To register a birth, you need to book an appointment to go to a civil registration service.
You can book an appointment online or by phone. Walk-ins are available in some offices at certain times.
It’s free to register a birth.
To avoid delays, bring all the documents you need to your appointment. Without them, we will not be able to register the birth.
Who can register a birth
Usually a parent or both parents register a birth.
There are some differences on what you need to do depending on your situation.
When to register a birth
You should wait 3 weeks after the birth before booking an appointment to register the birth.
You must register a birth within 12 months. If you need to register a birth after 12 months, phone the civil registration service for advice.
Documents to bring to your appointment
Birth registration form
If your child is born in a hospital, the staff will send your baby’s birth notification form directly to the civil registration service. This means you don’t need to bring it yourself.
But if your child was born at home with the support of a healthcare professional, they should give you a signed birth notification form. It must include their registration and PIN. Bring this with you to your appointment.
Download a birth registration form (PDF, 2 pages, 294KB)
Photo ID
Bring a valid photo ID and a photocopy of the photo page for 1 of the following:
- passport
- driver's licence
- refugee asylum card
- national ID card from a country where it is an accepted form of travel document or a public services card
Marriage certificate - if the marriage was outside Ireland
If the marriage was outside the Republic of Ireland, bring your original marriage certificate.
If it is not in English or Irish, a translation must be from a certified translation service.
We can accept the multilingual form (a form in English and another language) available from most embassies or registration services.