The birth of a baby must be registered within 42 days. You do not have to register the baby in the district in which he or she was born, nor do you have to take your baby with you when you register. The registrar will already have been informed of the birth by the health authority.
How do I register a birth?
You can register a birth at your local register office. Please call to arrange a convenient appointment:
For the rules about who can register a birth and what information you will have to supply, see Directgov – Registering and naming your baby.
How much does it cost?
Registration is free. You will be given a short version of the birth certificate, which will meet most ordinary needs, although a full version may be required when applying for a passport.
A full version costs £3.50 at the time of registration and is a complete copy of the register entry. This is a statutory fee that rises to £7 from the next day, so this may help you decide how many copies to buy.
Copies of certificates
Copies of certificates for births registered at East Sussex Register Offices are available to buy online:
If you need a copy certificate for a birth registered in Brighton & Hove, please contact the Brighton & Hove Register Office.
Re-registering a birth
If you are the natural parents of a child and have got married since its birth, or if you wish to add the name of the father onto the birth certificate, then you will need to re-register the birth. More details are on our page about re-registering a birth.
East Sussex County Council