Births
To make an appointment to register a birth, please call 427 7000.
For all other enquiries, call the Register Office on 424 6350.
- How much does it cost to register a baby?
- Where do I register a birth?
- Who can register the birth?
- What do I need to register a baby?
- What the registrar will need to know?
- What documents will I obtain from the registrar after I register my baby?
- How much does it cost to register a baby?
- How long after my baby's birth do I need to register it?
- What happens if a birth is not registered within 6 weeks?
- What if the parents don't have English as their first language?
- How do I show the father's details in the register if we are not married to each other?
- What if we have moved out of the district since the birth of the baby?
- What is the difference between a stillbirth and a death?
- Can I obtain a certificate from a stillbirth register?
- What do I need to produce to register a stillbirth?
- What documents do I receive from the Registrar after registering a stillbirth?
- Who can register a stillbirth?
- Civil Naming Ceremonies - venue information and how to book
How much does it cost to register a baby?
There is no cost to register your baby, and the short birth certificate and document to register your baby with a doctor is free of charge at the time of registration. The only charge is if you purchase a full birth certificate, that includes details of the child's parents. The Registrar will advise you of the current fees.
Where do I register a birth?
All babies born in South Tyneside, whether at home or in hospital, must be registered in person at the register office within 6 weeks of the birth. You do not need to bring anything with you, but will be asked to provide certain information about the mother, father and baby.
All babies born in South Tyneside, whether at home or in hospital, must be registered in person at the register office within 6 weeks of the birth. You do not need to bring anything with you, but will be asked to provide certain information about the mother, father and baby.
You can do this at the register office in the district where the birth occurred. Alternatively, you can go to any register office in England and Wales and make a declaration of the particulars required for registration purposes.
Once the registration has taken place you will receive a short certificate of birth free of charge. Further birth certificates can be purchased.
Who can register the birth?
If the parents are married to each other at the time of the birth, either the mother or the father can register the baby. However, if the parents are not married to each other at the time of the birth, the father's details can only be entered in the register in the following circumstances:
Where the mother and the father attend together before the Registrar to register the birth and both sign the register
or where the father is unable to attend with the mother it is possible for him to make a statutory declaration in the presence of a Justice of the Peace, Solicitor, Commissioner for Oaths or Magistrate confirming that he is the father, which the mother should produce to the Registrar (copies of this form can be obtained from any Register Office in England and Wales)
or where the mother is unable to attend the office with the father, it is possible for her to make a statutory declaration, in the presence of (the aforementioned authorities) confirming the name of the father, which the father should produce to the Registrar
or where either parent has obtained a relevant court order which should be produced to the Registrar who will advise you further.
The mother can register the birth on her own but the father's details will not be recorded in the register. There are circumstances in which other people may be legally qualified to register the birth. However, these are unusual and you should contact the register office for advice.
Please remember one of the parents must register the birth in person. They cannot ask a friend or relative to register the birth on their behalf.
What do I need to register a baby?
You do not need to bring anything when you come to register your baby. As long as the child was born in South Tyneside, either at home or in the Maternity Hospital, South Shields we will have a notification from the Health Authority telling us where and when the birth took place.
However, if you come to register the baby within a couple of days after the birth it would be helpful to bring the baby's hospital tag with you as we will have to confirm the date of birth with the maternity unit. It is not necessary to bring the baby with you.
What the registrar will need to know?
- The date and place of the birth. If the birth is one of twins, triplets, etc the time of each baby's birth will also be required
- The sex of the child
- The forenames and surname the baby will be brought up in. If the parents are not married to one another, great care must be taken when choosing the child's surname
- The father's forenames and surname, and any previous names he may have had
- The father's date and place of birth
- The father's occupation at the time of the baby's birth, or if he is not working, his previous occupation
- The mother's forenames and surname, and any previous names she may have had. Her maiden surname will also be required if she is or has ever been married
- The mother's date and place of birth
- The mother's usual address at the time of birth, and at the time of registration if different
- The mother's occupation. If she has been employed at any time before the birth, this occupation can be entered if she wishes
- If the mother and father are not married to each other at the time of the child's birth the father's details can only be recorded if he attends with the mother. Other circumstances may apply which can be discussed with the Registrar.
