Register a birth

A baby’s birth must be registered within 42 calendar days.

Registration

If your baby was born at Kettering General Hospital, you can register the birth with us.

If the birth took place anywhere else please check the registration district by entering the postcode of where the birth took place.

If your baby was born outside the North Northamptonshire but within England and Wales, we can complete a "Declaration," where we gather forward the birth details to the relevant registration district. Once the registration is completed, you can order any necessary certificates from that district.

Before the appointment

What you need to bring

You must bring at least one form of identification when you go to your appointment.

You can use a:

• passport
• birth certificate
• deed poll
• driving licence
• proof of address (for example, a utility bill)
• council tax bill
• marriage or civil partnership certificate

You should also take your child’s personal child health record or ‘red book’ as some registrars may ask to see it.

At the appointment

You should arrive 10 minutes before your appointment; the appointment will take about 30 minutes.

You will need the:

• baby's date and place of birth
• baby's full name and surname
• parents' dates and places of birth, occupations, and the mother’s maiden name
• date of the parents' marriage (if applicable)
• parents' address
• baby’s red book, if available

If you are married or in a civil partnership with the baby's other parent, only one of you needs to attend.

If you are not married or in a civil partnership and wish to include the father’s details on the birth certificate, both parents must attend.

Where to go

Your appointment to register a birth will take place at your chosen Registration Office.

Birth Certificate

If you have already registered the birth, you can order copy certificates.

Last updated 14 October 2026