Registering a birth

Booking an appointment for registration services

Where and when to register a birth

Any child born in Scotland must be registered within 21 days. We cannot register births which did not take place in Scotland.

Registrations will be carried out remotely which means we can complete the registration over the phone. If you wish to attend our Registration Office at Council Headquarters in Hamilton to please email registration@southlanarkshire.gov.uk. If you are making an appointment on behalf of the informant please make sure an appointment has not already been made.

Before your appointment, take a photograph or scan the card you are given by the hospital or doctor and send this to registration@southlanarkshire.gov.uk. You must include the date and time of your appointment in your email. It would be helpful if you could also include your child's full name including any middle names in your email. After the registration, you will be asked to mark the birth card to show that the birth has been registered. The registrar will advise you on this.  If you are unable to send a copy of the card, please email to confirm where and when the birth took place. This will allow us to check the birth details with the hospital prior to your appointment.

Who can register a birth?

If the parents of the child are married to each other or in a registered civil partnership either can register the birth. If the child's parents are not married to each other or in a registered civil partnership with each other, the mother must register the birth. If you want both parents names included on the birth certificate then both parents must be available at the time of the appointment. The registrar must speak to both of you at the same time.

If this is not possible please email registration@southlanarkshire.gov.uk for advice.

How much does it cost?

You'll receive one abbreviated birth certificate and an EC58 form for the National Health Service free of charge. The abbreviated birth certificate will show the child's name, sex, date and place of birth. If you wish a full birth certificate which also shows the parents details the cost is £10. You will need your child's full birth certificate when registering your child for nursery or school.

If you require copy birth certificates please see our page on Copy certificates for births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships.