Advice for Midwifes and medical professionals
Important: this page is for midwifes and medical professionals, to help advise expectant mothers on what to do after the birth of their baby. If you require support with a death please visit the support for doctors when certifying a death page.
- When should a baby be registered?
- Where should a baby be registered?
- Who can register the baby's birth?
- What to bring to the appointment
- Registration by declaration
When should a baby be registered?
The law requires that a baby be registered within 42 days of its birth (this includes weekends and bank holidays). To ensure that the mother meets this requirement, please advise them to make an appointment to register as soon as the baby is born.
Where should a baby be registered?
A baby can only be registered where he or she is born. There are no hospitals in Haringey, so unless the baby was born at home or on the way to hospital, we will be unable to register the baby in Haringey.
| Hospital | Where to register |
|---|---|
| North Middlesex | Enfield |
| Whittington | Islington |
| Royal Free or University College | Camden |
| Barnet | Barnet |
Who can register the baby's birth?
| Person registering (the informant) | Advice |
|---|---|
| The baby's mother | The baby's mother can register the baby on her own. The fathers details can only be added if he is married to the baby's mother. If the father is not married to the mother, his details can only be added if he attends the appointment |
| The baby's father (married to the baby's mother) | If the father is married to the baby's mother he can register the birth without the mother being present |
| The baby's father (not married to the baby's mother) | The father can register the baby's birth if he attends the registration appointment with the baby's mother (both mother and father will need to sign the Birth Register) |
| The baby's father with legal documents | If the father cannot attend with the baby's mother and is not married to her, he must obtain legal documents before he can register. This can include:
Please advise the parents to seek legal advice if using these routes |
| Second female parent | A second female parent may register the birth if she was married or in a civil partnership to the birth mother at the time of fertility treatment |
| Occupier of house or establishment where the birth took place | The occupier of a house or building such as a hospital where a birth took place, may register the birth. Preference is given for the parents to register |
| Person present at the birth | A person present at the birth may register the birth |
| A person in charge of a child | A person in charge of a child may register the birth |
What to bring to the appointment
The person registering should bring the baby's Red Book/Discharge papers and identification for themselves/the other partner. Identification helps with the spelling of names, but bringing ID is not compulsory.
Advise parents that corrections cost £90 as of September 2018.
Where to make an appointment
Please direct the informant to our Registering a Birth page to make an appointment.
Registration by Declaration
If the person registering cannot attend the register office in the area where the baby was born, they can register the birth by declaration. If they wish to do this the register office will take the details and pass everything on to the district where the baby was born. This process is long and risks the parents not meeting their legal obligation to register the birth within 42 days. A birth certificate will not be issued straight away, and will be posted out at a later date.