Register a birth
All births that take place in Nova Scotia need to be registered with Vital Statistics within 30 days of the birth. When you register the birth of your baby, you can also apply for government benefits and services (Social Insurance Number, Canada Child Benefit and Health Card).
Register a birth. All births that take place in Nova Scotia need to be registered with Vital Statistics.
Register within 30 days
The birth of every baby born in Nova Scotia needs to be registered with Vital Statistics within 30 days.
If more than 1 year goes by before you register the birth, you need to:
- contact Vital Statistics and complete a Delayed Registration of Birth Form
- provide evidence of the birth
- pay a fee for the delayed registration
Apply for government benefits and services
When you register the birth of your baby, you can also apply for a:
- Social Insurance Number for your baby
- Canada Child Benefit
- Health Card for your baby
Birth Registration Kiosk locations
- Aberdeen Hospital, New Glasgow
- Cape Breton Regional Hospital, Sydney
- Colchester East Hants Health Centre, Truro
- Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre, Amherst
- IWK Health Centre, Halifax
- South Shore Regional Hospital, Bridgewater
- St. Martha’s Regional Hospital, Antigonish
- Valley Regional Hospital, Kentville
- Yarmouth Regional Hospital, Yarmouth
Surrogacy and assisted conception
If the birth involves surrogacy or assisted conception, you need to provide additional information for Vital Statistics to list you as a parent.
Additional information includes confirmation that you completed a pre-conception parentage agreement before the child was conceived.
Contact Vital Statistics for more information and to get the required forms.
Eligibility
A parent needs to register the birth of their baby if the baby is born in Nova Scotia. If a parent is unable to register the birth, contact Vital Statistics.
How to register
- Visit a Birth Registration Kiosk.
- Complete the registration form.
- If you want to apply for additional government benefits and services, complete the applications for the additional benefits and services.
- Submit the birth registration.
- After you submit the birth registration, enter or confirm your email address if you want to receive instructions on how to apply for a Birth Certificate for your baby.
- Vital Statistics processes your birth registration.
How long it takes
It should take 20 minutes to complete the registration form at a Birth Registration Kiosk (for each baby you need to register). It should take 2 to 3 months for the birth to be registered. It can take longer if more information is needed or if your form hasn’t been filled in correctly.
Cost
There is no cost to register the birth of your baby. There is a cost to apply for a Birth Certificate for your baby.
Before you start
Make sure you have:
- biological mother's information including all given names, maiden name, place of birth and date of birth
- father or other parent’s information including all given names, place of birth and date of birth (if needed)
- biological mother’s Social Insurance Number if applying for the Canada Child Benefit
- biological mother’s Health Card number if you’re applying for your baby’s Health Card
You need to provide additional supporting documents if the birth involves surrogacy or assisted conception. Contact Vital Statistics for more information and to get the required forms.
You can use the Birth Registration Form if you don’t give birth at one of the regional hospitals with a Birth Registration Kiosk or the IWK Health Centre. If you need the Birth Registration Form, contact Vital Statistics.
When you register the birth of your baby using the Birth Registration Form, you can also apply for a Social Insurance Number for your baby and the Canada Child Benefit.