Register a birth
Births should be registered as soon as possible and within 42 days (6 weeks) from the date of birth.
Birmingham Register Office is open to register births by appointment only. We can only register births that took place in the Birmingham Registration District.
If you have recently given birth at the new Midland Metropolitan Hospital in Smethwick, contact Sandwell Register Office to make an appointment.
Appointment to register a birth
You do not need to bring your baby to the appointment, but are welcome to do so. Do not bring older children to your appointment where possible.
The birth registration is a legal document. You must concentrate on providing the correct information.
Mistakes cannot always be corrected or removed once the registration has been signed.
Book an appointment
Only one appointment can be booked per birth.
You must go through each stage of the online booking process until you reach the final confirmation page.
You will then receive a booking confirmation email.
Who needs to attend the appointment
If you are legally married or in a registered civil partnership with the other parent of your new-born child, only one of you needs to visit the Birmingham Register Office to register the birth. Both of you may attend if you wish.
If you are not legally married or in a registered civil partnership with one another, you must attend together if you would both like to be included as parents in the register.
For information about the process for other parental circumstances, visit Register a birth on GOV.UK.
If you can’t speak or understand English, bring someone who can speak and read both English and your language fluently.
Certificates
There is no charge for registering a birth, but there is a cost for any certificates that you wish to have.
You can buy full certificates, showing the parents details, on the day of registration for £12.50 each. Payment can be made by card only.
You can order extra copies of the birth certificate online after registering.
Required documents
To register the birth, we ask you to bring the following things with you:
- the hospital discharge papers or the red book
- your passport or birth certificate
- your marriage certificate, if applicable
- an official document showing your name and current address, such as a driving licence or utility bill
If you can’t speak or understand English, bring someone who can speak and read both English and your language fluently.
Accessibility
If you are deaf or hard of hearing and require support during the appointment, or if you or anyone in your party cannot use the stairs in an emergency, email us at RORegistrations@birmingham.gov.uk to inform us of your requirements.
In the event that anyone arriving to register a birth is more than 10 minutes late, it may not be possible for the appointment to take place and your appointment may be rearranged. The rearranged appointment may not be on the same day.
Page last updated: 3 April 2025
