Registering a birth
You need to register your baby within 42 days of birth. This is a legal requirement. If your baby was born outside Enfield, you can make a declaration.
From 9 November 2026, anyone registering a birth must bring proof of their identity.
You need to book an appointment to register a new baby. Appointments take around 20 minutes.
Appointments are available Monday to Friday at the Register Office in Gentleman's Row.
You need to arrive 10 minutes before your appointment. If you arrive late, you will be asked to book a new appointment.
If you are registering more than one birth, you should tell us when you book your appointment. You will need 2 appointments for twins and 3 appointments for triplets. These appointments can happen immediately after one another.
Book a birth registration appointment
Who can register a child's birth?
If parents were married or in a legal civil partnership when the baby was born, either parent can register the birth. Both parents are welcome to come to the appointment.
If parents were not married or in a legal civil partnership, the father or second female parent must attend the appointment with the mother to have their details recorded. A mother who is not married to the baby's natural father can register alone, but the natural father's details would not be included on the birth certificate.
If a mother wishes to record her female partner as the baby's parent, both must attend the appointment and meet the legal requirements (under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act), for the second parent's details to be recorded. Bring your parenthood agreement, civil partnership certificate or marriage certificate.
What to bring to your appointment
Bring the baby's red book which should have the hospital's sticker on it, or the mother’s hospital discharge letter.
You are not required to bring your baby to the appointment.
You must bring original documents to your appointment as evidence of your identity. Photocopies will not be accepted.
Please bring one document from this list:
- Valid passport
- UK driving license (Full or provisional, but not the paper counterpart)
- UK Birth or adoption certificate
- Share code for Evisa
- UK valid travel document, including Refugee or Stateless Person travel document
- EU driving license or Member State identity card
Alternatively, you can bring two documents from this list:
- Utility bill (but not a mobile phone bill)
- Council Tax statement
- Bank/Building Society statement
- Mortgage statement;
- Credit Card statement;
- State Benefit, Pension or Tax Credit entitlement from DWP or HMRC
- P45 or P60
- Marriage or Civil Partnership Certificate
- Letter from National Health Service
- Police or Armed Forces ID
- Document issued by the person's local authority, such as Council Tenancy agreement, housing benefit, Blue Badge or electoral registration letters or social care notifications
- School or college letter (16 to 19 year olds)
Failure to bring the correct documents may result in you being asked to book another appointment.
If you have difficulty bringing the correct documents, contact us using the Enfield Register Office enquiry form – before booking your appointment for advice.
It would also be very helpful if you could bring:
- a piece of paper with the baby's full name written on it clearly
- both parents’ passports
- parents' marriage or civil partnership certificate, if applicable
- evidence of address of parents
What will the registrar ask?
We will need to know:
- the baby's first name, any middle names and surname
- whether the baby is a girl or a boy
- the baby's date of birth
- where the baby was born
- the time of the birth if the baby is a twin or triplet
- the full name of the baby's parents
- where the baby's parents were born
- the baby's mother's address
- the address of the parent if different to mother’s address
- what the baby's parents do for work and their employment status
- the baby's mother's maiden name if she has married
- whether the mother has had any other children and how many
- the date of birth of the parents
- the date when the baby's parents were married (if applicable)
It is your responsibility to check that all details on your baby's birth certificate are correct before the registration is finalised.
How much does it cost?
There is no charge for registering a birth.
There are two types of birth certificate. The standard birth certificate which shows all the birth details. This can be issued at your appointment. You can order the ‘short’ birth certificate which shows the baby's name, date of birth and sex at a later date. But this type of certificate is not usually accepted for any official purpose.
There is a cost for both types of birth certificate. For more information, see Certificates.
We only accept payment by credit or debit card.
You can buy certificates on the day of registration and afterwards. If you want to buy certificates afterwards, you can order online. For more information, see Replacement certificates.
If your baby was born at Barnet General Hospital and you registered in Enfield, you will need to order certificates from Barnet Register Office.
Making a declaration
If your baby was born outside Enfield but it's easier for you to visit the Enfield Register Office in Gentleman's Row, you can make a birth declaration with us.
To do this, book a birth registration appointment in the usual way. After your appointment, the registrar will send your declaration to the register office responsible for the area where your baby was born. This service is free.
We cannot issue your baby's birth certificate. You will need to order the certificate from the register office that receives your declaration. They will then post the certificate to you.
If your baby was born at Barnet General Hospital and the mother's address is in Enfield, we can register the birth on behalf of Barnet Register Office.