How long can I wait after having a child, before I have to register the birth?
My brother wants to name his child a name I think is really foolish. Isn't there a law that prevents people from giving their children silly names?
Can I give my child their father’s surname even if he refuses to acknowledge the child?
How long can I wait after having a child, before I have to register the birth?
The law says you have to register your child’s birth within two months unless you are incapable of doing so.
You’re normally given a Notification of Birth for Registration form after the birth. If you need to get this form, contact the Births, Deaths and Marriages office.
After you’ve completed the form, send it to
Births, Deaths and Marriages
PO Box 31203
Lower Hutt 5040
New Zealand
While birth registration is free, you need to pay to get a birth certificate, or a birth certificate package (one pictorial and one standard certificate for the same person). Forms are available online.
My brother wants to give his child a name I think is really foolish. Isn't there a law that prevents people from giving their children silly names?
Under the Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration Act section 18, you can register a baby under any name as long as it’s not offensive, unreasonably long, or an official title or rank. If you think the name your brother wants to give his child is illegal, he will be informed when he registers the birth, but you may want to warn him beforehand.
A child’s name can be a very sensitive issue for the wider family and parents, but it usually means the most to the child themselves. You could try and discuss this with your brother if you think that the name will affect the child later in life, but in the end you have to respect the parents’ decision.
If you think the name may be illegal, you can call the Births, Deaths and Marriages office to find out on 0800 22 52 52.
Can I give my child their father’s surname even if he refuses to acknowledge the child?
In New Zealand, you can register a baby under any name as long as it’s not offensive, unreasonably long, or an official title or rank, and this includes surnames. Because of this, it’s possible to give your baby their father’s surname.
Despite the fact that you can name a child whatever you want, if the father does not want his name to be on the birth certificate as the father (he may not believe that he is the father) he has the right to request that his name not be included. If you want the father’s name to appear on the birth certificate, you will have to provide evidence to the Registrar General that he is the father, for instance a paternity order.
You can discuss this further with Births, Deaths and Marriages by calling 0800 22 52 52.