There are various circumstances when a birth needs to be re-registered:
Re-registering a birth following a marriage or civil partnership
By law, if the natural parents of a child have married after the birth of the child, the birth must be re-registered even if the child was given the father's surname at the original registration.
Also, if a baby was born to two female parents under the conditions of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 there are provisions to re-register the birth following the civil partnership of those two female parents if they weren't in a civil partnership with each other at the time of conception or birth of the child.
To re-register the birth, all of the following conditions must be satisfied:
- the child was born in England or Wales (not stillborn)
- the existing birth entry identifies the correct man as the father or the father's details were left blank or identifies the correct second female parent or those details were left blank.
- the parents have married or formed a civil partnership after the birth of the child and a marriage or civil partnership certificate is available
- the child was living at the date of the parents' marriage or civil partnership
- the child has not been legally adopted
- one parent attends a register office in England or Wales to re-register
- the application form is completed and signed.
You can request an LA1 form online.
Alternatively, call the register office on 01443 863478 during office hours or email registrars@caerphilly.gov.uk.
Re-registering a birth without a marriage or civil partnership
If you didn't put the baby's father or second female parent's details in the register when you registered the birth you may add the details at a later stage.
If you have not married the father or formed a civil partnership with the second female parent you may have the details added in the following circumstances:
- the parents attend together to give joint information for the re-registration and to sign the new entry, or
- either parent attends alone and produces a statutory declaration made by the other parent stating who is the father or second female parent of the child, or
- either parent attends alone and produces a copy of a parental responsibility agreement made by the parents in respect of the child, or
- either parent attends alone and produces a certified copy of a relevant court order, or
- the Form GRO185 has been completed by one or both parents
You can request a GRO185 form online.
Alternatively, call the register office on 01443 863478 during office hours or email registrars@caerphilly.gov.uk.
How much does a re-registration cost?
The re-registration will be carried out free of charge, but you may wish to obtain a copy birth certificate from the new entry. For costs visit Register office charges and fees.