Register a birth

If your baby was born in Scotland, you should register the birth within 21 days if you can, or at the next available date after that. 

You can register by phone or in person at our registration office in Paisley, or in any other registration office in Scotland.  

You'll need to book an appointment to register the birth. 

Your appointment can be over the phone or in person.
If your baby was born outside of Scotland, you'll need to register the birth in that country instead.

If the parents are married or in a civil partnership

If the parents are married or in a civil partnership, only 1 parent has to register the birth.

This can be the mother, father, or other parent.

Both parents can attend the appointment at the registrar's office or over the phone if they wish. 

If the parents are not married or in a civil partnership

If the parents are not married or in a civil partnership and they both want to be named on the birth certificate, both parents need to attend the appointment at the office or over the phone.

Otherwise, the mother must register the birth , but the other parent will not be named on the birth certificate.

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

If the father or other parent has not been included

You can re-register a birth to include the father or other parent if:

• the parents' marriage or civil partnership took place after the birth was originally registered
• paternity or parentage has been shown in the Register of Corrections Etc. or granted by a court.

Re-register a birth [link]

Parental responsibilities

If both parents' names appear on the child's birth registration, they are both given equal parental responsibilities and rights.

We’ll give you an abbreviated (short) birth certificate when you register the birth, which is free of charge. This only includes the child’s full name, date and place of birth.

If you want a full birth certificate, you can pay for one by debit or credit card for £10 when you book your appointment to register.

A full birth certificate includes the:

• child’s full name, date and place of birth
• parent’s names, occupations, and address.

If you want a full birth certificate more than 1 month after the registration, it will cost £15.

Order a full birth certificate.

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

• first names and surname of the child
• sex, date, place, and exact time of 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 or civil partnership (if this applies)
• your marriage or civil partnership certificate (if this applies)
• your birth certificates, if you have them.

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

Book an appointment online

If you cannot book an appointment online, phone us on 0300 300 0310.

We’re available by phone: 

• Mondays to Thursdays from 8:45am to 4:45pm
• Fridays from 8:45am to 3:55pm.

This does not include public holidays.

Your appointment

Appointments usually take about 30 minutes.

If your appointment is by phone, please be ready 5 minutes before we call you. If you're not able to take the call, you'll probably have to reschedule your appointment.

If your appointment is at one of our registration offices, please come to our registration office 5 minutes before your meeting time.

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

• log in to MyAccount and change it 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 registrar.cs@renfrewshire.gov.uk
• phone 0300 300 0310.

After you’ve registered the birth, you’ll get:

• an abbreviated (short) birth certificate
• a form (EC58) to register your child with a doctor.

If you’ve registered the birth over the phone, we’ll send you the abbreviated birth certificate and EC58 form by post.  

If you’ve registered the birth in person, we’ll give you the abbreviated birth certificate at your appointment.

If you want a full birth certificate more than 1 month after the registration, you’ll need to order a full birth certificate.