Register a birth

Register a birth

Book an appointment to register a birth and find out about birth certificates.

When to register


Who can register the birth

See who can register a birth on GOV.UK.

Where to register

You should register the birth at the local register office for the area where the baby was born. You can check which council covers the area where the baby was born on GOV.UK.

How to register

Baby born in Bristol

You can register a birth in Bristol at either Bristol or Southmead Register Office.

You must book an appointment, call 0117 922 2800.

Bristol Register Office
The entrance is on Broad Street.
Access guide on the AccessAble website.

Southmead Register Office
Southmead Hospital, Brunel Building, Bristol, BS10 5NB.
The office is on level 1 at gate 12.

If you can't get to Bristol or Southmead Register Office
If you can’t register the birth at either Bristol or Southmead Register Office, you can go to another register office in England or Wales and they'll send the details to us. This is called making a declaration.

Find a register office on GOV.UK.

Baby born outside Bristol

In England or Wales
If the baby was born in England or Wales, but outside Bristol and you can’t get to the nearest register office to register the birth, you can book an appointment at one of our register offices. We’ll take all the details of the birth and pass them onto the right office. This is called ‘making a declaration’.

Call us on 0117 922 2800 to make an appointment.

Outside England or Wales
If the baby was born:

What to bring to the appointment

It helps us if you bring something to the appointment that shows your full name, such as:

  • your passport or driving licence
  • a bank statement
  • a gas, water or electric bill
  • your marriage or civil partnership certificate

You don’t need to bring the child to your appointment.

What information we need to know

When registering the birth, we’ll ask you for the:

  • baby’s place and date of birth
  • time of birth, where more than one baby was born
  • baby’s names and sex
  • parents’ names and any previous names
  • parents’ addresses
  • parents’ places and dates of birth
  • parents’ jobs
  • date of parents’ marriage or civil partnership, if any

Birth certificates

There are two types of birth certificate:

  • short version, which just has the baby’s details
  • full version, which has the parents’ and baby’s details

Certificates cost £11 each for the full and short version.

If your baby was born in the Bristol area and you’re registering the birth in Bristol, you can buy copies of the birth certificate straightaway.

If you’re giving details of the birth at a register office in a different area to where the birth took place (making a declaration), you’ll be able to buy certificates a few days afterwards.

Once we have the details, you'll be able to buy copies of the birth certificate at any time.

Correcting a mistake on a birth certificate

When registering a birth, you must check the register page carefully and tell the registrar about anything that’s incorrect.

If you notice a mistake after your appointment, we might not be able to correct it. If we can correct it, you’ll be charged a fee of £75 or £90, depending on what needs to be changed.