When to register
The birth of a baby must be registered within 42 days of the date of birth.
Where to register
A birth must be registered with the Registrar of Births and Deaths for the district where the birth occurred. (For details of where to register in Rotherham see 
opening hours/making an appointment/outstations)
If you prefer, you can go to any other Registrar's Office in England or Wales to give the details of the birth but the birth will not be registered there. The details will be forwarded by post to the Registrar for the district where the birth took place and he/she will complete the registration from the information you have supplied. This is called registering a birth by declaration.
Once the birth has been registered the Registrar will post out a short birth certificate free of charge and a form to allow you to register your baby with a doctor. If you require a full birth certificate (showing parents names) a fee of £3.50 is payable. See documents /certificates/cost for more information.
Who can register
If the parents are married to each other when the baby is born, either parent may register the birth.
If the parents are not married to each other, and they want the father's details to be included in the register, both parents should attend the Register Office together to register the birth. If it is not possible for both parents to attend together telephone the Register Office for advice about what to do.
If the parents are not married to each other, there is normally no requirement to have the father's details in the register. If his details are not entered at the time of registration it may be possible for this to be done at a later date.
Information the registrar will need to know
At the Register Office you will be seen in private by a Registrar and asked for the information to be recorded in the birth register.
The Registrar will enter the details onto a computer and handwrite the entry in the birth register.
You will be asked to check the information entered in the birth register carefully and sign to say that it is correct.
The registration procedure will take about 20 minutes.
You will be asked for the following information:
about the baby
the date of birth (if the birth is one of twins, triplets then the registrar will need to know the time of birth for each baby).
the place of birth.
the baby's first name(s) and the surname that the baby will use.
the sex of the baby.
about the mother
the mother's first name(s) and surname (and maiden surname of the mother if she is, or has been, married.)
the mother's occupation.
the mother's date and place of birth.
the address of the mother at the time of the birth.
about the father (where these details are to be entered in the register).
the father's first name(s), surname.
the father's occupation.
the father's date and place of birth.
the father's address.
where the parents are married to each other at the time of the birth.
the date of marriage of the parents.
the number of other children the mother has had by present or previous marriage(s).
Documents/Certificates/Cost
Documents you will need to bring
You will not be asked to produce any documents in order to register your baby - the Registrar will normally have received notification of the birth from the District Health Authority.
Documents you will be given
Once the birth has been registered, you will receive a 'short' birth certificate free of charge and a form to register the baby with a doctor.
Certificates/Cost
There is no charge for the registration of a birth.
You are issued with one 'short' birth certificate (showing the child's name and date of birth) free of charge but you may find it useful to have extra birth certificates.
Extra short birth certificates and/or full birth certificates (an exact copy of the birth entry showing parents names) can be issued at the time of the birth or at any later date. A fee is payable for each extra certificate issued.
Extra birth certificates issued at, or near to, the time of registration will cost £3.50 each.
Extra short birth certificates issued at a later date will cost £5.50 each.
Extra full birth certificates issued at a later date will cost £7.00 each.
Rotherham Register Office can also supply you with a souvenir folder for your birth certificate(s).
Ask the Registrar for details.
The souvenir folder for your certificate(s) will cost £2.00.
The cost of certificates is reviewed annually by central government.
All certificates issued by the registrar are protected by Crown Copyright and should not be photocopied.
More information/useful telephone numbers
If you need more information about registering a birth, please telephone the Register Office and ask to speak to the Nominated Officer:
telephone: (01709) 823543
fax: (01709) 375530
email: registrationservice@rotherham.gov.uk
National web site for information about births, deaths and marriages:
www.statistics.gov.uk/registration/default.asp
Jobcentre Plus
Chantry House
Douglas Street
Rotherham
S60 2DH
(01709) 343000
(01709) 343104 (Textphone)
Contact-a-family
209-211 City Road,
London ECIV IJN
Tel: 020 7608 8700 (Mon-Fri 10am-3pm)
www.cafamily.org.uk
support and advice for parents of children with special needs and disabilities
Parentline
0808 800 2222
free confidential helpline for anyone in a parenting role.
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