When a baby is born in North Somerset the parents
must register the birth with the Registration Service within 42
days.
The service deals with the registration of births.
Where the natural parents are married to each other
either may register their child’s birth.
If unmarried, the mother can register the birth alone
or alongside the child’s natural father.
Unmarried father's details cannot appear in the register or on
the child’s birth certificate unless he attends the appointment
with the mother.
The following information is required to register a birth:
- date and place of the child's birth
- full name, date of birth and occupation of the father
- full name, maiden name, date of birth and occupation of the
mother
- the mother's usual address on the date of the child's
birth
- the mother's address at date of registration - if she has moved
since the birth
- the father's address at date of registration - if he is not
living with the mother
Once a birth is registered a free 'short' birth certificate
(showing the child's details only) is issued. Additional
copies of this or the full certificate (showing
the child's and parents' details as well), can be issued
at a fee of £4 at the registration appointment.
If certificates are requested from the registrar after the
appointment the fee will be £7 for a short time. Once the register
is passed to the superintendent the fee will be £10. If you are
applying for a certiface more than 28 days after the
registation we advise you to contact our
registration service for advice.
If you are applying for a birth certificate more than 28 days
after the registration, we advise you to contact the
registration service to check the fee.
If a child is born in another district, to parents who are
residents of North Somerset, they can give the information about
the birth to the North Somerset Registration Service
who will pass it on to the district where the birth
occurred.
The birth certificate will then be sent to you by post by
the relevant Registration Service. This is called
registration by declaration.
An appointment system is in operation at the Register Office for
birth registrations. To make an appointment please contact our
Registration
Service.
If a father's details are not included at registration or the
natural parents' marry each other after a birth registered then
these can be dealt with by the process of
re-registration.
Certificates for births which have taken place within North
Somerset can be issued through the service.
The information provided in this section is for guidance only
and is not a full expression of the law.
For more information or to make an appointment please contact
our Registration
Service.
