Register the birth in a public or private clinic or facility with the registry office
Did you have your child in a hospital or other facility that provides obstetric care?
If so, the organisation responsible for the facility will report the birth directly to the registry office.
Note: The parents and other persons who were present at the birth or who know about the birth also have the right to report the birth.
They are also obliged to provide all information that the hospital cannot provide.
Responsible authority
the registry office of the child's place of birth
Details
Prerequisite
You gave birth to your child in a hospital or other facility where obstetric care is provided.
Procedure
You must provide the hospital with the documents required to register the birth at the registry office.
After the birth has been notarised, you will receive a birth certificate if the child's name has already been established, otherwise a birth certificate.
Deadlines
within one week of the birth
Note: If the child's first name or surname have not yet been determined when the birth is announced, you must register them with the registry office within one month.
Required documents
- medical certificate or certificate from the midwife about the birth
- Parents' identity card or passport (or a recognised passport substitute)
- if the parents are married: additionally
- notarised printout from the marriage register or
- Birth certificates and the parents' marriage certificate
- if the mother is unmarried: additionally
- Birth certificate of the mother
- if the mother is divorced or widowed: additionally
- notarised printout from the marriage register or
- Birth certificate and marriage certificate of the mother and divorce decree or death certificate
- if the parents are not married and paternity has already been recognised or is to be recognised before the birth is notarised: additionally
- notarised copy of the father's declaration of recognition
- notarised copy of the mother's declaration of consent
- for an unmarried father: birth certificate
- for a father who is or was married: birth certificate and marriage certificate (and divorce decree if applicable) or extract from the marriage register
- for foreign parents: additionally
- Proof of residence permit to prove that the child has acquired German citizenship
Please note: It is not necessary to submit documents from registers kept at the relevant registry office. The registry office may request further documents if this is necessary to prove information.
Costs
The notarisation of the birth is free of charge.
You will receive three birth certificates once free of charge for applying for
- Parental allowance,
- Child benefit and
- Maternity benefit.
Each additional birth certificate, for example for the family register or for religious purposes, costs 20.00 euros.
Miscellaneous
The registry office informs the registration office about the birth of your child.
Have you lost a birth certificate or do you need a notarised printout from the register of births?
You must apply for this at the registry office for a fee.
Legal basis
- § 20 Personenstandsgesetz (PStG) (Anzeige durch Einrichtungen)
- § 21 Personenstandsgesetz (PStG) (Eintragung in das Geburtenregister)
- § 33 Personenstandsverordnung (PStV) (Nachweise bei Anzeige der Geburt)
- § 5 der Verordnung des Innenministeriums zur Durchführung des Personenstandsgesetzes (PStG-DVO) (Erhebung von Gebühren und Auslagen) in Verbindung mit Anlage 1 (Gebührenverzeichnis)
Release note
machine generated, based on the German release by: Innenministerium Baden-Württemberg, 08.05.2025