Birth registration and birth certificates in WA

When do you have to register a birth in WA?

For every birth in Western Australia, the birth registration form must be lodged with the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages within 60 days of the birth, or, as the Department of Justice puts it, before your newborn is eight weeks old. Registering a birth is free. Allow 28 business days for the registration to be processed.

Registration is what lets your newborn be officially recognised for a range of services, and it comes before any certificate. Under the WA Act, both parents are jointly responsible for registering the birth and must both sign the statement, although the Registrar can accept one parent's statement where the other has died, disappeared or is unavailable, or to avoid unwarranted distress. The Act also says the Registrar must accept a statement lodged after the 60 days. This page is the WA detail; the Australia-wide guide covers what every state shares.

How do you register a birth in WA?

Most parents use the Registry's Online Birth Registration Portal, launched in June 2024. Before it, parents had to post paper forms or lodge them in person at the Registry in Perth. Paper birth registration forms are still available on request.

You don't have to find the portal yourself. The hospital or midwife gives you information on how to register your child's birth securely. If you have already left hospital without it, contact the Registry on 1300 305 021 or at bdm@justice.wa.gov.au. Through the portal you can order a birth certificate for a fee at the same time, or order one later.

Home births and births outside hospital

If your baby was born at home or anywhere other than a hospital and was taken to hospital within 24 hours, the hospital gives you the registration information as usual. If there was no registered doctor or midwife at the birth and your baby was not taken to hospital within 24 hours, you must contact the Registry yourself, by email or phone, within 60 days of the birth.

How do you get a birth certificate in WA?

You can apply for a certified birth certificate if the birth was registered in WA. This is the certificate for everyday use, such as a passport application, opening a bank account or proving identity. Apply:

• online, through the Registry's online service;
• in person at the Registry in Perth (9.00am to 4.00pm, Monday to Friday) or at a WA court location, including Albany, Armadale, Broome, Bunbury, Fremantle, Geraldton, Joondalup, Kalgoorlie, Mandurah, Midland and Rockingham; or
• by post to Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, PO Box 7720, Cloisters Square, Perth WA 6850.

The Registry does not accept emailed or faxed applications. As a parent named on the certificate you can apply for your child's certificate; a non-parent custodian or guardian needs a document establishing legal custody or guardianship.

What it costs

WA lists one fee for a certified birth certificate and no separate replacement fee, so a replacement for a lost certificate is ordered the same way. The Registry takes MasterCard or Visa, EFTPOS or cash in person, and money orders. Fees as published by the Department of Justice, checked 10 October 2026.

Identity documents

You need at least three evidence-of-identity documents in one of three combinations: one each from List 1, 2 and 3; one from List 1 and two from List 2; or two from List 2 and one from List 3. List 1 links your photo and signature, such as an Australian driver's licence or passport. List 2 shows you operating in the community, such as a Medicare card. List 3 proves where you live, such as a utility account less than 6 months old. The Registry may verify your documents through the Commonwealth's Document Verification Service, with your consent.

Changing your baby's name

WA gives you three routes, and the first one is time-limited:

• Within 12 months of birth: if your child was born in WA, you can change their given names using form BDM105. It costs $60, including a replacement birth certificate. Only one change of this kind is allowed, only within 12 months of the date of birth, and no extension can be given.
• Surname at the time of an amendment: a child's surname can be changed when the original registration is amended, for example to add the parents' marriage or certain parentage details.
• Registering a change of name: after 12 months, use form BDM401. The lodgement fee is $206 and is kept whatever the outcome. All parents named on the registration, or legal guardians, apply. If one parent can't get the other's consent, the Registry needs a sealed Family Court order first.

Settle the name before you lodge if you can. For ideas, see the most popular baby names in Australia.

Where to get help

The WA Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages is part of the Department of Justice: phone 1300 305 021, or use the National Relay Service on 133 677. If you experienced a pregnancy loss before 20 weeks, or your baby weighed under 400 grams when gestation is unknown, the Registry issues a free recognition certificate, and baby loss support in Australia lists further help. Once the birth is registered, enrol your baby in Medicare and see your baby's first passport if you plan to travel.

Frequently asked questions

How do I register a birth in WA?

Use the Registry's Online Birth Registration Portal; the hospital or midwife gives you the details for registering securely. Lodge within 60 days of the birth. It is free, and you can order a certificate at the same time. Paper forms are available on request, and processing takes about 28 business days.

How do I get a birth certificate in WA?

Apply online, in person at the Perth Registry or a WA court location, or by post to PO Box 7720, Cloisters Square. You need three identity documents in an accepted combination. A certified birth certificate costs $60, and priority processing adds $44. The Registry does not accept emailed or faxed applications.

How much is a replacement birth certificate in WA?

WA publishes a single fee of $60 for a certified birth certificate and no separate replacement fee, so a replacement costs $60 and is ordered the same way as a first certificate. Add $44 if you need it processed ahead of other applications.