Contact

Rochdale Register Office
Town Hall
Vicars Gate
Rochdale OL16 1AB

Tel: 01706 924784
Fax: 01706 924786
Email: Register Office

Birth - registering

Baby LucaWhen does the birth have to be registered?

The birth must be registered within 42 days of the child being born.

Where can the birth be registered?

The birth has to be registered in the office of the district where it took place. The details of the Register Office for Rochdale Borough Council is located in contacts area of this page.

Appointments at the Rochdale Register Office are from 9.15am-4pm Monday-Friday. This service is run on an appointment system.

If it is difficult to attend our office you may go to any other Register Office in England and Wales to give information for the registration. The birth will not be registered there. This information will be posted to us and once we have registered the birth a free short birth certificate and the application form for the child to join a doctor's list will be sent to you by post.

Who can register the birth?

If the parents were married to each other at the time of the birth either the mother or the father can register the baby. However, if the parents were not married to each other, special rules apply. The simplest way for the unmarried parents to register the birth is to go to the Register Office together. If this is not possible the father's details can only be entered in the register in the following circumstances:

Where a father makes a statutory declaration, confirming that he is the father, which the mother produces to the Registrar (copies of this form can be obtained from any Registrar in England and Wales);

Where the mother is unable to attend the office with the father, it is possible for them to make a statutory declaration, confirming the name of the father, which the father should produce to the Registrar;

Where either parent has obtained a relevant court order this should be produced to the Registrar who will advise you further.

What surname can the child be given?

The child will normally be given the surname of the mother or the father (even if the parents are not married to each other and the father does not attend with the mother). Once the surname has been decided upon it can only be changed if:

  • The parents apply for a re-registration of the birth because they were not married to each other and the father's particulars were not entered into the register;
  • The parents marry each other after the original registration - in this case the birth must be re-registered by law even if the child was given the father's surname at the original registration.

For both types of re-registration the Registrar will be happy to advise you.

What information will the registrar ask for

Baby

  1. The date and place of baby's birth. If the birth is one of twins, triplets, etc, the time of each baby's birth will also be required;
  2. Whether the baby is a boy or girl;
  3. The forenames and surname by which it is intended that the baby will be brought up.
Father (Where these details are to be entered in the register)
  1. His forenames and surname:
  2. His date and place of birth;
  3. His occupation at the time of baby's birth or, if he was not working at that time, his previous occupation.
Mother
  1. Her forenames and surname. Her maiden surname will also be required if she is, or has been married:
  2. Her date and place of birth:
  3. Her occupation. If she has been employed at any time before the birth this occupation can be entered if she wishes.
General
  1. If the parents were married to each other at the time of the birth the Registrar will ask for the date of the marriage;
  2. The number of children the mother has had previously by her present husband and any former husband.

What documents will I be issued with?

After the birth has been registered the Registrar will issue a short copy birth certificate, which is free of charge. The certificate shows the baby's forenames and surname, sex, date of birth and district of birth only.

A certificate is also available from the Registrar which records the parent's details and is a complete copy of the register entry. There is a charge for this certificate and the Registrar will advise on the current fee. Many people purchase a full copy of the birth certificate at the time of registration as copies requested at a later date will cost more.