Births

When and where to register

You must register the birth of a baby in person at a Register Office within 42 days of the date of birth. If your baby is born in the Bristol City Council area, you must register the birth with the Bristol Register Office at either the Old Council House or Southmead Hospital.

A birth must be registered in the registration district where the baby was born.

You must register a baby who is stillborn after the 24th week of pregnancy.

Who can register?

If parents are married when the baby is born, either parent may register the birth. If the baby's parents are not married, and they want the father's details to be included in the register, both parents should attend the office together to register the birth. If the parents are not married, it is not necessary to have the father's details in the register. If his details are not entered at the time of registration, there are special procedures for them to be added later if required. There may be other options in some cases. Contact a registrar for details.

Information needed to register

You will be asked for the following information:

• The date and place of birth. If the birth is one of twins, triplets, etc., then the times of births will be needed
• The baby's forename, surname and sex
• The baby's parents' names, surnames and places of birth
• The baby's parents' occupations
• The baby's mother's address
• The baby's mother's maiden name
• The date of the baby's parents' marriage and number of previous children

Meeting the registrar

You will be seen in private and asked questions about the baby and his or her parents. The registrar will enter the details onto a computer. You will be asked to check the information on the register page carefully and to sign that it is correct.

Certificate documents given

You will receive one certified short (extract) copy of the entry in the register free of charge. Please note that this is not a full copy of the birth certificate, which is needed for passports.

Extra copies of the birth certificate

The Registrar will be happy to provide you with further copies of the short (extract) or full certificate.

Fees are set by Parliament and reviewed regularly. The current fee, payable by cash or cheque with a cheque card, is £4 at the time of registration.

After the registration, both full and short (extract) certificates will cost £7 each for a period of 4-6 weeks. After a period of 4-6 weeks, both full and short certificates will cost £10.

Bristol Registration District

The Bristol Registration District comprises the local authority area of Bristol City Council. Births and stillbirths occurring in the Bristol Registration District may be registered at either of the following offices by appointment only:

The Old Council House (Main Office, entrance on Broad Street)

The Register Office
The Old Council House, Corn Street
Bristol, BS1 1JG

Please call 0117 922 2800 for an appointment (line open 8.30am to 6pm Monday to Friday, closed on Wednesday between 2.30pm to 4pm)

Register Office opening times:
9am to 4pm – Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday – by appointment only.
10am to 4pm – Wednesday (Evening by appointment only).
Saturday – by appointment only.

Southmead Hospital (Branch Office)

Monks Park Lodge
Southmead Hospital
Bristol, BS10 5NB

Please call 0117 922 2800 for an appointment (line open 8.30am to 6pm Monday to Friday, closed on Wednesday between 2.30pm to 4pm)

Southmead Hospital (Branch Office) opening times:
8.30am to 4pm, Monday to Friday – by appointment only.