When a Birth Should Be Registered

You must register the birth of a baby within 42 days of the date of birth.

Where the Birth Should Be Registered

A birth must be registered in the registration district where it occurred. In Swindon, this should be at:

The Swindon Register Office
Aspen House
Temple Street
Swindon
SN1 1SQ

If attending a particular register office is not convenient, then you can give the details at any register office in England or Wales. They will send the information to the register office of the district where the birth took place.

The register office of the district where the birth took place will post you any birth certificates you require and a form to let you register your baby with a doctor.

Appointments

The Swindon Register Office currently operates an appointments system. To make an appointment, please ring either of the following numbers:

01793 521734 or
01793 522140

Who May Register

If parents are married when the baby is born, either parent may register the birth.

If the baby's parents are not married, and they want the father's details to be included in the register, both parents must attend the office together to register the birth. If this is not possible, please contact a registrar so that an alternative procedure can be explained to you.

If the parents are not married, it is not necessary to have the father's details in the register. If his details are not entered at the time of registration, there are special procedures for them to be added later if required. There may be other options in some cases. Again, please contact a registrar for details.

For further information on this subject, please visit the page for Parental Responsibility for Unmarried Couples

See: Opening Times and Contact Details

Meeting with the Registrar

You will be seen in private and asked questions about the baby and his or her parents.

The registrar will write the details in the birth register and also enter them onto a computer.

You will be asked to check the information entered in the register carefully and to sign that it is correct.

Information Needed to Register

You will be asked for the following information:

• The date and place of birth (if the birth is one of twins, triplets, etc, then the times of all individual births will also be needed)
• The baby's forename(s), surname and sex
• The baby's parents' names, surnames and places of birth (if both parents are to be shown in the entry)
• The baby's parents' occupations
• The baby's mother's address
• The baby's mother's maiden name and if she has been married more than once, the name she was using to contract her last marriage
• The date of the baby's parents' marriage and number of previous children from this or any previous marriage

Documents Given

You will receive a short certified copy of the entry in the register and a form to register the baby with a doctor.

Extra Copies of the Birth Certificate

The registrar will be happy to provide you with further copies. You may find extra copies useful, and you might like to have a copy of the full entry as this is required for passport applications. These can be provided at the time of registration or at a later date for the appropriate fee.

Cost

Registration of a birth, the initial short certified copy of the entry, and the form for the doctor are free of charge.

If you want further copies of the entry, a fee is payable.

Fees are set by parliament and reviewed regularly. Any register office can tell you the current fees structure.