Correcting an error
If you find an error on a birth certificate, it should be possible to correct this.
It costs £75 or £90 to apply to correct a mistake in a birth registration.
You can apply to correct a mistake in a birth registration on GOV.UK.
Making a change
Within 12 months of registering
If you wish to make a change to the first name (or any forenames) of your child, you can do so within 12 months of registering the birth.
You can:
- change the spelling of any forenames
- add extra forenames
- remove existing forenames
This can only be done once.
The original register will be annotated and a new birth certificate can be purchased.
Registrations over a year old
If the registration is more than a year old, you need to contact a solicitor and organise a Deed Poll Name Change.
There is a fee of £40.
How to make a change
You can either apply for a correction to:
- the register office where your child’s birth was registered - for minor mistakes in a parent’s occupation, birthplace or address
- the General Register Office - for mistakes involving things like names
For more information, visit GOV.UK's correct a birth registration page.