How to Register a Baby's Birth in the United Kingdom After They Are Born
Register your baby's birth correctly in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, including deadlines, documents, appointments and birth certificates.
GB United Kingdom
Family ~ 10 min read
10 FAQ
Updated 2026-09-09
Helpydo structures practical guidance around official or public sources. For individual cases, confirm requirements with the responsible institution.
A baby's birth must normally be registered within 42 days in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or within 21 days in Scotland. England and Wales normally require registration through a register office for the area where the baby was born; Scotland allows registration at any Scottish registration office and may offer an in-office, telephone or online-call appointment; Northern Ireland requires an in-person appointment at a District Registration Office. The information and who can register depend on the parents' circumstances.
What you need
- The baby's date and place of birth, full name and sex.
- Details about the parent or parents, including names, addresses, dates and places of birth and occupations where required.
- Marriage or civil partnership details where applicable.
- In England and Wales, take at least one form of identification such as a passport, driving licence, birth certificate, deed poll, proof of address, Council Tax bill or marriage or civil partnership certificate.
- In England and Wales, take the baby's personal child health record or red book if available, because some registrars may ask to see it.
- In Scotland, have the hospital birth notification card or letter if available and relevant marriage, civil partnership or parental birth certificates where appropriate. Registration can still proceed if these documents are unavailable.
- In Northern Ireland, complete the official birth registration form and provide the baby's and parents' required details.
Eligibility
A birth in the UK must be registered by a person legally entitled to do so. The rules differ according to where the baby was born and the parents' relationship. In England and Wales, either married or civil-partner parent can usually register alone, while unmarried parents may need to register together or use a statutory declaration or relevant court document to include both parents. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules for married, civil-partner and unmarried parents. If the parents cannot register, certain other people connected with the birth or care of the child may be able to do so.
How to do it
- Identify where the baby was born: England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
- Check the registration deadline: 42 days in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or 21 days in Scotland.
- Check who is legally able to register the birth, especially if the parents are not married or in a civil partnership or only one parent will attend.
- Contact the appropriate registration service. England and Wales normally use the local register office for the area of birth; Scotland allows any Scottish registration office; Northern Ireland allows any District Registration Office.
- Book the required appointment or registration method. Scotland may offer an in-office appointment, telephone registration or an online-call registration. Northern Ireland registration is in person and appointment-only.
- Prepare the baby's details, parent information and any identification, declarations or supporting documents relevant to your circumstances.
- Check every recorded detail carefully before confirming or signing the registration because correcting a birth record later can require a separate formal process.
- Receive or purchase the appropriate birth certificate and use any health registration documents provided by the registrar.
Register the birth within the legal deadline
The deadline depends on which part of the United Kingdom the baby was born in. A birth in England, Wales or Northern Ireland must normally be registered within 42 days. In Scotland, the birth must be registered within 21 days from the date of birth.
Do not wait until you need a passport, benefits or another official service. Birth registration creates the official civil record of the child's birth.
Late registration is possible, but additional authority may eventually be required. Official Home Office guidance states that written authority from the Registrar General is required when a birth is registered more than 3 months after the birth in Scotland or more than 1 year after the birth in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Registering a baby's birth in England or Wales
For a birth in England or Wales, you should normally register at the local register office for the area where the baby was born. In some cases a hospital may provide a registration service before the mother leaves, and the hospital will tell you if this is available.
If you cannot attend a register office in the area where the baby was born, GOV.UK states that you can go to another register office. The details will then be sent to the correct office. This can mean that the birth certificate is not available immediately.
As of September 2026, birth registration in England and Wales still requires the registrar process rather than a completed national self-service online registration. A Home Office digital registration service was undergoing alpha assessment in 2026, but the existing public procedure still directs parents to register offices.
What information you need in England and Wales
You should know the baby's place and date of birth, name, surname and sex. Depending on the circumstances, the registrar may also need the parents' names, surnames, addresses, places and dates of birth, occupations, marriage or civil partnership date and the mother's maiden surname.