What documents will I obtain from the registrar after I register my baby?
After the birth has been registered the Registrar will issue a short birth certificate, which is free of charge. This certificate shows the baby's forename(s) and surname, sex, date of birth and district of birth only.
A full certificate, that records details of the parents and is an exact copy of the birth register entry, is available from the Registrar. There is a charge for this type of certificate (please see Fees). Many parents purchase a full birth certificate at the time of the registration.
How much does it cost to register a baby?
There is no cost to register your baby, and the short birth certificate is free of charge at the time of registration. The only charge is if you purchase a full birth certificate, that includes details of the child's parents. Please see Fees
How long after my baby's birth do I need to register it?
You have 42 days (6 weeks) after the birth to register your baby. If you have not registered by 5 weeks you will receive a letter reminding you to come to the office to register.
What happens if a birth is not registered within 6 weeks?
After 6 weeks you are liable to get a formal legal requisition demanding your attendance. If you do not attend after receiving this formal notice you are liable to prosecution. If you are likely to have any difficulty attending within the 6-week period please let us know and we will consider extending the period if there are good reasons for doing so.
What if the parents don't have English as their first language?
If English is not the first language of the parents and they would like someone to help with the registration, they should ask a friend or relative to come with them to the Register Office.
How do I show the father's details in the register if we are not married to each other?
The simplest way is for the father of the child to attend the Register Office with you and for you both to sign the birth register.
If the father is not available it is possible for him to make a legal declaration, before a solicitor or other person able to witness an oath, acknowledging his paternity. A statutory declaration form is available from your local Register Office. If you attend the Register Office with this form properly completed, the father's details can be inserted into the register.
If the father is not prepared to attend the Register Office or make a statutory declaration of parentage, the mother can make application for a court order naming the father. This court order will enable to father's name to be recorded in the birth entry.
What if we have moved out of the district since the birth of the baby?
If you have moved out of the district after the baby is born and the Register Office is too far away to attend, find the address of the nearest Register Office to you and you can attend there to give a declaration of the birth details. This declaration will then be sent to the register office in the district of birth for registration. You will then be sent the free short birth certificate. The Register Office you attended to give the declaration does not hold any records of that registration. Any further certificates will have to be obtained from the Register Office in the district of birth. Please see Fees
What is the difference between a stillbirth and a death?
A stillbirth is a child who is born on or after the 24th week of pregnancy who after birth does not breathe or show any other sign of life. A death is when a person has lived, no matter how long, and subsequently dies. Therefore if a child is born alive and only lives for a matter of minutes the event must be registered as a live birth and a death.
Can I obtain a certificate from a stillbirth register?
Yes, a certified copy of the stillbirth registration can be obtained from the registrar at the time of registration on payment of the statutory fee. (Registrar will advise of current fee).
What do I need to produce to register a stillbirth?
A doctor or midwife who attended the birth or who examined the body after birth is required to give a medical certificate of the cause of the stillbirth. This document needs to be taken to the Register Office of the district in which the stillbirth took place. If there is some doubt as to whether the child was born alive it may be necessary for the case to be referred to the Coroner. If this is the case you should phone the Register Office before you attend to make sure that the Coroner's report has been received. Without this report the registrar will not be able to register.
What documents do I receive from the Registrar after registering a stillbirth?
The registrar will issue a document that allows a burial or cremation to proceed if the Coroner has not already done so. This document needs to be given to the funeral director as a stillborn baby cannot be buried or cremated before this certificate has been issued. There is no other document that you will need legally from the registrar.
Who can register a stillbirth?
The mother or the father of a stillborn baby is qualified to register if they are married to each other. If the parents are not married to each other the mother can register the stillbirth on her own. However, if the parents are not married to each other the father may still be qualified to register in some other capacity and in this case you should contact the Register Office to establish in what circumstances he would be able to register the still birth.
