Re-registering a birth

What to do if you marry the child’s father after registration?

If at the time of registration, you were not married to the baby’s father, but you have since married him, it is your legal duty to re-register the birth, even when the father’s details were entered when the birth was originally registered.

This process updates the birth record to show your marital status. Please contact your local register office for further information/advice.

Adding a fathers details to a birth entry at a later date

If the birth father's details were not recorded at the initial registration and you now wish to add them, please contact your local Register Office for information/advice.

Changing a child’s forename

It may be possible to change your child’s forename within twelve months of the registration of the birth.

For more information/advice, on changing your child’s forename or surname, please contact your local register office.

What if I make a mistake in the register entry?

You must check the register entry carefully to ensure that the information recorded is accurate, as a fee of up to £90 for a consideration of any correction found to a completed entry is made.

Once the all the paperwork has been completed you can purchase a full copy of the entry, which includes parents names, at a cost of £11 per certificate.

Please note: the above office operates a strict appointment system, please telephone the office to arrange a mutually convenient appointment before attending.