Birth - registering
By law you must register a baby's birth within 42 days. The registration will take approximately 20 minutes and is free.
The registrar will give you a short birth certificate showing the baby's name, sex and date of birth.
The short certificate is required by the Child Benefit Agency if you are eligible to apply for this benefit.
If you are going to apply for a passport for your baby, then you will need a full certificate which includes the parent's details. There is a charge for this full certificate which can be obtained at the time of registering.
Many offices are only open part time, you should telephone in advance to make an appointment. Doing this will reduce the waiting time and make sure you are visiting the right office. Please click here Opens in a new window to find your nearest Registration Office.
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