Register a birth in Ireland

Register your baby's birth for free, online or at a Civil Registration Office, within 3 months. Your baby gets a PPS number automatically once it is done.

You must register your baby's birth within 3 months, and it is free. Some parents can do it online through MyWelfare; everyone else books an appointment at a Civil Registration Office run by the HSE (Health Service Executive).

Who this is for

Every birth in Ireland must be registered by law. Parents usually do it. If they cannot, someone else such as a guardian or a person present at the birth may register.

• Married parents (marriage on record in Ireland): either parent can register alone.
• Unmarried parents: both parents take part. Online, each uses their own verified MyGovID. In person, both attend and sign.
• Some cases must go to an office, not online: a parent who has died, a mother who is widowed, divorced or separated, donor-assisted births, stillbirths, or a mother not giving the father's details.

What you need

• Your Birth Notification ID, posted to the mother after the birth (for online registration)
• A verified MyGovID account (both parents if not married)
• Each parent's name, date of birth and PPS number (Personal Public Service number)
• Your address at the time of the birth, occupation and civil status
• Your baby's full name, including surname
• In person: government photo ID (passport, driving licence or Public Services Card) and a photocopy of the photo page
• In person: the completed Birth Registration form
• If you married abroad: your original marriage certificate, with a certified translation if needed
• Home birth: the signed birth notification form

Step by step: online

1. Wait for the letter with your Birth Notification ID. It is sent to the mother.
2. Check your MyGovID is verified and your details are up to date.
3. Go to civilregistration.mywelfare.ie and log in with MyGovID.
4. Enter the Birth Notification ID and your details. Some fields fill in automatically.
5. Enter the other parent's details and your baby's full name.
6. If you are not married, the mother starts and the father finishes his part with his own MyGovID.
7. Submit. A PPS number for your baby is set up once registration is complete.

Step by step: in person

1. Download and fill in the Birth Registration form. Use one form per baby for twins or more.
2. Wait 3 weeks after a hospital birth before booking. For a home birth you can book any time.
3. Find a Civil Registration Office and book online or by phone. Any office in Ireland will do.
4. Gather your photo ID, photocopies and any other documents on the checklist.
5. Attend together if you are not married. Both parents sign the register.
6. Ask for a birth certificate at the appointment if you need one now.

How much it costs and how long it takes

Order extra certificates online from the HSE, by phone or at any office. Phone orders take about 5 working days. If you register within 3 months, your baby's PPS number and Child Benefit forms are sent to you automatically.

Common mistakes

• Missing the 3 months. After that, PPS and Child Benefit are not set up automatically and you must contact the Department of Social Protection yourself.
• Picking a name in a hurry. First names generally cannot be changed later, except in exceptional cases.
• Unmarried mothers leaving out the father. Since 10 December 2025, you must give his contact details unless you make a statutory declaration (for example, you do not know who he is, or for safety).
• Booking too soon. After a hospital birth, wait 3 weeks so the hospital's notification reaches the office.

Related guides

• How to get a verified MyGovID
• How to get a PPS number
• How to apply for Child Benefit
• How to apply for an Irish passport for a child