Change a birth registration

Re-registering a child's birth

Your child’s birth needs to be re-registered if:

• you wish to add the natural father’s details (as long as the original birth registration does not include any father’s details and the child’s natural parents have not married or formed a civil partnership since the birth)
• the natural parents have married or formed a civil partnership with each other since the birth

Re-registering the birth of a child born to two female parents requires authorisation from the General Register Office. Please contact us for further information.

If your child was not born in Oxfordshire, please contact the relevant registration district.

Forms

Advice and application forms for the following:

• Adding the natural father's details (where the parents are not married or in a civil partnership with each other) 
• If the parents have married or formed a civil partnership since registering the birth

You can also contact us to obtain a paper copy of either of the above forms.

The process

There are two stages to the process of re-registering a birth:

Stage one - complete the relevant form and sign it

Post the form to the Oxfordshire register office where you wish to have your appointment. Include:

• original copies of any required documents, such as birth certificate, marriage or civil partnership certificate
• your contact telephone number and email address

You can take your form and documents to your nearest register office if you do not wish to post them. The registrar can copy and certify any original documents and return them to you. Contact us to book a short appointment.

Stage two - book an appointment to re-register the birth

The registrar will cross-check the details on the form with the original birth registration in our archives. We will contact you to let you know that you can book an appointment to re-register the birth. We can issue updated copies of your child's birth certificate showing the new information at this appointment.

Both parents must attend the appointment if you are re-registering the birth to add the natural father's details. 

Only one parent needs to attend if you are re-registering the birth following marriage or civil partnership. 

Statutory declaration

In certain circumstances, it is also possible for either parent to make a statutory declaration before a solicitor or other person able legally to witness an oath, acknowledging parentage of the child. It is also possible for either parent to seek a court order naming the father. Please contact us for further information.

Changing a child's surname

Where the child was given the father's surname (whether or not he attended with the mother): it is not possible to change the surname in the registration back to that of the mother if, at the time of the birth, the parents were:

• not married to each other
• not in a civil partnership with each other

The only alternative will be to consult a solicitor and make a statutory declaration or deed poll changing the child's surname.

However, this type of change does not change the original birth registration. The statutory declaration or deed poll document can be attached to the birth certificate as proof that the child is being raised with a surname different to that recorded in the birth registration.

Correcting an error in a birth registration

Every birth registration is an historic record of the event. However, if a mistake was made on the original record, it may be possible to get it changed. Documentary evidence to show the correct information may be required.

A fee will apply to have the birth entry corrected.

See GOV.UK for detailed advice and application forms.