GOV.UK advises taking at least one form of identification. Accepted examples include a passport, birth certificate, deed poll, driving licence, proof of address, Council Tax bill or marriage or civil partnership certificate. You should also take the baby's personal child health record, commonly known as the red book, if you have it.
Who can register the birth in England and Wales
If opposite-sex parents were married or in a civil partnership when the baby was born or conceived, either parent can normally register the birth alone and include both parents' details.
If the parents are not married or in a civil partnership, both parents can usually be entered if they register together. Alternatively, one parent can use a statutory declaration of parentage completed by the other parent, or an appropriate court document giving the father parental responsibility. A mother who is not married or in a civil partnership can register without the father, in which case his details will not normally appear in the original registration.
For same-sex female parents, the registration rules depend on marriage or civil partnership status, fertility treatment and legal parenthood arrangements. Same-sex male couples normally need a parental order before both can be registered as parents.
If the parents cannot register because of circumstances such as medical reasons, GOV.UK allows certain other people to register, including someone present at the birth, someone responsible for the child or, in some situations, hospital administrative staff.
Birth certificates in England and Wales
After registration, you can buy either a short birth certificate containing the baby's details or a full certificate that also contains the parents' details. GOV.UK lists the current price as £12.50 for either type.
If you register in the area where the birth occurred, GOV.UK says the certificate can be provided straight away. If you make the declaration at another register office, the certificate normally arrives after the details have been forwarded to the correct district.
Registering a baby's birth in Scotland
A birth in Scotland must be registered within 21 days. National Records of Scotland states that a Scottish birth can be registered at any registration office in Scotland.
Contact the registration office you want to use. The registrar will explain the available procedure and can offer either an in-office appointment or, where available, registration by telephone or during an online call. This means Scotland has a remote registration option even though there is not a single UK-wide online birth registration service.
What you need for registration in Scotland
The registrar needs contact details, the child's date, time and place of birth and the child's full name. Information about the parent or parents includes their full names, home address, occupation and marriage or civil partnership details where applicable.
If available, National Records of Scotland recommends having the hospital birth notification card or letter, a marriage or civil partnership certificate if the ceremony took place outside Scotland, and a parent's birth certificate if that parent was born outside Scotland. You can still register the birth without these documents, but having them can make the process easier.
Who can register in Scotland
If the parents are married or in a civil partnership, either parent can register the birth and both parents' details may be recorded. If the parents are not married or in a civil partnership, the mother can register. To record the father or second female parent in an unmarried-parent case, specific joint-registration or declaration arrangements apply.
If eligible parents are unavailable, Scottish rules allow certain relatives, someone present at the birth or someone caring for the child to register in specified circumstances.
What you receive after registration in Scotland
The registrar provides an abbreviated birth certificate and an NHS Scotland Healthcare for your Baby form, known as form EC58, which is used to register the child with the NHS. A full birth certificate can also be purchased.
If registration is completed in the registration office, the documents can be provided immediately. For remote registrations, they can be posted to you.
Registering a baby's birth in Northern Ireland
A baby born in Northern Ireland must be registered within 42 days. The birth can be registered at any District Registration Office in Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland's official registration service states that birth registration must be completed in person and offices operate by appointment only. Contact the relevant registration office to arrange the appointment.
What you need in Northern Ireland
You must complete the official birth registration form. Information required includes the baby's full name, sex and date of birth, district and place of birth, plus the parents' full names, dates of birth, addresses and occupations.
Check the information carefully before registration is finalised because the official guidance warns that a completed birth registration cannot be easily changed.
Who can register in Northern Ireland
Where the parents are married or in a civil partnership with each other, the appropriate parent can normally register the birth. Different rules apply to parents who are not married or civil partners. For example, the father's name can normally be entered for an unmarried couple when both parents attend and sign, or when the required declaration of paternity is produced.
