Registration of births, deaths and marriages: what to expect

How do I find my local registration office?
Registration offices are listed in Yellow Pages or on yell.com. Or you can find them by calling your county or metropolitan council for details.

How do I register a birth?
You need to register a birth within 42 days of the baby's arrival. As the child's parent you can register their birth either at the hospital or by visiting the registration office covering the district where your baby was born.

What information do I need to give to register a birth?
About the child, the registration office will need to know:

• date and place of birth
• sex
• name or names

About the parents, the registration office will need to know:

• mother and father's names
• dates and places of birth
• occupations
• address

plus, if applicable:

• date of marriage
• number of previous children
• mother's maiden name

How do I register a death?
Deaths have to be registered within five days of the death. Normally a relative or someone present at the death takes responsibility for going along to the registration office.

What do I take to register a death?
You need to take along the medical certificate showing the cause of death to the registration office. If you have it, you should also take along the deceased's NHS medical card.

What other information do I provide to register a death?
The registration office will need certain details including:

• date and place of death
• full name of the person who's died
• date and place of their birth
• occupation
• name of their spouse
• address
• details of whether the person was receiving a pension
• date of birth of a remaining spouse or civil partner

The registration office will then issue a death certificate along with a certificate for the burial or cremation of the body.

How do I register a marriage?
Both bride and groom must give a notice of marriage to a registration office in the district where they live at least 15 days before their marriage.

What information do I need to give to register a marriage?
You and your partner will be asked for certain information when giving notice including evidence of your names and addresses, your dates of birth and your nationalities.

If either party has been married before, the registration office will need to see proof that a previous marriage has ended. Evidence could be a death certificate or decree absolute.

Can I get extra copies of birth, death and marriage certificates?
Your local registration office can provide extra copies of birth, marriage and death certificates, but there is normally a fee for each extra certificate.