How to amend a birth, death, or marriage certificate.

Information about how to amend birth, death, or marriage certificates.

Please read the information about the relevant forms and where to send them to make changes to a certificate.

You can download the relevant application form and post it to us along with the original supporting documentation. Please contact us using our Contact us web form.

Please note It is not possible to receive this online or by email.  

Find guidance and application forms for: 

The postal address is:

The Register Office. Woodlands House. Rainham Road North. Dagenham RM10 7ER   

Re-register a birth

If the biological father is not listed on the child’s birth certificate you can usually re-register the birth to include him at a later date. You will also need to re-register a birth if the biological parents get married or form a civil partnership after the child’s birth.

How to re-register a birth:

  1. Download the form and guidance notes Adding a biological father (if unmarried) or Adding a biological father following marriage or civil partnership.
  2. Complete the application form and post it (with an original marriage or civil partnership certificate if applicable) to: The Register Office. Woodlands House. Rainham Road North. Dagenham. RM10 7ER.
  3. Your application will then be processed. Please note that if a marriage or civil partnership took place outside of the UK, this may take up to six weeks as it will need to be referred to the General Register Office.
  4. Once the application has been processed, we will contact you to make an appointment to complete the re-registration – if the parents are not married, both will need to attend. If a couple are married or have formed a civil partnership, then only one parent will be required to attend.
  5. Attend the appointment to re-register and purchase new birth certificates (£11 per certificate).

Changing the first name(s) of your child

If you decide to change your child's first name(s) within 12 months of the original registration of the birth, you are able to do so on the original birth registration.

If the child has been baptised in the Christian faith within the 12 month period after birth registration this form Certificate of name given in Baptism should be printed and taken to the minister of the church in which the child was baptised to be completed.

If the child has not been baptised the parents can complete this form Certificate of name NOT given in Baptism and return it to the Register Office.

Once again this process can be carried out at any time after the birth, as long as it can be proved that the change of name took place within 12 months of the birth registration.

Once the relevant form has been completed the amended name(s) will be inserted into space 17 of the original birth registration. Certificates of the amended registration can then be purchased. The full certificate will contain both the original name and the new name in space 17.

Please note that there is a statutory fee of £40 for a space 17 amendment. This fee is in addition to any new certificates you wish to purchase.