When and where can a birth be registered?
Any birth which occurs in Scotland must be registered within 21 days by the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages. The law allows a birth to be registered in any registration district in Scotland.

Who can register a birth?
In the case of the birth of a child whose parents are married to each other, either the mother or father can register the birth.

Where the parents are not married to each other the mother should either:-

• register the birth herself; or
• be accompanied by the father where his name is to be recorded in the register.  (Please contact the registrar, who can offer further advice, should there be circumstances where both parents cannot attend together).

In exceptional circumstances it may be possible for another relative/person to register the birth, but you should contact the registrar in advance for advice.

Documents to take when registering a birth

• the birth card issued by the hospital giving the child’s date and time of birth;
• the marriage certificate of the child’s parents (if they are married to each other)

Do not worry if any of these documents are not available as the registrar can still proceed to register the birth.

Documents issued by the registrar once a birth is registered
There is no charge to register a birth. After registering a birth the registrar will issue free of charge

• an abbreviated birth extract (which does not show parentage)
• form EC58 (this allows the child to be registered with a doctor)

A full birth extract can be purchased (on payment of the statutory fee) from the registrar at any time, however if the extract is purchased a the time of registration the fee is £8.50.