Registering a birth
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Registering a birth
- Why do I need to register?
- Where do I register?
- Who can register?
- What certificates will I be given?
- What information will the registrar ask for?
Why do I need to register?
An act of Parliament called the "Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953" placed a legal duty on parents to register every new born baby born in England and Wales within 42 days of the birth.Where do I register?
Your baby's birth needs to be registered in the district where it took place. If your baby was born in Brighton or Hove you can telephone to make an apppointment on (01273) 292016 and our address is:
Brighton and Hove Register Office
Bartholomews
Brighton
BN1 1JA
Our opening hours are 9.30am - 5pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday and 10am - 5pm on Wednesday.
If it is difficult for you to come into our office, you can attend any other office in England and Wales to register the birth by declaration. Please call us or one of the offices listed below for further details.
Who can register?
Opposite sex couples
If the baby's mother and father were married to each other at the time of the birth, either parent may register.
If the mother and father were not married at the time of the birth, the mother may register alone, but the father's details can only be entered if they attend to register together.
If this is difficult the mother or father may make a statutory declaration using a prescribed form (please contact us for further details), or the father's details can be added by re-registering the child at a later date. Other people may register the birth in exceptional circumstances. For further information please contact us on (01273) 292016.
Same sex couples
Same sex couples can now become equal legal parents of children they conceive together or conceive through a surrogate.
Lesbian couples who are civil partners at the time of the conception and conceive a child through artificial insemination will both automatically be treated as their child's legal parents.
Lesbian couples who are not civil partners at the time of conception but who conceive together through a fertility clinic in the UK licensed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority may also be treated as legal parents.
Different options are available to gay men depending on their specific circumstances.
If the baby has been born to a same-sex couple, please telephone us for further advice and information on (01273) 292016
Further information can also be obtained by visiting this link to Stonewall website- guide to 'Parenthood for same-sex couples'
What certificates will I be given?
You will be issued with a short birth certificate free of charge. Further short or full certificates are available from the registrar for a small fee.What information will the registrar ask for?
Baby
- date and place of birth
- whether the baby is a boy or a girl
- the full name and surname in which the baby is to be brought up
Mother
- full names and surname
- date and place of birth
- address at the time of the birth
- her occupation
Father or co-Parent (If his/her details are to be entered in the register)
- full names and surname
- date and place of birth
- his/her occupation
What are the most popular babies names in Brighton & Hove?
Follow this link to find out what were the most popular names given to babies born in Brighton & Hove for the year 2011Useful contact details
Please note these links are for your information only Brighton & Hove City Council does not hold responsibility for the content on the following sites
East Sussex Registration Offices
Contact details for East Sussex Registration Service
West Sussex Registration Offices
Contact details for West Sussex Registration Service
Married or Not
A website setting out the legal facts for unmarried parents
Net Mums
Online advice and support for new parents from other parents