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The birth of a child must be reported to the registry office responsible for the place of birth.

If the child is born in a hospital or other facility where obstetric care is provided, the notification of birth is handled by this facility.

In the case of a home birth, the birth must be reported in person by a custodial parent to the registry office within one week. If the parents are prevented from reporting the birth, the birth must be reported by another person who was present at the birth.

The birth of a child must be reported to the registry office in whose jurisdiction it was born. In the case of births in maternity clinics, the notification shall be made by them.

The following persons are obliged to report a birth in the following order:

• each parent of the child, if he or she is entitled to custody,
• any other person who was present at the birth or who has knowledge of the birth.
• In the case of births in hospitals or other institutions where obstetric care is provided.

• If your child was born in a hospital or birthing center, the birth will be reported to the registry office by these facilities.
• In the case of a home birth, you will receive a birth certificate, which you must hand in personally at your local registry office.
• Additional information and documents that cannot be taken from the registers must also be submitted to the registry office when registering the birth.
  

Please contact the registry office in whose jurisdiction the child was born.

To the registry office in whose jurisdiction it was born.

The birth of a child must be reported to the registry office in whose jurisdiction it was born.

As a rule, all of the following certificates and documents must be presented in the original for certification at the registry office. Foreign documents must always be translated by an interpreter licensed in Germany. In special cases, further documents may be required.

• Identity documents of mother and father (identity card or passport)
• Parents who are married to each other:
  • Marriage certificate
  • Birth certificates of both parents
• Parents who are not married to each other:
  • Birth certificates of both parents
  • Acknowledgment of paternity (if already made prenatally) and, if applicable, declaration of custody
• in the case of oral notification, a certificate of birth issued by a doctor, midwife or maternity nurse

If the mother's marital status is "divorced" or "widowed", the marriage certificate of the dissolved marriage and proof of the divorce (final judgment) or the death certificate of the spouse must also be submitted.

The notification of a birth at the registry office is free of charge Likewise, birth certificates for applying for parental allowance, child benefit and maternity assistance are free of charge. A birth certificate for private purposes costs €10.00.

Notification of the birth of the child must be made within one week at the registry office responsible for the place of birth.

The birth of a child must be reported to the competent registrar within one week. The day of birth shall not be included in the calculation of the notification period. If a child is stillborn or dies in childbirth, the notification must be made no later than the third working day following the birth.

If you wish to take action against a negative decision by the registry office, you have the option of applying to the local court to instruct the registry office.

The text was automatically translated based on the German content.

Thuringian Ministry of the Interior, Municipal Affairs and Regional Development

28.05.2026