Register a birth

You must register the birth of your baby within 42 days of the baby's. If your baby was born:

• within the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area, you can register at any of our three offices
• outside the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area, you can come to our offices and we'll send a declaration to the relevant office for you

Book an appointment with us to register.

Who can register a birth

To register a birth, you must either be:

• one of the parents if the parents are married to each other
• the mother
• the mother and father together if they are not married to each other.
  If the parents are not married to each other at the time of the birth, the father's details can be entered when the mother and father attend together to register the birth

You cannot ask a friend or relative to register the birth on your behalf.

Birth certificates

Certificates ordered before or at the time of registration cost £11 each. Payment is made by credit or debit card.

You can buy copies of the birth certificate when you register the birth. You need this for applications, school admissions, and opening a bank account.

After the appointment, the fees are:

• express same-day collection service £35 (Service not available until August 2022)
• all other certificates £11

Get more copies after you've registered

If you need additional copies of the birth certificate after you have registered, contact the register office where the registration took place.