Register a Birth

Registrations are strictly by appointment only and parents can contact the Register Office to make an appointment by calling 0191 278 7878 and asking for Registrars, or by emailing registrars@newcastle.gov.uk.  

• If parents are a married couple or in a civil partnership both parents can attend however we would encourage only one parent to attend
• If parents are not married or in a civil partnership both parents should attend.
• You should not bring your baby or other children to the appointment with you unless you do not have any childcare

More detailed information will be provided by a Registrar when you make your booking.  

Please note that any parent turning up at the Civic Centre without an appointment will not be seen.

Coronavirus (Covid-19)

It is important to remember that Covid -19 has not gone away.  To protect you, your fellow guests, our staff and the wider community we are asking you to comply with the following guidelines when you attend a birth registration appointment:

• You should not attend an appointment to register if you, or anyone in your household, feels unwell. If you or anyone in your household have shown symptoms of Covid-19 within the last 10 days, you should not attend unless you have had a negative PCR test result.
• You should not attend if you have been instructed to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace, even if you have no symptoms or have had a negative Covid-19 test.
• All visitors are strongly encouraged to carry out lateral flow testing twice a week, before and after their appointment.  Do not attend if you test positive.  You can collect free testing kits from local pharmacies and community sites, or order online or by phone for home delivery: www.nhs.uk/gettested

Lateral flow tests should only be used by people without symptoms.  If you develop symptoms, you must arrange a PCR test straight away and self-isolate until you get the results - even if your lateral flow test is negative.

• Unless you are medically exempt, we would encourage that a face covering be worn when you are not seated i.e. entering and leaving the venue and in public areas such as toilets and stairways.
• Please sanitise your hands using the dispensers provided and avoid touching your face, as well as handles, railings etc., wherever possible.  Always cover your face if you need to cough or sneeze and wash or sanitise your hands immediately after.
• If you develop Covid-19 symptoms while at an appointment, notify the nearest member of staff immediately and put your face covering on.
• In the event of a fire alarm sounding, follow the instructions given to you by event staff and make your way to the nearest available exit.  A face covering can be worn if this is to hand but this should not delay evacuating the building.

When and where to register a birth

Appointments and drop-in service

Who can register

Information needed to register

Certificates

When and where to register a birth

All births in England and Wales must be registered within 42 days of the child being born. You should do this at the Register Office in for the area where the baby was born.

If you cannot register the birth in the area where the baby was born, you can go to another Register Office and they will send your details to the correct office. This is called registering by declaration.

Who can register

An unmarried mother can always register a baby's birth alone without including the details of a second parent. Where a second parent is to be included, please read the information below:

• If the parents are married or in a civil partnership when the baby is born, either parent may register the birth. 
• If the baby’s parents are not married or in a civil partnership, and they want a father’s details to be included in the register, both parents should attend the office together to register the birth.
• If the baby’s parents are not married or in a civil partnership, and they want a second mother’s details to be included in the register, both parents should attend with the appropriate paperwork.

For other parental circumstances, please visit gov.uk's Register a Birth page for guidelines.

If the parents subsequently marry or form a civil partnership they should re-register their baby.

Information needed to register a birth

You will be asked for the following information:

• The date and place of birth (if the birth is a multiple birth (e.g. twins or triplets) the times of each birth are needed)
• The baby’s forename, surname and sex
• The baby’s parents' forenames, surname,  place of birth and occupation
• If applicable, the baby's mother's maiden name
• Addresses of the baby's parents both at the time of registration and at the time of birth

To improve the accuracy of our records it would be helpful if you could bring one or several of the following documents:

• Your passport
• Your council tax bill
• Your driving licence
• All marriage or civil partnership certificates
• Your birth certificate
• Deed Poll

If you do not have the above documents, we can still go ahead with registering the birth.

Certificates

You can purchase a certified copy of the original entry at the time of registration or at a later date. Certificate charges can be found on our fees page.

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