Northern Ireland also permits certain other people to register in appropriate circumstances, including grandparents, an aunt or uncle with knowledge of the birth, someone present at the birth, a person with charge of the child or the occupier of the premises where the baby was born.
What you receive after registration in Northern Ireland
After registration, the registrar provides one free short birth certificate and an Infant Registration Card, form HS123, which can be used to register the baby with a GP practice.
Additional short or long birth certificates bought from the registrar at the time of registration currently cost £8 per copy. Certificates ordered later through the General Register Office for Northern Ireland are subject to the certificate fees applying to that separate ordering service.
Check parent details before the appointment
The rules for recording both parents are not identical across the four UK nations. This is especially important when the parents are unmarried, not in a civil partnership, when only one parent can attend, or where legal parenthood follows fertility treatment, surrogacy or a court order.
Before the appointment, tell the registration office about your circumstances. The registrar can confirm whether you need joint attendance, a statutory declaration, parental responsibility documentation, a parental order or another document.
Check every detail before completing registration
A birth registration is a permanent civil record. Check spellings, dates, names and parent details carefully before signing or confirming the entry. Correcting an error later may involve a formal correction or re-registration process and supporting evidence.
What happens after registration
Once the registration has been completed, the birth becomes part of the official civil registration record and birth certificates can be issued. Depending on where you live, the registrar may also provide documents for registering the baby with health services.
A registered birth can also be needed when applying for services such as a child's passport or proving identity and family relationships. The birth registration rules in this guide apply to children born in the UK. A child born outside the UK must first be registered according to the rules of the country where the birth took place.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to register my baby's birth in the UK?
You normally have 42 days after the birth in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, the birth must be registered within 21 days.
Can I register my baby's birth online in the UK?
There is no single UK-wide online self-service birth registration route. England and Wales use the register office process. Scotland may offer registration by telephone or online call as well as in-office appointments. Northern Ireland requires an in-person appointment.
Can either parent register a birth alone?
It depends on where the baby was born and the parents' legal relationship. Married or civil-partner parents can generally have either parent register alone, while unmarried-parent cases often require joint registration, declarations or other legal documents to record both parents.
What documents should I take to register a birth in England or Wales?
GOV.UK advises taking at least one form of identification, such as a passport, driving licence, birth certificate, deed poll or proof of address. You should also take the baby's red book if available and any marriage, civil partnership or parentage documents relevant to your circumstances.
Can I register a birth at a different register office in England or Wales?
Yes. If you cannot register in the area where the baby was born, you can attend another register office. It will forward the information to the correct office, which can delay receiving the birth certificate.
How much does a birth certificate cost in England and Wales?
GOV.UK states that both short and full birth certificates cost £12.50 each after the birth has been registered.
Can I register a birth anywhere in Scotland?
Yes. National Records of Scotland says a birth that occurred in Scotland can be registered at any registration office in Scotland.
Do I get a free birth certificate in Scotland?
The registrar provides an abbreviated birth certificate after registration. You can also pay for a full extract of the birth entry containing the parents' details.
Do I get a free birth certificate in Northern Ireland?
Yes. After registration, the registrar provides one free short birth certificate. Additional certificates bought from the registrar at registration currently cost £8 each.
What happens if I register a birth late?
Contact the registration authority as soon as possible. Registration can still take place after the normal deadline, but additional procedures can apply. Registrar General authority is required after more than 3 months in Scotland or more than 1 year in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Official sources
GOV.UK — Register a birth: overviewGOV.UK — Who can register a birthGOV.UK — Birth certificatesGOV.UK — Find a register officeHome Office — Birth registration guidanceNational Records of Scotland — Registering a birthmygov.scot — Who can register a birth in Scotlandnidirect — Registering and naming your babynidirect — Birth registration formnidirect — Registration servicesRelated procedures
Useful next steps and closely related guides for United Kingdom.
Others were interested in
Other practical guides people exploring this topic may find useful.