Registering a Birth - Warwickshire Web

Registering a Birth

This page explains when, where and how you register a baby's birth and details the information the Registrar will require from you.

When can I register baby’s birth?
Your baby’s birth must be registered within 42 days of the date of birth.
Where can I register the birth?
The birth will be registered in the registration district in which the birth occurred. All areas of Warwickshire fall within one Registration District. If it is not convenient for you to visit a Register Office within this district, you can go to any other Register Office in England and Wales to make a birth declaration. In the case of a declaration, any birth certificates you require and the form issued to enable you to register your baby with a doctor will be sent to you by post. Please note that if you are attending a Warwickshire Register Office to register the birth of your baby, born outside the County (e.g. at Walsgrave Hospital, Coventry), and require a FULL birth certificate, you will need to bring a cheque or postal order with you when you come to the Register Office so that we can send this on to the District in which the birth took place. They will then send the full birth certificate to you by post.

The addresses and telephone numbers of the Warwickshire Register Offices are listed here. To prevent unnecessary waiting, all Register Offices within Warwickshire operate an appointment system. Please contact your local register office to arrange an appointment .

Please remember that you have a legal duty to register the birth within 42 days.

Who can register the birth?

Only the mother or the father of the baby need attend if they were married to each other at the time of the birth. If this is not possible, please telephone a Register Office for advice.

If the mother is not married to the baby's father then both parents must attend together if father's details are to be included in the register. If the father's details are not added at registration, it may be done at a later date. If you are in any hesitation, please telephone a Register Office for advice.

Re-registration after marriage
If the parents of a baby are not married to each other when the baby is born, and get married later, the baby should be re-registered after the parents get married. If the baby was given the mother's surname when originally registered, this can be changed on re-registration to the father's surname. However, if the baby was given the father's surname when originally registered this cannot be changed in the register or on the birth certificate.

What information shall I need to supply to the Registrar?

Baby -

The date and place of the baby’s birth. If the birth is one of twins, triplets etc., then the time of each baby’s birth will be needed.
Whether the baby is a boy or a girl.
The forename(s) and surname in which it is intended that the baby will be brought up.

Mother -

Forename and surname and any surnames which may have been used before marriage
Date and place of birth
Address
Occupation. If the mother has been working at any time prior to the birth, her occupation can be entered into the register.
Date of marriage if applicable
The number of previous children by the present and any former husband

Father - (Where these details are to be entered into the register)

Forename and surname
Date and place of birth
Occupation at the time of the baby’s birth or if not employed, the occupation last followed.

It is important that the information recorded in the register is correct. If any mistake is made it will put you to some trouble to have it corrected. You should therefore check the entry in the register very carefully before you sign.

After registration you will be given a birth certificate free of charge showing the baby's name and date of birth. You can also obtain a long or standard birth certificate at the birth registration showing the full details from the birth entry for a fee of £3.50.

Please note that full long birth certificates are now required by the Passport Office for all passport applications.

What service standards can I expect from the Warwickshire Registration Service when Registering a birth?

The Warwickshire Registration Service aims to provide a continual high level of service standards. Our specific service standards relating to registering a birth are: -

to offer you an appointment with a Registrar within 3 working days of making contact with the office
to forward information relating to a birth, required by law to be registered in another district (a birth declaration) to that district on the same day
to see 90% of our customers attending with an appointment within 10 minutes of that appointment time

For full information on all of the Registration Service Standards, please click here
Complaints and Compliments
If you have any comments to make about our service you can write or e-mail the Registration Services Manager. Alternatively, you can speak to a member of staff and/or complete one of our service “comment cards” available at all offices.
Where can I get further advice?
If you are still uncertain of how to proceed with registering the baby’s birth, please telephone or call in at your local Register Office. Click here for details

The information contained within these pages is available in large print or on audiotape. Please e-mail or write to us to request a copy

A translation, interpreting and sign language service is available upon request.

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Registering a Birth

This page explains when, where and how you register a baby's birth and details the information the Registrar will require from you.
When can I register baby’s birth? Your baby’s birth must be registered within 42 days of the date of birth. Where can I register the birth? The birth will be registered in the registration district in which the birth occurred. All areas of Warwickshire fall within one Registration District. If it is not convenient for you to visit a Register Office within this district, you can go to any other Register Office in England and Wales to make a birth declaration. In the case of a declaration, any birth certificates you require and the form issued to enable you to register your baby with a doctor will be sent to you by post. Please note that if you are attending a Warwickshire Register Office to register the birth of your baby, born outside the County (e.g. at Walsgrave Hospital, Coventry), and require a FULL birth certificate, you will need to bring a cheque or postal order with you when you come to the Register Office so that we can send this on to the District in which the birth took place. They will then send the full birth certificate to you by post. The addresses and telephone numbers of the Warwickshire Register Offices are listed here. To prevent unnecessary waiting, all Register Offices within Warwickshire operate an appointment system. Please contact your local register office to arrange an appointment . Please remember that you have a legal duty to register the birth within 42 days. Who can register the birth? Only the mother or the father of the baby need attend if they were married to each other at the time of the birth. If this is not possible, please telephone a Register Office for advice. If the mother is not married to the baby's father then both parents must attend together if father's details are to be included in the register. If the father's details are not added at registration, it may be done at a later date. If you are in any hesitation, please telephone a Register Office for advice. Re-registration after marriage If the parents of a baby are not married to each other when the baby is born, and get married later, the baby should be re-registered after the parents get married. If the baby was given the mother's surname when originally registered, this can be changed on re-registration to the father's surname. However, if the baby was given the father's surname when originally registered this cannot be changed in the register or on the birth certificate. What information shall I need to supply to the Registrar?

Baby - The date and place of the baby’s birth. If the birth is one of twins, triplets etc., then the time of each baby’s birth will be needed. Whether the baby is a boy or a girl. The forename(s) and surname in which it is intended that the baby will be brought up. Mother - Forename and surname and any surnames which may have been used before marriage Date and place of birth Address Occupation. If the mother has been working at any time prior to the birth, her occupation can be entered into the register. Date of marriage if applicable The number of previous children by the present and any former husband Father - (Where these details are to be entered into the register) Forename and surname Date and place of birth Occupation at the time of the baby’s birth or if not employed, the occupation last followed. It is important that the information recorded in the register is correct. If any mistake is made it will put you to some trouble to have it corrected. You should therefore check the entry in the register very carefully before you sign.

After registration you will be given a birth certificate free of charge showing the baby's name and date of birth. You can also obtain a long or standard birth certificate at the birth registration showing the full details from the birth entry for a fee of £3.50. Please note that full long birth certificates are now required by the Passport Office for all passport applications. What service standards can I expect from the Warwickshire Registration Service when Registering a birth? The Warwickshire Registration Service aims to provide a continual high level of service standards. Our specific service standards relating to registering a birth are: - to offer you an appointment with a Registrar within 3 working days of making contact with the office to forward information relating to a birth, required by law to be registered in another district (a birth declaration) to that district on the same day to see 90% of our customers attending with an appointment within 10 minutes of that appointment time For full information on all of the Registration Service Standards, please click here Complaints and Compliments If you have any comments to make about our service you can write or e-mail the Registration Services Manager. Alternatively, you can speak to a member of staff and/or complete one of our service “comment cards” available at all offices. Where can I get further advice? If you are still uncertain of how to proceed with registering the baby’s birth, please telephone or call in at your local Register Office. Click here for details The information contained within these pages is available in large print or on audiotape. Please e-mail or write to us to request a copy A translation, interpreting and sign language service is available upon request.