These pages give you information about how to register a birth that occurred in England or Wales. The registration systems in Scotland and Northern Ireland are different from that in England and Wales and each has its own General Register Office.
You can obtain further information about how to register a birth in Scotland or Northern Ireland by linking in to their websites.
Births in England or Wales must be registered in the district in which they take place although this may be arranged through any register office within these countries. Births in Wales may be registered bilingually in English and Welsh.
The main Act and regulations governing the registration of births and death are:
- Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 (as amended)
- The Registration of Births and Deaths Regulations 1987 (as amended)
- The Registration of Births and Deaths (Welsh Language) Regulations 1987 (as amended)