Register a birth

Book an appointment 

Birth registrations are available by appointment at the following locations. 

Paignton Library and Information Centre 

Monday to Friday 

Great Western Road 
Paignton 
TQ4 5AJ 

St Edmund's Health Centre, Torquay 

Monday 

Victoria Park Road 
Torquay 
TQ1 3QH 

The Beehive, Paignton 

Tuesday 

Bishops Place 
Paignton 
TQ3 3DZ 

The Barn, Brixham 

Wednesday 

Brixham Enterprise Estate 
Rea Barn Road 
Brixham 
TQ5 9DF 

All registrations are by appointment only and usually take around 20 minutes.

Who can register a birth 

If the parents are married to each other or in a civil partnership at the time of the birth, either parent can register the birth. 

If the parents are not married or in a civil partnership and want both parents' details included on the birth registration, both parents will usually need to attend the appointment together. In most cases, an unmarried father cannot register the birth without the mother present. 

For full details, read the GOV.UK guidance on who can register a birth. 

Information you will need to provide 

During the appointment, the registrar will ask for: 

• the baby's date and place of birth 
• the baby's sex 
• the baby's full names and surname 
• the dates and places of birth of the parents 
• the parents' occupations 
• the mother's maiden name, if applicable 
• the date of the parents' marriage or civil partnership, if applicable 
• the parents' usual address 
• Identification requirements from 9 November 2026 

Identification requirements from 9 November 2026 

From 9 November 2026, anyone registering a birth must provide evidence of their identity. 

The requirement applies to the person or people registering the birth. We cannot complete the registration if satisfactory identification is not provided at the appointment. 

You must provide either: 

• one document from the primary identification list; or 
• two documents from the secondary identification list 

Check which identification documents you can use

If you are unsure whether your documents will be accepted, contact the Register Office before attending your appointment. 

Check the registration details 

The registrar will ask you to check the information recorded and sign to confirm that all details are correct. 

Check the information carefully. If you identify an error after registration, you may need to apply for a correction. A statutory fee may apply. 

Birth certificates 

Registering a birth is free of charge. 

You can purchase full birth certificates at your appointment for £12.50 each. 

If you are paying by debit or credit card at one of our Family Hub locations, you must bring your physical payment card. We cannot accept mobile phone or smart payment methods. 

A full birth certificate is often required when: 

• applying for a passport for your child 
• opening a bank account in your child's name 
• accessing other services that require proof of identity or age 

You can also purchase additional certificates from the Register Office after the registration has been completed.