Registering a Birth

Congratulations on your new arrival!

PLEASE NOTE : THIS OFFICE OPERATES AN APPOINTMENT SYSTEM, SO PLEASE RING FOR AN APPOINTMENT TO REGISTER YOUR BABY.

Merthyr Tydfil Register Office

Ty Penderyn
26 High Street
Merthyr Tydfil
CF47 8DP
Tel:01685 727333

Our Opening Times are:

Monday - Thursday

Morning, 8.30am - 12.30pm Afternoon, 1.00pm - 4.00pm

Friday

Morning, 8.30am - 12.30pm Afternoon, 1.00pm - 3.30pm

FAQs

Who can register the birth
How soon can I register the baby's birth and where should I register it
Do I have to come to the Merthyr Tydfil Register Office to register the birth
What information do I need to supply?
What about birth certificates
I don't speak English - can a friend register for me
Can I change the birth record at a later date
What about Parental responsibility
Why would I re-register by child?

Who can register the birth?

If the child's parents were married or in a civil partnership with each other at the time of the birth, either the mother, father or second female parent may register the birth.

If the parents were not married or in a civil partnership with each other at the time of the birth, the father or second female parent's details can only be recorded in the register where:

Both parents attend together to register the birth, or if the father or second female parent is unable to attend with the mother , a statutory declaration may be completed (contact this office for more information).

For any other circumstances, contact the register office for further advice.
If the mother was not in a marriage or civil partnership with the child's other parent at the time of the birth and their details were not recorded at the time of registration, the details may be added at a later stage. (See 'Why would I re-register my child?')

How soon can I register the baby's birth and where should I register it?

You can register the baby's birth as soon as you like or are able, but it is a legal requirement to register within 42 days of the birth. The birth must be registered within the registration district in which it occurred. This means that if your baby was born within the County Borough of Merthyr Tydfil the registration must be made in the following office by appointment only:

Merthyr Tydfil Register Office

Do I have to come to the Merthyr Tydfil Register Office to register the birth?

Although the birth must be registered here within 42 days, if it is impractical for you to visit the Register Office in Merthyr Tydfil you can go to another office in England or Wales to see the Registrar there.

This process is called Registering a Birth by Declaration. You will need to make an appointment at the office you choose to attend. The Registrar who sees you will forward the information to Merthyr Tydfil.

Please remember if you choose to register your baby in this way it will take longer than the usual process and you will not get the birth certificate straight away.

What information do I need to supply?

You will need to provide the Registrar with the following information:

About the Baby

The date and place of your baby's birth, the time of birth will be required if the baby is a twin or triplet etc.
The forename(s) and surname it is intended that the baby will be brought up with

About the Mother

Full name(s) and surname being used at the time of the baby's birth (maiden name if mother is, or has ever been, married or in a civil partnership)
Her date and place of birth
Her usual address at the date of birth
Her occupation
Further statistical information will be requested some of which is voluntary
Supporting documents should be provided to help with the registration (birth certificate, passport, marriage/civil partnership certificate, proof of address)

About the Father/Second Female Parent (where these details are to be entered in the register)

His/her name and surname
His/her date and place of birth
His/her occupation
Further statistical information will be requested, some of which is voluntary
Supporting documents as above
Note: (if the father's/second female parent's details are not recorded at the time of registration, they may be entered at a later date, but only in certain circumstances)

Documents that you will need to bring with you

To help us to make sure we accurately record births you should bring some of the following documents with you to the appointment to confirm the details of the parents:

Council tax bill
Driving licence
Passport
All marriage/civil partnership certificates of the parents including previous marriages or civil partnerships
Birth certificate
Any change of name documents or deeds
Any other documents that can support the information to be contained in the register

Please provide documents wherever possible so that we can make sure our records are accurate.

What about birth certificates?

The 'short' birth certificate shows the baby's name, surname, sex, date of birth and the registration district and sub-district.

The 'full' birth certificate will show all of the above details plus the parent's details and place of birth. This certificate will be required if you wish to apply for a passport for the baby.

Certificates can be purchased for the following fees:

Short Birth Certificate / Full Birth Certificate
£11.00

If English is not your first language, please feel free to ask a relative or friend to accompany you to help with the registration.

Please remember, however, that the birth must be registered by a qualified informant (usually the mother) and a friend cannot register on your behalf.

Can I change the birth record at a later date?

Please contact the Register Office who will answer any questions you may have regarding a change of record.

What about Parental responsibility?

The mother of a child, and the father if he is married to the mother or second female parent ,if in a civil partnership with the mother, automatically have parental responsibility. Where the parents are not married to each other or in a civil partnership, the father/second female parent will acquire parental responsibility if he/she acts with the mother to have his/her name recorded in the child's birth registration after 1st December 2003.

An unmarried father, or second female parent not in a civil partnership, can also obtain parental responsibility by later marrying or entering into a civil partnership with the child's mother, by making a parental responsibility agreement with her, by obtaining a court order, or if his/her details were not entered on the registration at the time of the birth, by re-registration.

If you need further information or advice you should call Parentline Plus on 0808 800 2222, text phone 0800 783 6783, or get legal advice.

Why would I re-register my child?

If the parents have married or formed a civil partnership with each other since the birth, a re-registration will be required so that a new birth record can be created to show the child as a child of the parent's marriage/civil partnership.

If the parents are unmarried and would like the natural father's details added to the birth record, a re-registration will be required so that a new birth record can be created to replace the original one.

Re-registration can be required in other circumstances, please contact the Register office for further details.

For further information on changing a name by deed poll, visit the UK Deed Poll website by following the link to the right of this page under External Links.