Registering your baby’s birth: when, where and what to take

Registering your baby’s birth is a legal requirement, and it’s how you get their birth certificate. Here’s what gov.uk, nidirect and National Records of Scotland say.

How long you have

England, Wales and Northern Ireland: gov.uk says all births must be registered within 42 days of the child being born.
Scotland: National Records of Scotland says you must register a birth within 21 days of the date of birth.

Where to register

England and Wales. Gov.uk says to register at the local register office for the area where your baby was born, or at the hospital before the mother leaves. The hospital will tell you if you can register there. If you can’t get to the register office in the area where your baby was born, you can go to another one, and they’ll send your details to the right office.

Northern Ireland. nidirect says your baby can be registered at any District Registration office in Northern Ireland. All offices work by appointment only.

Scotland. National Records of Scotland says you can register at any registration office in Scotland. Contact the office where you want to register. They’ll offer an appointment in the office, or registration by phone or online call.

Who can register

These are the gov.uk rules for England and Wales.

If you’re married or in a civil partnership, either parent can register the birth on their own. Both parents’ details can be included if you were married or in a civil partnership when the baby was born or conceived.

If you’re not married or in a civil partnership, both parents’ details can go on the birth certificate if:

you sign the birth register together
one parent completes a statutory declaration of parentage form, and the other takes the signed form when they register the birth
one parent brings a document from the court, such as a court order, giving the father parental responsibility

The mother can choose to register the birth without the father. The father’s details then won’t be on the birth certificate. It might be possible to add them later by applying to re-register the birth.

Female couples can include both their names on their child’s birth certificate. The rules depend on whether you were married or in a civil partnership at the time of donor insemination or fertility treatment, so check the gov.uk page. Male couples must get a parental order from the court before they can be registered as parents.

If the parents can’t register the birth, for example for medical reasons, gov.uk says someone who was present at the birth, someone who is responsible for the child, or a member of the administrative staff at the hospital can do it.

In Northern Ireland, nidirect says that if the parents aren’t married, the father’s name can only be recorded if both parents are there to sign, or a declaration of paternity is produced.

What to take

Gov.uk says to take at least one form of identification, such as your:

passport
birth certificate
deed poll
driving licence
proof of address, like a utility bill or Council Tax bill
marriage or civil partnership certificate

Take your baby’s red book too, as some registrars may ask to see it. If you’re going on your own, you may need proof of paternity from the other parent before you give their details.

You’ll be asked for details including:

the place and date of the birth
your baby’s name, surname and sex
the parents’ names, surnames and address
the places and dates of the parents’ birth
the date of the parents’ marriage or civil partnership
the parents’ jobs
the mother’s maiden surname

You might not need to give all of these, depending on who is registering the birth.

In Scotland, National Records of Scotland says to bring the birth notification card or letter from the hospital if you can. You can still register without it. In Northern Ireland, nidirect says a registration can’t easily be changed once it’s finished, so fill in the form carefully.

Your baby’s birth certificate

England and Wales. Gov.uk says there are 2 types: a short version with just your baby’s details, and a full version that also has the parents’ details. Both cost £12.50. If you register in the area where your baby was born, you’ll get a certificate straight away. You can buy extra copies from the register office at any time.

Northern Ireland. nidirect says the registrar will give you one free short birth certificate. You can buy short or long certificates at the time of registration for £8 each.

These are the fees we found when we checked in October 2026.

What comes next

Child Benefit. Gov.uk says you can claim 48 hours after you’ve registered the birth. It can only be backdated up to 3 months from the date you claim. You can claim before you have the birth certificate, but it will take longer. See money help for new parents and the High Income Child Benefit Charge.
Registering with a GP. The NHS says children under 16 are usually registered with a GP surgery by their parent or guardian, using a separate form. You may need to show proof of ID and address for your baby, such as their birth certificate, and their red book can help. In Northern Ireland, nidirect says you’ll get an Infant Registration Card (HS123), which you can use to register your baby with a GP practice.

Questions people ask

Can I register the birth at the hospital?

In England and Wales, gov.uk says you may be able to register at the hospital before the mother leaves. The hospital will tell you if you can.

We’re not married. Can we both be on the birth certificate?

Yes. The simplest way is to register the birth together. Gov.uk also explains how to do it with a statutory declaration of parentage form or a court order.

Can I register somewhere other than where my baby was born?

Yes. In England and Wales, another register office can take your details and send them to the right office. In Northern Ireland and Scotland, you can register at any registration office in that country.

Do I need the birth certificate to claim Child Benefit?

Gov.uk says you can claim without it, but it will take longer, and you may be asked to send it once you’ve registered.