You must make an appointment at the register office for the district where your baby was born and register your new baby within 42 days of their arrival. Remember to bring valid ID, as this is now required when registering a baby.
You only have 42 days to register your baby’s birth. Once you have an appointment booked, we urge you to avoid having to change it which may lead to an unavoidable delay in accessing services and payments for your baby.
the natural mother and natural father of the child were married to each other at the time of the birth
the natural mother and natural father are not married to each other at the time of the baby’s birth but wish to record both parent’s details
EITHER PARENT may register if…
the parents are civil partners and had formed their legal civil partnership prior to the assisted conception of the child
ONLY MOTHER may register the birth if…
baby’s natural mother is not married to the father (but she will not be able to record the father’s details unless a statutory declaration of parentage or relevant court order is produced – telephone or email the registrar for further advice)
Same sex parents birth registration
For same sex couples who are not civil partners but had entered into a parenthood agreement prior to assisted conception at an approved fertility clinic within the United Kingdom, if the second parents details are to be recorded on the birth certificate, both parents must attend.
Either parents may register the birth on her own if all the following are accurate
The conception was assisted through fertility treatment on or after April 2009
The birth mother was married or in a civil partnership at time of treatment
The birth mother’s partner can be the child’s second parent if both women
Are treated together in the United Kingdom by a licensed clinic
Have made a ‘Parenthood’ agreement
Register the birth jointly by attending the office together
Complete a ‘Statutory Declaration of Acknowledgement of Parentage’ form an one parent takes the form signed by the other parent when she attends the registration appointment.
Obtain a document from the court giving the second female parent parental responsibility.
Male couples must get a parental order from the court before they can be registered as parents.
At your appointment
Bring proof of identity – everyone registering or re-registering a birth must bring proof of identify to their appointment. If you do not bring the required ID, we will not be able to complete the appointment.
You will need to bring either:
1 document from the primary list, or
2 documents from the secondary list
Primary list
You only need 1 document from this list:
passport (current or expired within the last 18 months
UK driving licence (full or provisional)
UK birth or adoption certificate
UK biometric immigration document
EU member state identity card
EU driving licence
UK travel document (refugee or stateless travel documents
Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) card
Secondary list
You will need 2 documents from this list:
Financial documents
Bank statement
Building society statement
Credit card statement
Mortgage statement
Household bills
Gas bill
Electricity bill
Water bill
Council Tax bill or statement
Government documents
Letter from HMRC
Letter from Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
Benefit, pension or tax credits entitlement letter
