Births
Registering a birth
Who should go to register?
It all depends if the parents were married to each other at the time of the birth or conception. If they were, then either the mother or father can register the birth on their own. If they weren’t, then who goes to do it will depend on a number of factors:
- if you want the father's details to be entered in the register, then both parents can go and sign the birth register together.
- if the father is unable to go to the register office with the mother, but you still want his details included, then he can make a statutory declaration on form 16 (or form 16W for births which took place in Wales) acknowledging his paternity, which the mother must give to the registrar.
- if the mother is unable to go to the register office with the father, she may make a statutory declaration acknowledging the father's paternity on the same form(s) as above, which the father can give to the registrar.
- where there is a parental responsibility agreement in force or either parent has obtained an appropriate court order, this document can be presented at the time of registration by either parent.
If the father's particulars are not recorded in the birth register, it may be possible for the birth to be re-registered to include his details at a later date. See Can I change the birth record at a later date?
Although the majority of births are registered by parents, sometimes neither the mother nor the father are able to attend. In this case, registration can be undertaken by whichever of the following people is best able to do so:
- the occupier of the house or hospital where the child was born
- someone who was present at the birth
- someone who is responsible for the child
