Renfrewshire Council

Book an appointment to register a birth

You should register a birth in Scotland within 21 days if you can, or at the next available appointment after that.

You'll need to book an appointment to register the birth. Your appointment can be over the phone or in person.

Book an appointment online to register the birth. 

If you are unable to book an appointment online, you can phone us on 0300 300 0310.

We are available by phone: Monday to Thursday from 8:45am to 4:45pm, and Friday from 8:45am to 3:55pm, except on public holidays.

You can pay by debit or credit card when you are booking your appointment, either online or over the phone.

Registration staff cannot accept any payments for registrations.

Appointments usually last around 15 minutes.

For phone appointments, be ready 5 minutes before your call time. If you're not able to take the call, you'll probably have to reschedule your appointment.

For in-person appointments, come to our registration office 5 minutes before your meeting time:

Renfrewshire House
Cotton St
Paisley
PA1 1AN

Check what you need to do if you have an appointment at Renfrewshire House.

If your baby's birth took place outside Scotland, you'll need to register the birth in that country, instead.

Who can register a birth

If the baby's parents are married to each other, or in a registered civil partnership with each other, either parent may register the birth.

If the baby's parents are not married to each other or are not in a registered civil partnership with each other, the mother must register the birth.

If the father or other parent's name is also to be included on the registration documents, then both parents should attend the registrar's office together.

If this is not possible, please contact the registrar for advice on 0300 300 0310.

You can find out more about registering a birth on the National Records of Scotland website.

A child's parents are both given equal parental responsibilities and rights if both parents' names appear on the child's birth registration. 

More information is available in the Scottish Government publication 'Family Matters'.

Your appointment

You'll need these documents and information with you for your appointment:

• full name and surname of the child
• sex, date, place, and exact time of the birth
• the birth registration card issued from the hospital or midwife
• mother's full name, maiden surname (if this applies), occupation, and date of birth
• father's or other parent's full name, occupation, and date of birth (if this applies)
• place and date of your marriage (if this applies)
• your marriage or civil partnership certificate (if this applies)
• your birth certificate(s), if you have them.

You'll need to have these whether your appointment is in person or on the phone.

Following the registration of the birth, you will get:

• an abbreviated birth certificate, which is issued free of charge
• a form (EC58) to register your child with a doctor.

You can purchase a full birth certificate for £10.

It costs £15 for a full birth certificate if you ask for one more than a month after the registration.

If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment

If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, you can:

• log in to MyAccount and make the change online, if you booked your appointment online
• phone 0300 300 0310, if you booked your appointment over the phone.

If you have any other questions about your appointment, you can:

• email us at registrar.cs@renfrewshire.gov.uk
• phone us on 0300 300 0310.