You must register the birth of your baby within 42 days (6 weeks) of their birth. Births are registered in the area where the baby was born.
If your baby was born in Hartlepool, you should attend an appointment at our office.
If your baby was born elsewhere in England or Wales and you cannot go to the register office for that area, you can attend an appointment at our office. We will take the information and send it to the correct register office to be registered.
How do I register a birth?
You must make an appointment to register a birth.
About the appointment
The register office is in the main reception of the civic centre.
If you are late for your appointment, we may not be able to go ahead, and your appointment will be re-arranged.
You do not need to bring your baby to the appointment but are welcome to do so. We request that, where possible, you do not bring other children to your appointment.
If you have difficulty understanding English, please bring someone with you to help. They do not have to be a professional; they can be a friend or family member.
Only adults who need to attend the appointment should come to the register office. No other adults will be admitted into the appointment.
Who can register a birth?
To find out who can register a birth visit GOV.UK
What information will I need to know?
To find out what information you will need to know and what documents to bring visit GOV.UK
Do not worry if you are not able to bring any of the documents to your appointment, the registrar can still register the birth.
It is important that the information entered into the register is right. Mistakes can be difficult to correct and will cost up to £99 to be corrected.
How much does it cost?
Registering a birth is free.
There is a charge for birth certificates. You can find the cost of a certificate on our fees page.
We are not able to take payment by Apple Pay or Google Pay. We cannot accept American Express.
Birth certificates
There are two types of birth certificate:
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the short version, which contains only the baby’s details
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the full version, which also contains the parents’ details
A full certificate is required for a passport application.
If your baby was born in Hartlepool, you can buy certificates at your appointment.
If your baby was not born in Hartlepool, you will be able to order certificates from the relevant register office when the birth has been registered.