In some cases, you must register a birth again, which makes a new record in the birth register.
You must re-register a birth if:
- you have married or formed a civil partnership with your child’s natural parent. You must do this even if the natural parent’s details are on the original birth registration. This type of re-registration is a legal requirement
- you wish to add the natural father’s name and details to your child’s birth entry if this was not recorded on the original.
If you wish to change the child’s surname, it can be altered to the same as the mother, the natural father, or any combination of the two as long as both parents agree.
Where the child is 16 years old or over, their written consent will be required.
You cannot change a child’s forename at re-registration. You can find information on changing a child's forename here.
Following the natural parents’ marriage
You should bring the following:
- your child's full birth certificate
- a completed form LA1 (opens in a new tab), signed by both parents, for each child to be re-registered
- your original marriage certificate. If you were not married in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, we would need to refer your application to the General Register Office for authorisation before re-registration
- one parent is required to attend the registry office for the re-registration
Add the birth father’s details
You should bring the following:
- your child's full birth certificate
- a completed form GRO 185 (opens in a new tab), signed by both parents, for each child to be re-registered
- both parents are required to attend the registry office for the re-registration. If there is a reason why both parents cannot attend, please contact us to discuss your situation
Costs
There is no charge for the re-registration of a birth.
If you need a copy of the new birth certificate following re-registration, you can buy this for £12.50 from the district where your child was born.
Book an appointment
You must book an appointment to re-register a birth.
This is only available for births that happened in England or Wales.
To book a re-registration appointment at any of our registration offices in Lincolnshire, please book online and select re-registering a birth when prompted.