form to register the birth.
• Either parent goes to register the birth with a court order giving the father parental responsibility.

If the mother isn't married to the father, she can register the birth without including the father's details on the birth certificate. She can then add the details at a later date, when the father can be present to sign the register page. This is called a re-registration of a birth.

Cost of certificates

Certificates cost £11 each. You can buy multiple copies at your appointment or you can order certificates at any time after.

Special offer

Purchase of 4 or more birth certificates will receive a free baby gift.

Please specify which gift you would like to receive during the checkout process when ordering your certificates:

• 4 birth certificates - free bodysuit or bib
• 5 or more birth certificates - free comforter 

Free gifts are dependent on available stock at the time of purchase and while supplies last.

Gifts can be collected during your birth registration appointment.