Sarkari kaam · Registrar General of India
Birth certificate 21-day rule and late registration
Registering a birth within 21 days is free and the certificate is free too. After that the steps get longer, and from 1 October 2026 births reported after two years need a Judicial Magistrate’s order.
Last updated: Reviewed by IndiaDigital editorsSources
Official fee
| For | Fee |
|---|---|
| Registration within 21 days, and the first certificatesource: dc.crsorgi.gov.in | Free |
| Reported after 21 days, within 30 daysModel rules; your state may differsource: dc.crsorgi.gov.in | ₹20 late fee |
| Reported after 30 days, within 1 yearPlus written permission of the District Registrar and a self-attested documentsource: dc.crsorgi.gov.in | ₹50 late fee |
| Reported after 1 yearPlus a magistrate’s order (see steps). The 2026 amendment says the fee is "as prescribed" by your statesource: dc.crsorgi.gov.in | ₹100 late fee (model rules) |
| Adding the child’s name within 12 monthssource: dc.crsorgi.gov.in | Free |
Birth registration is done under state rules made under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969. The amounts above are from the Registrar General’s model rules; check your state’s portal or registrar for the exact fee and for extra copies.
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Steps
- Report the birth to the Registrar of the place where the birth happened (municipality, gram panchayat or the registrar named by your state) within 21 days. Hospitals usually do this for you; ask them.
- If you report it yourself, fill the birth report form on the CRS portal or your state’s portal, or at the registrar’s office, with the parents’ details and the place of birth.
- Collect the birth certificate. It is issued free when the birth is registered within the time limit. Many states now issue a digitally signed certificate you can download.
- Add the child’s name later if you registered without it: the model rules let you add it free within 12 months of registration.
- Late registration: between 21 and 30 days pay the late fee; between 30 days and one year you also need written permission from the District Registrar and a self-attested document.
- After one year: from 1 October 2026, a birth reported after one year but within two years needs an order from the District Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrate or an authorised Executive Magistrate. After two years it needs an order from a Judicial Magistrate of the first class.
Printable checklist: Birth certificate
indiadigital.org/sarkari-kaam/birth-certificate/ · Fees checked: 1 November 2026
Questions people ask
Is the birth certificate free?
Yes, when the birth is registered within 21 days, the registration and the certificate are free under the model rules. Late registration has a small late fee and extra steps.
What changed on 1 October 2026?
The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2026 came into force. A birth reported after one year but within two years needs an order from the District Magistrate, SDM or an authorised Executive Magistrate; after two years it needs an order from a Judicial Magistrate of the first class.
Can I add my child’s name later?
Yes. Under the model rules the name can be added free within 12 months of registration. After that your state’s rules apply.
Sources
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