Register a birth
Where can I register my baby?
All births in Wales and England must be registered in the district of birth within 42 days of the child's birth.
If you live in Powys, but your baby was born elsewhere in Wales or England, you can make an appointment to complete a registration 'by declaration'.
The registrar will send the signed declaration to the office in the district of your child's birth; you would then need to contact the registrars in that district to purchase birth certificates, which can be posted to you.
If you need a birth certificate urgently, it is advised that you make an appointment with the district where the baby was born and register in person.
Who can register the baby?
If the baby's parents are married or in a civil partnership at the time of birth, either parent can register the birth alone, or they can attend together.
If the baby's parents are not married or in a civil partnership, the parents must both attend if they are both to be added. The mother can register the birth on her own, however, they cannot add a 2nd parent's details unless they attend the registration appointment with the mother.
If it is not possible for either parent to attend, please contact us on 01597 827468. Further information on registering a birth.
Do I need to bring anything?
You do not need to bring anything; however, we do suggest that you bring the health record book (the red book) for the newborn and identification for yourselves.
When registering the birth, you should be able to provide the following information:
- The date and place of birth
- The sex of the baby
- The baby's full name
- Parents' details: full name (and maiden surname if applicable); date and place of birth; usual address at the date of birth; occupation (optional); date of marriage (if married to the baby's father at the time of birth); number of previous children.
During the registration you will be asked by the registrar to check that the information recorded in the register is correct. It is important that you take the time to ensure you have not only given the correct information, but also that the registrar has recorded it correctly. Any error found after the registration is complete will require formal correction and incur a fee
Is there a fee?
There is no cost to registration itself, however there are fees for certificates.
If you are registering a baby born in Powys you can pay for certificates at your appointment, or you can purchase one at a later date.
If your baby was born outside Powys and you complete a declaration, you will need to contact the registrars in the district of your child's birth to purchase birth certificates after the declaration is complete.
What is Re-registration?
If certain circumstances have changed since the birth of your child, you may need to "reregister" your child's birth. To reregister your child you will need to complete the appropriate form and make an appointment to sign the new record. It is best to call the register office to discuss this.
There are different types of re-registration for a child born in England or Wales:
- Adding the natural father's details
To add the natural father's details where the existing record does not show any father and the child's natural parents have not married each other since the date of the child's birth. - Re-registration following the natural parents' marriage*
Following the natural parents' marriage to show the child as a child of marriage. This type of re-registration is a legal requirement.
*If you wish to reregister a birth of a child following the marriage or civil partnership of two named female parents you must contact the General Register Office for England and Wales.
If you wish to change the child's surname, it can be changed to the same as the mother, the natural father or any combination of the two as long as both parents agree to the change. Where the child is 16 years or over, their written consent will be required. You cannot change a child's forenames at re-registration. Additional details about re-registration form are available from gov.uk
How do I correct a record?
Errors
If you find an error any time after the registration is complete you must apply for a correction. This can be done with the register office in the county of the child's birth (you cannot apply for a correction by declaration).
You can apply for a birth registration correction when the information is wrong - for example if a mistake was made when recording a parent's occupation. However, you cannot apply for a correction to show new information if circumstances change after you've registered your child's birth, such as moving house. Fees are applicable Amendment fees
Please note: Corrections must be considered by the General Register Office for England and Wales; payment of the fee does not guarantee the correction will be granted and fees paid will not be refunded if the request is denied.
Changing your child's forename(s)
The Births and Deaths Registration Act allows changes to forenames on the original birth entry if new forenames have been used within 12 months of the date of the birth registration either by baptism or on a certificate of naming. The change to the forename(s) will be entered into the birth register entry. Although the names given to the child at the time of the original registration will still appear, the new name is shown in Space 17 at the bottom of the entry. Any previous names given at the time of the birth are superseded by the amendment.
Again, this change cannot be done by declaration so you will need to contact the register office in the county in which the child was born.
Contacts
Feedback about a page here
Share this page
