How to register a birth in South Africa

The law says a birth must be registered within 30 days. Registering puts your child in the population register, where Home Affairs gives every person an ID number. You need the birth certificate for many things, such as a child’s passport or a SASSA child grant. Our deadline calculator works out the last day.

Who registers and where

A parent, next of kin or the child’s legal guardian registers the birth. Go to:

• the hospital or clinic where your baby was born, if Home Affairs has a desk there. See the list of health facilities with a Home Affairs office, or
• the nearest Home Affairs office, or
• the nearest South African embassy or consulate, if you are abroad.

What to take

• Proof of birth: the form the hospital or clinic gives you (DHA 24/PB). If the baby was born at home or somewhere else, bring an affidavit from a person who saw the birth (DHA 24/PBA, from a Home Affairs office).
• The parents’ IDs, or passports.
• Your marriage certificate, if the parents are married.
• A court order, for an abandoned or orphaned child.

What it costs

Registering a birth is free. After registration, Home Affairs issues a free birth certificate with the full details of the child and the parents (an unabridged birth certificate).

Later copies cost a fee, and an unabridged certificate costs more than an abridged one. Home Affairs lists the amounts on its tariffs and fees page. Bring your ID when you apply. Someone else can collect it for you with the receipt, a copy of your ID and their own original ID.

If the parents are not married

Home Affairs says the father must be there when the birth is registered and acknowledge in writing, on the notice of birth form, that he is the father. If he is not there, his details can’t be added to the birth record.

His details can be added later: he applies in person and pays the prescribed fee, and a new certificate is issued. This needs the mother’s consent or a court order.

If the parents marry later, the child can be re-registered as born to married parents, with the father’s surname. Home Affairs says this is free.

If a parent is not South African

If both parents are foreign nationals, Home Affairs issues a free handwritten birth notice, and the parents register the birth with their own embassy or consulate. If the father is South African, he can register the child as a South African by birth.

Home Affairs pages differ on whether children of permanent residents and refugees get a full birth certificate, so ask your office.

Registering late

After 30 days, it is a late registration, and you need more documents. You always go to a Home Affairs office (not a bank) with the child, whose palm, foot or fingerprints are taken.

Late registration needs more documents and a screening, so register as soon as you can.

Stay safe

Registering a birth and the first birth certificate are free. Don’t pay anyone to register a child or to “fix” a birth record.