Registering a birth in South Australia: online, by phone or by post

When do you have to register a birth in South Australia?

Babies born in South Australia must be registered with Consumer and Business Services (CBS) within 60 days of their birth. The hospital will not do this for you, and registering is free.

The deadline comes from South Australia's Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1996, which also says the Registrar must accept a birth registration statement lodged after the 60 days. Late is better than never, but the certificate your child needs for school, healthcare and an Australian passport can't be issued until the birth is registered. This page is the South Australian detail; the Australia-wide guide covers what every state has in common.

What does the hospital do?

The hospital sends the Registrar a notice that the birth happened. Under the Act, if your baby was born in hospital or brought to hospital within 24 hours, the hospital's chief executive officer must give that notice within 7 days of a live birth; otherwise the doctor or midwife responsible does it. It is not a registration. Registering is a separate step that you, the parents, take, and nothing is registered until you do it.

How do you register a birth online in SA?

CBS's online form is the main route. A few practical points make it easier:

• Use the Blue Book. Some of the information you need, such as your baby's birth weight and the doctor's or midwife's details, is in the Blue Book the hospital gives you.
• You can pause. You don't have to finish in one go: you can save the form and carry on where you left off for up to 48 hours.
• Proof of identity. Parents listed on the registration upload a copy of their Australian passport, Australian driver's licence, or Centrelink and Medicare cards.
• A mobile phone. Each parent listed must have a mobile phone and be able to respond to SMS messages.

If you don't have the ID documents or a mobile phone, you can still register online. CBS emails you a PDF that the parents listed must print and sign. If your baby was conceived through a fertilisation procedure and you record a donor, the donor needs the same ID and mobile phone, or signs the printed PDF with you.

CBS publishes guidance on registering a baby online in 16 other languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Dari, Hindi, Punjabi, Vietnamese and Urdu, and a factsheet for when there are two parents but only one is registering the birth.

On paper

Phone Births, Deaths and Marriages on 131 882 (option 1) and they will post you a paper form. Complete it and post it with any supporting documents to Births, Deaths and Marriages, GPO Box 1351, Adelaide SA 5001.

What does it cost?

Priority processing isn't available for commemorative certificates or unregistered births, and processing times don't include Australia Post delivery. CBS currently notes longer than usual processing times, and its website has an estimator you can check. Fees as published on SA.GOV.AU, checked 10 October 2026.

Getting the birth certificate

You can apply for the certificate when you register, or later. A certificate can only be issued if the birth was registered in South Australia. As the child's parent you can apply for their certificate; like anyone applying for someone else's certificate, you show proof of your connection and give a reason, such as being a parent applying for your child's certificate. A legal guardian who isn't a parent needs evidence of guardianship.

You prove your identity with one of four combinations of documents, such as two from list 1 (Australian passport, Australian driver's licence or Centrelink concession card), or one from list 1 and one from list 2 or 3. At least one document must show your name and address and one your signature, and all must be current. You can pay online by credit card, or in person or by post by cheque, money order or credit card, but you can't apply over the phone.

Adding a father or co-parent later

A father's details can be added if the child was conceived naturally. A father's or co-parent's details can be added after a fertilisation procedure the father or co-parent consented to, if at conception the parents were married, in a registered relationship or partners in a marriage-like relationship.

Both parents sign the application form in front of a Justice of the Peace or a solicitor. Attach the child's original birth certificate and two types of ID for each parent, with certified photocopies, and post it to CBS. Adding a father's details does not change the child's name.

Changing a child's name

Registering a change of name for a child costs $322, which includes a new birth certificate or change of name certificate. CBS accepts one name change every 12 months, and a name can be changed only three times in a lifetime. You sign a declaration in front of a registry-approved witness, such as a justice of the peace, notary public, police officer or practising solicitor. For name ideas before you register, see the most popular baby names in Australia.

Where to get help

Births, Deaths and Marriages at Consumer and Business Services is on 131 882 (option 1), or +61 8 8204 8532 from overseas. 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

How do I register a baby in SA?

Register online with Consumer and Business Services within 60 days of the birth. Have the Blue Book, your ID and a mobile phone ready, and you can save the form for up to 48 hours. It is free. Without ID or a phone, CBS emails a PDF to print and sign, or phone 131 882 for a paper form.

Does the hospital register the birth in SA?

No. CBS states plainly that the hospital will not register your baby for you. The hospital notifies the Registrar that the birth happened, within 7 days under South Australian law, but only the parents' registration actually registers the birth, so you need to complete it yourself within 60 days.

How much is a birth certificate in SA?

A standard birth certificate costs $72.00, and a standard plus commemorative certificate costs $99.00. You can order it when you register the birth or later. Paying a $50.00 priority fee gets your application processed within 1 business day, although delivery by Australia Post takes extra time.