Registering a birth in Queensland: the form, the notice of birth and the fees

When do you have to register a birth in Queensland?

You must register your child's birth with the Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages within 60 days of the birth, and registering is free. Under Queensland's Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 2023, the period is 180 days where variations of sex characteristics have been identified, and the registrar may accept a late application if satisfied that the birth happened.

Your child's birth must be registered before you can get a birth certificate, but you can order and pay for the certificate in the same application. This page is the Queensland detail; the Australia-wide guide covers what every state has in common.

What is the notice of birth form?

Two different documents are involved. The notice of birth tells the Registry that a birth happened. If your baby was born in hospital, or taken to hospital within 24 hours of birth, the hospital completes and submits it for you. If a doctor or midwife was present at a birth elsewhere, they complete it. The 2023 Act requires the notice within 2 working days of the birth.

The birth registration application is your job, and the Registry needs both to finalise the registration. If no doctor or midwife was present, the notice of birth must be completed and signed by a person other than the birth mother who was at the birth, or by the birth mother if she was alone, and emailed to the Registry. The Registry may ask for more information to prove the birth.

How do you register: online, by post or in person?

Online

Both parents must electronically verify one or more Australian identity documents, such as a driver licence, Medicare card, passport, Australian visa (foreign passport), ImmiCard, citizenship certificate, birth certificate, marriage certificate or change of name certificate. When both parents have verified their identity, the form can be submitted online. If either parent can't sign electronically, the form must be printed and submitted by post or in person. Don't print and resend a form that has already gone online.

On paper

Download the birth registration PDF form and fill it in by hand. An adult aged 18 or older must witness the parents' signatures. To order a certificate at the same time, use the separate birth certificate application form and include your payment method. Then either:

• post it to Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, PO Box 15188, City East QLD 4002;
• hand it in at any Queensland Magistrates Court or QGAP office, except the Brisbane Magistrates Court; or
• take it to the Brisbane registry customer service centre, Level 32, 180 Ann Street, open 8.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.

Whichever route you use, the Registry emails you if anything else is needed and again when the birth is registered. Processing takes up to 10 business days from when it has everything, including payment if you ordered a certificate; there is no urgent option for registration.

Who can register?

Both parents can apply together, or you can apply as the only parent able to apply. If your child was born outside Queensland, register in that state, territory or country instead. If you think the birth may already be registered, don't register it again; contact the Registry first.

What does it cost?

A certificate without the sex shown may not be accepted by some organisations. Fees as published by the Queensland Registry, checked 10 October 2026.

Ordering a birth certificate later

If you didn't order a certificate at registration, apply separately; as a parent you can apply for your child's certificate. You need 3 forms of ID, including proof of your home address. You can pay online and post certified copies, hand in originals at a Magistrates Court or QGAP office, or have them sighted at some JPs in the Community locations. Standard applications take up to 10 business days; an urgent application, within 2 business days, costs an extra $34.45. Fees are not refunded if an application is refused.

Changing your baby's first name in the first year

Queensland offers something most states don't: you can change your baby's first name before their first birthday, once, for $26.15, if they were born in Queensland. A new birth certificate showing the updated name is an extra fee.

After that, a full change of name costs $220, including one official certificate. In most cases both parents must agree, and a child aged 12 or older must also agree. You can't change a child's name if you have changed their family name in the past 12 months.

Adding a parent

Adding a father or parent to a birth certificate costs $23.40, and both parents apply together. Applications are reviewed case by case, sometimes need a Supreme Court parentage order, and don't include an updated certificate, which is $58.10.

Where to get help

The Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages handles registration, certificates and name changes; general Queensland Government enquiries go to 13 QGOV (13 74 68). For name ideas before you register, see the most popular baby names in Australia. Once the birth is registered, enrol your baby in Medicare, check Parental Leave Pay if you are claiming it, and see your baby's first passport if you plan to travel.

Frequently asked questions

Can I register a birth in Queensland online?

Yes. Use the Registry's online form, where both parents electronically verify their Australian identity documents before it can be submitted. Registration is free and you can order a $58.10 certificate at the same time. If either parent can't sign electronically, print the form and post it or hand it in.

Where do I get the QLD birth registration form?

The birth registration PDF form is on the Queensland Government's Register a birth page. Print it, fill it in by hand and have an adult witness the parents' signatures. Post it to PO Box 15188, City East, or hand it in at a Magistrates Court, a QGAP office or the Brisbane registry.

Does the hospital register my baby's birth in Queensland?

No. The hospital sends a notice of birth, which Queensland law requires within 2 working days, but that only tells the Registry a birth happened. You still have to lodge the birth registration application within 60 days; the Registry needs both documents to finalise the registration.

How long does a newborn birth certificate take in QLD?

Registration takes up to 10 business days once the Registry has everything it needs, and a certificate ordered with it is posted after that. A certificate ordered later also takes up to 10 business days, or within 2 business days if you pay the $34.45 urgent fee.