You must register a birth within 42 days (6 weeks) of the baby being born. This is a legal requirement.
Where you can register a birth
If your baby was born in Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole, you can register with us.
If your baby was born outside of Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole you can still come to us and we will send your details to the correct office.
Who can register a birth
See who can register a birth on GOV.UK.
How to register a birth
You must:
- check who can register a birth before booking an appointment
- make an appointment to register a birth
Do not visit the register office unless you have an appointment.
You should register the birth at the area where the birth happened. You can check which council covers what area on GOV.UK.
Information you need when registering a birth
When registering the birth, you should know:
- place and date of the birth
- name, surname and sex of the baby
- parents’ names, surnames and address
- places and dates of parents’ birth
- date of parents’ marriage or civil partnership
- parents’ jobs
- mother’s maiden surname
You might not need to give all of this information, depending on who is registering the birth.
What you should bring with you
You should bring at least one form of identification when you visit us. You can use a:
- passport
- birth certificate
- deed poll
- driving licence
- proof of address (for example, a utility bill)
- Council Tax bill
- marriage or civil partnership certificate
Order a birth certificate
Certificates cost £12.50 each.
You can buy copies of the birth certificate straightaway, if your baby was:
- born in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
- you are registering the birth in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
If you're giving details of the birth at a register office in a different area to where the birth took place (making a declaration), you'll be able to buy certificates a few days afterwards.
Once we have the details, you'll be able to buy copies of the birth certificate at any time. You may need a copy for certain applications, school admissions and opening a bank account.