Registering a birth

How soon should the birth be registered?

All births in England, Wales and Northern Ireland must be registered within 42 days of the child being born.

Who can register the birth?

The requirements for registering a birth are different for unmarried and married/civil partner parents. Please click the link below to check the latest guidance on Gov.uk before making your appointment:

Who can Register a Birth - www.gov.uk/register-birth/who-can-register-a-birth

Registration also has implications for parental responsibility, we would advise checking the most-up-to-date guidance on this topic.

Baby born in Rhondda Cynon Taf

If the baby was born within the district of Rhondda Cynon Taf, you can register the birth at: Municipal Buildings, Gelliwastad Road, Pontypridd, CF37 2DP

The registration takes approximately 20 to 30 minutes for one baby and is by appointment only.

Please Note : The online booking is for babies that are born in Rhondda Cynon Taf IE Royal Glamorgan Hospital / At home that falls under Rhondda Cynon Taf.

If your baby was born outside Rhondda Cynon Taf IE Prince Charles Hospital (Merthyr Tydfil) or any other district. Please contact us for an appointment OR you can contact the district the baby was born in to book an appointment. 

Baby born outside Rhondda Cynon Taf

If you live in Rhondda Cynon Taf but your child was born outside the area, for example, at a hospital in a neighbouring county you can either:

Book and appointment to register the birth at the Register Office in the district where the birth occurred.

or

You can make an appointment at our office in Pontypridd to complete and sign a declaration stating the details to be entered in the register. We will forward the declaration to the appropriate office in the district where the baby was born on your behalf. Certificates will then be posted out to you from the relevant office.

What documents do I need to bring with me?

You should bring at least one form of identification to your appointment, see the examples listed below:

• passport
• birth certificate
• deed poll
• driving licence
• proof of address (for example, a utility bill)
• Council Tax bill
• marriage or civil partnership certificate

It would be useful if you could bring any hospital discharge papers or parenthood agreement with you to your appointment, as well as any supporting documentation such as birth, and marriage certificates to ensure the accuracy of the information recorded.

What information will I need to supply to the registrar?

At the appointment we’ll ask for details of names, dates, addresses, and places which will feed into the register entry. When registering you should know:

• the child's date and place of birth (if it is a multiple birth, the time of birth is also recorded)
• the child's sex and the full name
• the full names of the parents along with their dates, and places of birth
• The parents’ addresses and occupations
• The date of the parents’ marriage or civil partnership and mother’s maiden surname (if applicable)

It is important that the information recorded in the register is correct as any error can only be corrected through a formal correction procedure which could cause you inconvenience and, possibly, expense to correct.

Bi-lingual Registration

If you would like to have the birth registered in both Welsh and English, please discuss this with the registrar when you book your appointment.

What are the costs?

Some organisations may require you to produce a FULL COPY of the birth entry. Full certificates, which include the parents’ details, can be purchased at the time of registration at a cost of £12.50 per certificate.

Special Assistance

If English is not your first language and you would like someone to help you with the registration, please ask a relative or friend who speaks and understands English to accompany you to your appointment.

Please remember you must register the birth personally. You cannot ask a relative or friend to attend instead of you.

If you require other or further assistance, then please discuss your needs with the registrar when you telephone to book an appointment.

Where one or both parents are not British

Where one or both parents are NOT British, you should contact the relevant Embassy or Consul in this country after registering the birth.

If you have any queries regarding British Nationality for your child, please contact the Home Office.

Please remember you have a Legal Duty to register the birth within 42 days.

Further Information

If you would like information/advice regarding registering a birth, please contact your local Register Office at Pontypridd on (01443) 494024. We will be happy to advise you. Alternatively you can visit Gov.uk for the latest and most accurate advice in relation to Births, Marriages and Deaths.