Register a Birth

You should take at least one form of identification when you go to the register office. You can use:

• Passport
• Birth certificate
• Deed poll
• Driving licence
• Proof of address (e.g. utility bill)
• Council Tax bill
• Marriage or civil partnership certificate

You should also take your child’s personal child health record or ‘red book’ as some registrars may ask to see it.

If English is not your first language you may ask a friend or relative to go with you to register.

If you’re going to the register office on your own, you may need proof of paternity from the other parent before you give their details.

Opposite-sex couples

Married parents

Either parent can register the birth on their own. They can include both parents’ details if they were married when the baby was born or conceived.

Unmarried parents

The details of both parents can be included on the birth certificate if one of the following happens:

• They sign the birth register together
• One parent completes a statutory declaration of parentage form and the other takes the signed form to register the birth

Download ‘Statutory declaration of parentage’

Same-sex female couples

Female couples can include both their names on their child’s birth certificate when registering the birth.

Married or civil-partner parents

Either parent can register the birth on her own if all of the following are true:

• The mother has a child by donor insemination or fertility treatment
• She was married or in a civil partnership at the time of the treatment

Unmarried, non-civil-partner parents

When a mother isn’t married or in a civil partnership, her partner can be seen as the child’s second parent if both women:

• Are treated together in the UK by a licensed clinic
• Have made a ‘parenthood agreement’

However, for both parents’ details to be recorded on the birth certificate, they must do one of the following:

• Register the birth jointly
• Complete a ‘Statutory declaration of acknowledgement of parentage’ form and one parent takes the signed form when she registers the birth

Download Statutory declaration of acknowledgement of parentage form

​The appointment will last about 20 minutes. You will need to sign the completed register entry to confirm that all the information is correct.

Any errors can only be changed in accordance with the legal procedures.

There is a statutory fee of £83 or £99 for the consideration of a correction. You should therefore check the register very carefully before you sign

At the arrival desk, you will be asked to pay for your certificates by debit or credit card - they are £12.50 each - we do not accept cash or cheques therefore please bring a card to pay if you wish to receive the certificate on the day.

If you are unable to purchase a certificate on the day of Registration or you would like extra copies please visit our Request Copy Certificates webpage and order a copy of the Full Birth Certificate for the same fee of £12.50 plus postage. This will be posted to you and you should receive this in 7-10 days.

If you live outside the City of Nottingham you may, register the birth via the office of your local Registrar.

You should telephone your local Registrar to make an appointment. They will attest a declaration of the particulars required and forward it to Nottingham Register Office.

If your child has already been registered in the City of Nottingham and you wish to re-register to add the natural fathers name or following marriage to the natural father, you should contact the Register Office on 0115 841 5554 for advice.

Don’t miss out on Child Benefit: Information about Child Benefit can be found on GOV.UK including the Child Benefit claim form CH2 (CH2 Claim Form).

For your first child, this must be printed out, filled in, and sent to the Child Benefit office. If you don’t have access to a printer, you can call 0300 200 3100 and HMRC will send you a form in the post.

The form also contains information for the small minority of families who may be eligible for the High-Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC). If you already have a Child Benefit claim, you can add further children by calling HMRC on the number above.