Register a birth

A factsheet showing all the important information for new parents. 

To register a birth you will need to know the following:

• date and place of birth - the time of birth will be recorded if you are registering twins, triplets, etc.
• baby's sex
• full name(s) of the baby - and the correct spelling
• forenames and surname of the parent(s), including any names that have been used previously
• date and place of birth of the parent(s)
• addresses and occupations or previous occupations of the parent(s)
• number of previous children by the mother
• date of marriage and the mother's maiden name (if applicable)

It would be helpful if you could bring the baby's red book or Health Authority notification letter, your passports or birth certificates to assist with spellings and information. However, these documents are not required for the registration to take place.

Please check the child's registration very carefully before signing. The responsibility lies with you to look for any errors on this legal document. Corrections cost up to £99.

Birth certificates

You will be able to order and pay for your child’s birth certificate at the same time you make your appointment, or at your appointment.

Alternatively you can request certificates online after the appointment: apply-for-a-copy-of-a-birth-marriage-or-death-certificate

Short certificate

Costs £12.50 per copy. This shows only the baby's name and date of birth.

Full certificate

Costs £12.50 per copy. This will include details of the parent(s).

Registration of a birth to same sex female parents can take place at any of the Suffolk Register Offices.

• If the parents were married to each other, or in a civil partnership at the time of the conception, then only one party is required to attend.
  • The required documents are the same as for a child born to opposite-sex parents.

• If the mother is not married or in a civil partnership with the person deemed to be the second parent, the following has to apply to enable the second parent's details to be included on the registration:
  • The mother is not married or in a civil partnership with anyone.
  • Fertility treatment was carried out at a licensed clinic within the United Kingdom.
  • The mother had a parenthood agreement in place at the time of conception with the second female parent which has not been withdrawn.

We can also offer limited appointments for Suffolk residents whose babies were born in Norfolk or Cambridgeshire. This service is not available in all offices.

If your baby was born in:

• Cambridgeshire and you're a Suffolk resident, you can register your baby at the Bury St Edmunds office and Haverhill offices only.
• Norfolk and you’re a Suffolk resident, you can register your baby at Lowestoft office only.

If you are a Suffolk resident and your baby was born elsewhere in England or Wales, you may be able to complete the preliminary paperwork at one of our offices and we will send it on to the relevant district where the registration will be completed. This process is much slower and will involve a delay in receiving your certificate. Please contact one of our offices to find out more about this service.

There is an error on the birth certificate – what should I do?

Once an entry is signed as being accurate the entry is considered complete. A legal process has to be followed to make changes. This will usually require referral with appropriate evidence to the Registrar General. If there is an error on your child's birth certificate, please contact one of our register offices for guidance.

Please check the child's registration very carefully before signing. The responsibility lies with you to look for any errors on this legal document. Corrections cost up to £99.

Can I change my child’s forenames?

You can change a child’s forename in the following circumstances:

• If new forenames were given in baptism or by regular use within 12 months of the birth being registered.
• If your child has been baptised, only the baptismal names can be added to the register - the minister with custody of the baptismal register needs to confirm this using a 'Certificate of name given in Baptism' form available from your local registration office.

Please also note:

• You must be the mother, father or guardian of the child to make the change.
• Forename changes can only be made once – any further forename changes cannot be recorded.
• You must comply with any court orders in force about the naming of your child.

The fee applicable to this process is £44. Please contact one of our offices for details.

Can I change my child’s surname?

You can only change a child’s surname in their original birth record to correct a spelling mistake or at re-registration following marriage of the natural parents/addition of the natural father’s details.

What happens if the natural parents of a child marry each other in future or form a Civil Partnership?

If the natural parents of a child marry or form a Civil Partnership with each other at any time in the future, the child’s birth entry must be re-registered to reflect this. This is a legal requirement which must be carried out regardless of the surname your child has been given at birth.

If you wish to re-register your child after you marry the child's natural father, you should read the information from GOV.UK about adding a father's name to a birth certificate.

To re-register a child's birth following the marriage of natural parents, complete the relevant form available from GOV.UK.

As part of this process you will have the opportunity to change the surname of your child if you wish.

When you have completed the form please contact your local registration office to complete the process.

There is no charge to re-register your child unless you would like a replacement birth certificate which is charged by statutory fee (currently £12.50 for both full and short certificates).

What is parental responsibility?

Parental responsibility has been defined as all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority, which by law a child's parent has in relation to the child and his/her/their property. Parental responsibility gives a parent legal rights in respect of the child.

A child’s mother automatically has parental responsibility for her child.

A father has this responsibility if he is married to the child’s mother or is named as the father on the child’s birth entry (only for births registered after 1 December 2003).

Can I add the natural father's name to the birth entry?

Adding the natural father’s details into the birth entry will give you both equal parental responsibility. In the first instance, you should read the information from GOV.UK about adding a father's name to a birth certificate.

To add a father's name to a birth certificate, complete the relevant form available from GOV.UK or your local registration office. Please contact your local office.

As part of this process you will have the opportunity to change the surname of your child if both parents agree to this.

When you have completed the form please contact your local registration office to complete the process.

There is no charge to re-register your child unless you would like a replacement birth certificate which is charged by statutory fee (currently £12.50 for both full and short certificates).

Can I remove or amend the father’s details from the birth entry?

A paternity correction can only be made when it has been proven either by a DNA test or a court order that the man named on the certificate is not the natural father of the child.

To correct a birth registration, please read the information on GOV.UK. You are also able to download the relevant forms. When completed, the form needs to be taken to a Registration Office with all the documents required as proof and the necessary payment.