Register a birth

Mixed-sex couples

Married or civil-partner parents

Either parent can register the birth on their own. They can include both parents’ details if they were married or in a civil partnership when the baby was born or conceived.

Please note - A ‘civil-partner’ is someone that you have been through a legal ceremony with for the formation of a civil partnership.

Unmarried, non-civil partner parents

The details of both parents can be included on the birth certificate if one of the following happens:

• they attend to sign the birth register together
• one parent completes a statutory declaration of parentage form and the other takes the signed form to register the birth. Download the statutory declaration of parentage form from GOV.UK
• one parent goes to register the birth with a document from the court (for example, a court order) giving the father parental responsibility

The mother can choose to register the birth without the child’s father if they’re not married or in a civil partnership. The father’s details will not be included on the birth certificate.

It might be possible to add the father’s details at a later date by completing an application for the re-registration of a child’s birth. For more information visit re-register a birth.

Same-sex female couples:

Female couples can include both their names on their child’s birth certificate when registering the birth in the following instances:

Married or civil-partner parents

Please note - A ‘civil-partner’ is someone that you have been through a legal ceremony with for the formation of a civil partnership.

Either parent can register the birth on their own if the following are true:

• the mother has a child by donor insemination or fertility treatment
• she was married or in a civil partnership with the second female parent at the time of the treatment

Unmarried, non-civil-partner parents

When a mother is not married or in a civil partnership, her partner can be seen as the child’s second parent if both women:

• are treated together in the UK by a licensed clinic
• have made a ‘parenthood agreement’

However, for both parents’ details to be recorded on the birth certificate, they must do one of the following:

• attend to register the birth jointly
• complete a statutory declaration of parentage form and one parent takes the signed form when they register the birth. Download the statutory declaration of parentage form from GOV.UK
• get a document from the court (for example, a court order) giving the second female parent parental responsibility and one parent shows the document when she registers the birth

Same-sex male couples:

Male couples must get a parental order from the court before they can be registered as parents.

Re-registration following marriage or civil partnership

This is a legal requirement. For more information visit re-register a birth. 

Can someone other than the parents register the birth?

In certain exceptional circumstances someone other than the parents may register the birth. Contact us if you need to ask for this option.

A birth has to be registered in the registration district where it occurred.

A birth that occurred in Norfolk can be registered at any of our registration offices in the county.  

If it will be difficult for you to travel to the right registration office to register the birth you can go to a registrar in a more convenient place anywhere in England or Wales. We call this registering by declaration.

You can make a ‘declaration of the birth’ in Norfolk but the paperwork has to be sent to the office in the district where the birth occurred. That office will register the birth and post you the birth certificates, but it will mean a delay of up to five days.

Please bring the Registering the Birth form issued by the hospital or midwife if possible. This form has the baby’s NHS number on it and is often referred to as the hospital discharge papers. It will help speed up your appointment if you bring this form with you.

You are not required to bring your baby along to your appointment.

You will be asked for the information listed below:

• 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 (if this applies)
• The number of children previously born to the mother (including any stillbirths)

We recommend that you bring documents such as birth certificates, passports or driving licenses to help you with the accuracy of the details you provide.  Any errors in a birth entry noticed after the register page has been signed can be complicated to correct, and from 1 November 2017 new legislation means you may be required to pay a fee for an application for a correction to be considered.

We will process a range of information in order to complete this registration. View our information and privacy notice 

If you need to cancel an appointment, contact us as soon as possible.

There are two types of birth certificate: a short certificate and a full certificate. These can be purchased for £11 each when you register.

A short birth certificate gives the child’s name, sex and date of birth only. A full birth certificate shows all the details given during the registration for the child and the parents (assuming the father's/second parent’s details are recorded). This includes the name(s), address(es), occupation(s) and place(s) of birth of the parent(s).

To make a change or apply for a correction to a birth certificate, contact us and you will be directed to a full-time office.

You may be required to pay a fee for your application for a correction to be considered. This will depend on the type of error that needs correcting. Our registration staff will give you more information.

For information on how to add father’s details, or how to re-register a birth after marriage or civil partnership visit re-register a birth.