However, the father's details would not be included in the registration unless he attended with the mother to sign the register jointly or he had made a statutory declaration of his parentage before a solicitor or other person able to witness an oath. It is also possible for the mother to make a statutory declaration naming the father of the child. If the father attends with this document it is possible for him to register the birth on his own even though he is not married to the mother of the child. If the father or mother is not able to attend the Register Office there are other persons who may be qualified to register the stillbirth. You should phone the Register Office (0191 424 6350) for advice if this is the case.
Civil Naming Ceremonies - venue information and how to book
When families are celebrating the birth of a new baby, they often feel the need for a special occasion to gather together their close family and friends.
One way this can be done is by holding a naming ceremony, designed to meet the individual needs of the family.
A naming ceremony is a very special way of celebrating your child's birth and welcoming the new arrival into the family.
It is also an opportunity to declare, before family and friends, your promise to be as good a parent as you can, and for adult friends or relatives chosen by you, to pledge their special relationship with your child.
A naming ceremony is, in every sense, a unique occasion for everyone to feel involved and to offer their support in your child's future development.
This event provides a dignified and formal opportunity to:
- Welcome the child into the family and wider community
- Announce the names that have been chosen, and maybe give the reasons behind the choice
- Make promises of commitment to nurture and support the child into adult life
- Choose other adults prepared to promise a special supportive relationship to the child
- Reflect on the miracle of birth and recognise that children are society's hope for the future
Additional sections
You can choose to add any following additional sections:
- Reasons for the names
- Hopes for the future
- Parents' vows to each other
- Grandparents' promises
- Absent guests
- Further readings
- Presentation of a gift to the child
As you can see, there is plenty of scope for making your child's ceremony a very personal and unique event.
Any parent can arrange a naming ceremony, whether married or not, with any spiritual or religious beliefs or with none or from any cultural background.
Children of any age can have a naming ceremony, not just young babies. Ceremonies can also be used to celebrate adoptive children and stepchildren into a new relationship and form part of the family bonding within an extended family unit.
More than one child can be named in these ceremonies, but they must belong to the same family. Children from another family, even though they may be related, cannot be included in the same ceremony.
Registrars' will be carrying out these ceremonies, but they will be acting in the capacity of employees of Lifecycle Marketing Limited. If you choose to hold your ceremony in the register office it will be designated as a private venue during the ceremony.
Your unique ceremony
Specially written ceremonies are available containing choices to make your naming ceremony unique with special meaning to your family.
You will be able to choose promises to the child, promises to your partner, supporting adult promises to the child, include grandparents in the ceremony and even refer to absent guests.
You may choose from a selection of poems and readings to enhance the ceremony and can present your child with a special gift to mark the occasion.
A basic ceremony usually takes about 15 minutes, but can be up to 30 minutes if more readings and options are included. A souvenir record of the ceremony will be signed and presented at the conclusion of the event.
How to book a naming ceremony
Any parent can make the arrangements, or anyone else who has parental responsibility or legal guardianship of the child/children. Parents don't need to be married to each other.
Families wishing to organise a naming ceremony need to contact the Register Office (0191 424 6350) and make an informal appointment with a celebrants who will explain the options available.
Please bring the child/children's birth certificate(S) as this must be presented before the ceremony can be booked.
A non-refundable deposit will be paid at the time of booking and the balance of the fee to be paid to 'Civil Ceremonies Ltd' nearer the time of the event.
Most ceremonies are organised about six to eight weeks in advance of the date so that invitations can be sent to family and friends, but they can be organised at short notice if required. Please contact the register office on (0191) 424 6350 for fees for this service.
Venues for naming ceremonies
Venues used for naming ceremonies at this present time are
- South Tyneside Register Office
- South Shields Town Hall & Civic Offices
- Jarrow Town Hall
- Little Haven Hotel, South Shields
- The Dunes, South Shields
- Hedworth Hall
Ceremonies can be held on most days of the week. These ceremonies cannot be held in a private home.
Please check with South Tyneside Register Office for times and fees.
