Why registering the birth matters
Until you register your baby's birth, they have no legal identity in the UK. You can't get a passport, claim child benefit, open a savings account in their name, or access most services without a birth certificate. It's the foundational document for everything that follows.
The good news is that it's a straightforward process — a single appointment at your local register office, usually taking around 30 minutes.
How long do you have to register a birth?
The deadline depends on where in the UK your baby was born:
If you're in Scotland, the 21-day deadline is easy to miss in the fog of a new baby. Put a reminder in your phone the day you get home from hospital.
Failing to register within the deadline is a civil offence in England and Wales. In practice, late registrations are processed — but there may be complications and a formal caution is possible. Register as soon as you reasonably can.
Where to register a birth
You register at your local register office (also called a registry office). This should ideally be in the registration district where your baby was born — not necessarily where you live.
If attending the local register office isn't practical, you can give the information by declaration at a different register office, which will forward it on. This is useful if you live far from where the birth took place.
You'll need to book an appointment in advance — most register offices don't accept walk-ins. Search "register a birth" on GOV.UK to find your nearest office and book online.
Who can register a birth?
The following people can register a birth in England and Wales:
- The mother
- The father (if married to the mother, or if both parents attend together)
- Both parents together (recommended if you want the father named on the certificate)
- The occupier of the house where the child was born
- A person present at the birth
If the parents are not married, the father is only included on the birth certificate if both parents attend together, or if certain legal steps are taken (a statutory declaration, or a court order). This has implications for parental responsibility — it's worth understanding before the appointment.
What to bring to the register office
You don't legally need to bring documents — the registrar will ask for the information verbally. However, it's sensible to have the following to hand to make sure everything is accurate:
- Baby's full name — decide before you go. You can change the name up to 12 months after registration, but it's an extra step.
- Date and place of birth — including the hospital or home address.
- Both parents' full names — including any middle names, exactly as they appear on your own birth certificates or passports.
- Both parents' dates of birth
- Both parents' occupations — as of the date of the birth.
- Date and place of marriage or civil partnership — if applicable.
How to get a birth certificate
At the appointment, the registrar will issue your baby's birth certificate. The first certificate is free. Additional copies cost £11 each at the time of registration — it's worth ordering several at this point, as you'll need them for passports, school enrolments, and more.
If you need more copies later, you can order them from the General Register Office (GRO) online for £11 each, or through other services (which typically charge more).
Order at least 2–3 copies at the appointment. You'll need one for a passport application, potentially one for school, and it's useful to have a spare. Getting them on the day is the cheapest option.
The full new baby admin checklist
Once you've registered the birth, there are several other things to do in the first few weeks. Here's the complete list in rough order of priority:
Claiming child benefit and registering for a GP are well-known. What most parents never get around to is opening an investment account for their child at the same time.
Investing just £50 a month from birth — roughly half of child benefit — builds to over £47,500 by age 21 at 8% per year. That's the compounding effect of starting on day one rather than waiting until the moment feels right. The moment never feels right.