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All births that occur in Alberta must be registered with the Alberta government.
All births that occur in Alberta must be registered by the baby’s parents with the Alberta government. You can register your baby's birth information for one year from the baby's date of birth. After one year, the delayed registration process applies. A birth can only be registered once.
To register the birth of a child:
A birth certificate cannot be issued until the birth is registered.
When the mother/person who gave birth to the baby cannot register the birth information online or the baby is in the care and custody of a person other than the parents, contact Vital Statistics for special instructions.
You have options when choosing a name for your baby. However, there are restrictions respecting personal names when choosing, altering or correcting a legal name on Vital Statistics certificates and documents.
A co-parent can be:
When a baby is conceived by assisted reproduction, the spouse/partner of the mother/person who gave birth is a co-parent when
For the full definition of who can be legally recorded as a co-parent, see sections 8 and 8.1 in the Family Law Act. A person helping you raise your baby or a guardian of the baby is not a co-parent on a Vital Statistics birth record.
The mother/person who gave birth to the baby and co-parent must both be present to certify the birth information when registering a baby’s birth online.
The only way to remove a co-parent after a birth is registered is with a court order.
Persons who become a parent as a result of a surrogacy order or an adoption order are recorded using a different process. Contact Vital Statistics for details if this applies to you.
If you do not order birth certificates for your baby using the Online Birth Registry or you need to get another certificate/document, order birth certificates or birth documents from an Alberta registry agent. The cost is $40 for each birth certificate.
After your baby is born, you must register your baby’s birth information using the Online Birth Registry. Never register your child’s birth information with Vital Statistics more than once.
When you register your baby’s information online, you may also:
Do not register your baby’s birth information using the Online Birth Registry if:
If any of the above exceptions apply to you or you have questions about using special characters, contact Vital Statistics for special instructions.
After you have registered your baby’s information online and Vital Statistics receives notice from the medical professional that assisted with the birth (for example, physician, registered midwife), Vital Statistics completes your child’s registration if all the requirements are met.
A special registration process is required when a physician, registered midwife, nurse or nurse practitioner did NOT assist with the birth.
To register an unassisted birth, supporting evidence is required. There are 2 kinds of evidence that can be provided depending on if the child and mother/person who gave birth attend a medical facility within 48 hours of the child’s birth.
The following outlines the general process required to register an unassisted birth in Alberta.
It is a criminal offence to fraudulently register a birth.
PDF form issues
Fillable PDF forms do not open properly on some mobile devices and web browsers. To fill in and save the form:
Request for an Unassisted Birth Package (PDF, 172 KB)
You can also call Vital Statistics and get the form sent to you.
Send the Request for an Unassisted Birth Package form to Vital Statistics by email, fax or mail.
Email: [email protected]
Fax: 780-422-4225
Mail:
Vital Statistics
Box 2023
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4W7
Attention: Birth Unit
Vital Statistics will then send you an Unassisted Birth Package including details about the required evidence needed to support the birth details.
Evidence supporting the baby’s birth is required using either Option A or Option B.
You will need a letter from a medical facility (for example, a hospital or medical clinic) visited within 48 hours after the baby’s birth.
The letter must be on medical facility letterhead and have the following information:
You will need to provide evidence of each of the following:
See the guide Proof for an Unassisted Birth for more detail about each of the above pieces of evidence.
Mail the original supporting evidence documents to Vital Statistics for review.
Mail:
Vital Statistics
Box 2023
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4W7
Attention: Birth Unit
After Vital Statistics examines the documentation you sent and determines all the requirements are met, Vital Statistics will send you a letter explaining the final steps and the required birth form(s) to complete the registration of your child's birth.
Complete the Notice of a Live Birth form
Register your child's birth details through the Online Birth Registry
Mail:
Vital Statistics
Box 2023
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4W7
Attention: Birth Unit
Vital Statistics will examine the documents and, if all requirements are met, register your baby's birth.
If you provide the birth registration information through the Online Birth Registry, you may order birth certificates for your baby at the end of the online process. After Vital Statistics has reviewed and registered your baby's birth, your online certificate request will be processed. This may take up to 3 weeks.
You may also order birth certificates or birth documents for your baby from an Alberta registry agent.
If a birth is not registered within one year from a baby’s date of birth, evidence and additional fees apply to register the birth. For full details, contact Vital Statistics.
Canada Learning Bond / Canada Education Savings Grant
Learn more about early savings for your child’s post-secondary education, such as
Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG), which is available to all eligible children regardless of family income
Connect with the Service Alberta Contact Centre:
Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-427-7013 (Edmonton and area)
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Fax: 780-422-4225
For the deaf or hard-of-hearing:
TTY: 780-427-9999 (Edmonton and area)
Toll free TTY: 1-800-232-7215 (in Alberta)
Email: [email protected]
Mail:
Vital Statistics
Box 2023
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4W7
Attention: Birth Unit
Courier:
Vital Statistics
Document Reception
John E. Brownlee Building
10365 97 Street
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 5C5
Attention: Birth Unit
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