Registering a birth

Congratulations on the birth of your new baby!

You will need to register your baby’s birth. The registration staff are here to help you register the birth and advise you on other things you will need to consider.

When should I register a birth?

Where should I go to register a birth?

Do I need to make an appointment?

Who may register a birth?

What will I need to take to the register office?

What paperwork will be issued following registration and how much will it cost?

A baby’s birth must be registered within 42 days.

A birth has to be registered in the registration district where it occurred. If it will be difficult for you to travel to the right register office to register the birth you can go to a registrar in a more convenient place in England or Wales if you like. Please note that there will be a delay in receiving birth certificates (or paperwork) when a birth is registered in this way. We call this registering by declaration.

Your local register office will advise you further. Click here to go to the register office details.

Yes, you do. All register offices in Norfolk have an appointment system. Elsewhere you should check with the office concerned. Please allow about 30 minutes for your appointment.

If the parents are married to each other when the baby is born then either the mother or the father can register the birth.

If the parents are not married and they would like the father's details to be included in the register then both parents will need to attend.

Alternatively, either the mother or father may attend with a Statutory Declaration or other legal documentation. Please contact your local office for more information.

If the parents are not married the mother is not obliged to have the father’s details included in the register. However, the father's name can be added at a later date.

In certain exceptional circumstances someone other than the parents may register the birth. In this situation please contact your local register office.

You don’t need to bring anything, including your baby! However, it would be helpful if you brought the form issued by the hospital or midwife called ‘Registering the Birth’.

You will be asked for the following information:

• The date and place of birth

• If the birth is one of twins, triplets etc. then the times of the births will be needed.

• Baby’s full name and gender

• Full names of child’s parents, including previous names

• Date and place of birth of child’s parents

• Occupation of child’s parents

• Mother’s address at time of birth

• Date of marriage of child’s parents

• The number of children born to the mother

This gives the child’s name, sex and date of birth only. One copy of this certificate is free of charge. Additional copies cost £3.50 if requested on the day of the registration. Certificates requested after that date are £7.00 each.

This shows the details for the child and both the parents (assuming the father’s details were given). This certificate is needed when applying for passports, driving licences, job applications and opening financial accounts, among other things.

At the time of registration a full birth certificate will cost £3.50. At a later date the fee is £7.00.