Once you have had a baby you are given 42 days to register the birth. This is recorded in the Register Office within the district where the baby was born. For example: if born in the Royal Berkshire Hospital, this would be done at the Reading Register Office.
How to register a birth
You have 2 options when registering a birth:
- Contact the relevant Register Office directly. If you choose to do this, at the time of the appointment you will sign the birth entry itself and be able to obtain birth certificates on that day.
- Contact your local, or any other Register Office in England or Wales. If you choose to do this, the information will be taken by declaration and sent to the relevant Register Office where the birth registration will be recorded. You can arrange for any certificates required to be sent direct to your home address.
In most cases a prior appointment should be made, which normally lasts half an hour.
Who should register the birth?
If the Mother is married to the Father, then only one of the parents needs to attend the appointment.
If the parents are unmarried and the Mother wishes the Father’s details to be recorded, then they both need to attend. In this situation, you need to be aware that, by registering the Father’s details, it will mean that the Mother is agreeing to joint parental responsibility, throughout the child’s life, immaterial to any change of circumstances that may occur between the Mother and Father. Full details can be found on Parentline's website by selecting ‘your life’ under the ‘Parent’ tab and click on ‘Parental Responsibility’.
Should a parent be unable to attend the registration appointment due to absence or hardship, please contact the Register Office to discuss.
In all cases, the baby need not be present at the appointment.
Information required at registration appointment
- Date of birth and times if multiple births, full names and surname of child/children
- Father’s, if applicable, names and surname, date and place of birth and occupation
- Mother’s names and surname, maiden name if applicable, date and place of birth and occupation
- Usual address at time of birth and thereafter if applicable
- Month and year of marriage if applicable
- Child’s NHS number
- Full birth certificate payment, if required. Each one costs £4. If you register by declaration, only cheques or postal orders will be accepted, as they will be sent in the post to the relevant Register Office with the declaration document.
What you will receive
- One free short birth certificate. This will have just the baby’s details and can be used for claiming Child Benefit.
- Any full birth certificates you have ordered. A full birth certificate is one that includes the parent’s details. If you want to travel, your child will require a passport. The passport office will require a full birth certificate with the application form.
Contact us
For more details or find out where we are situated please contact us.
Naming ceremony
For further information on how you can celebrate in a special way the birth of your child, please go to our naming ceremony page.
