Register a birth
Please note
All babies must be registered within 42 days (six weeks) from the date of birth.
Those parents that have received a letter from us, for babies born more than four weeks ago, are being reminded to book an appointment online. If you haven’t registered your baby after six weeks, unfortunately we have to issue you with a formal requisition to do so and refer the non-registration to General Register Office.
If you live in the Channel Islands and have had to come to Southampton to have your baby, you will need to register the birth BEFORE you leave the mainland.
Who to register a birth with
Registering in Southampton
If the birth you wish to register occurred at one of the following locations an appointment should be booked at Southampton Register Office:
- Princess Anne Hospital
- Another hospital within the city
- A home birth at an address within the Southampton City Council boundary. This is essentially postcode areas SO14-SO19
However, there are some exceptions, so please check with the local authority of the area where you should register the birth.
Book a birth appointment at Southampton Register Office.
A full birth certificate is the only certificate issued and contains all the information that appears in the register entry. This is required to obtain a passport, open a bank account for your child or give to an Embassy or legalisation office.
Certificates can be purchased at the time of registration at a cost of £11.00 each. Payment is by card. We recommend you purchase at least two certificates at the time of registration, to ensure you have at least one available to you, if you’re sending one certificate off to an Embassy or the passport office etc.
You can order a certificate online any time after the registration.
Registering elsewhere
If you live further afield, you can make a declaration of the facts at any Register Office in England or Wales. The birth certificates will be sent from the Southampton Register Office in due course.
Other services of interest
- Southampton Registration services also perform a Naming ceremony
- Southampton has many Family Hubs across the City offering support for all families with children under five
- Sign your family up to Southampton libraries to hear of news, activities and events
Tree for life
Why not plant a tree to commemorate your child's birth? This is a fantastic opportunity to mark the birth of your child and contribute to a greener city. Find out more about the next tree planting event in Southampton.
