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Government Services

Birth Certificate Online: How to Apply and Download

Register a birth with the local registrar within 21 days for free. Then download the birth certificate from the CRS portal or your state portal.

VD

Written by Vikram Desai

Published 4 October 2026·6 min read

On this page9 sections
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A birth must be reported to the local Registrar of Births and Deaths within 21 days. Registration in that window is free, and the registrar must give you a certificate within seven days. You can then download it from the Civil Registration System (CRS) portal, dc.crsorgi.gov.in, or your state’s own portal, using the reference number and an OTP.

Key facts

Item Detail
Law Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, as amended in 2023 (in force from 1 October 2023)
Where to register Registrar for the place where the birth happened
Normal period 21 days from the birth; no fee
Certificate First copy free, within seven days of registration (Section 12)
Hospital births The hospital reports the birth
Child’s name Can be added free within 12 months; with a fee up to 15 years
Delayed registration Section 13; late fee and, after 30 days, official permission
Appeal To the District Registrar within 30 days (Section 25A)

Why the birth certificate matters

For anyone born on or after 1 October 2023, the birth certificate is the required proof of date and place of birth for:

  • admission to a school or college;
  • a driving licence and a passport;
  • inclusion in the voter list;
  • marriage registration;
  • a government or public sector job;
  • an Aadhaar number.

For people born earlier, other documents still work. The certificate remains the simplest proof of age, and it is one of the date-of-birth proofs you can use when you apply for a PAN card.

Registration timelines and late fees

The Act fixes who must approve a late registration. The fee is set by each state’s rules. The Registrar General’s Model Rules, 2024 suggest the amounts below; Tamil Nadu, for example, charges more.

When reported What you need (Section 13) Model Rules, 2024 fee Tamil Nadu fee
Within 21 days Report to the registrar Nil Nil
22 to 30 days Late fee only ₹20 ₹100
31 days to 1 year Written permission of the District Registrar or prescribed officer, and a self-attested document ₹50 ₹200
After 1 year Order of a District Magistrate, SDM or authorised Executive Magistrate, after verification ₹100 ₹500

Other states set their own fees. Check with your registrar or the state’s birth and death rules before you pay.

Who reports the birth

ItemDetails
Government hospitalthe medical officer in charge reports it. Many large government hospitals have their own registration unit, so ask before discharge.
Private hospital or nursing homethe institution reports it to the registrar of that area.
Home birththe head of the household, or the nearest relative present, must report it. Anganwadi workers, ASHAs and ANMs can also act as notifiers.

Registrars are officials of the municipal body in towns and of the panchayat, health or revenue department in villages.

Applying through the CRS portal

The Office of the Registrar General runs the CRS portal. Its home page lists the states and UTs whose events it accepts, including Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Other states run their own portals, so check yours first.

On CRS, a member of the public can report only a birth that happened at home, and only within 21 days. For a hospital birth, or for anything older than 21 days, go to the registrar.

  1. Open dc.crsorgi.gov.in and choose General Public Sign Up.
  2. Register with your name, mobile number and email ID, and verify with the OTP.
  3. Log in and open the birth reporting form (Form 1).
  4. Enter the child’s date and place of birth, parents’ details and address. Write dates as dd-mm-yyyy and names without abbreviations.
  5. Upload the documents asked for, such as parents’ ID and address proof.
  6. Submit and note the application reference number.
  7. Track the application. The registrar verifies it and registers the birth, and certificate details are sent to your mobile and email.

Chhattisgarh’s guidance lists parents’ ID, address proof and, for home births, a verification from the ward councillor or a panchnama from the sarpanch. Requirements vary by state.

Downloading the certificate

  1. Go to the Download Certificate page on dc.crsorgi.gov.in.
  2. Enter the application reference number and click Continue.
  3. Enter the OTP sent to the registered mobile number.
  4. Download the certificate as a PDF and save a copy.

If the birth was registered on a state portal, download it there. Any number of further copies can be issued under Section 17 on payment of a fee; the Model Rules put a search at ₹20 and each certificate at ₹50. If you have lost the reference number, contact the registrar who registered the birth.

Delayed registration after one year

A birth reported more than a year late now needs an order from a District Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrate or an Executive Magistrate authorised by the DM. The magistrate verifies that the birth happened as claimed. Apply through the registrar with proof of the date and place of birth, such as school or hospital records. Some offices also ask for a sworn statement; our guide on how to make an affidavit explains the format.

Change passed in August 2026, not yet in force

Parliament passed the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026 on 4 August 2026, and it received the President’s assent. Under it, delays of one to two years stay with the DM or SDM. A birth reported more than two years late would need an order from a Judicial Magistrate of the first class. The Act starts on a date the Centre notifies in the Gazette, and no such notification was found on 16 September 2026. If your case is old, file soon and ask the registrar which rule applies.

Wrong entries can be corrected by the registrar under Section 15. If the registrar refuses to register or correct, you can appeal to the District Registrar within 30 days. For complex delayed cases, a local lawyer can help with the magistrate’s application.

Frequently asked questions

How can I get a birth certificate online?

If the birth is registered, download the certificate from dc.crsorgi.gov.in or your state portal with the reference number and OTP. A home birth within 21 days can be reported online through General Public Sign Up.

Is there a fee for a birth certificate?

No, if the birth is reported within 21 days. The first certificate is free; extra copies carry a fee set by the state.

Can I download a birth certificate by registration number?

The CRS download page asks for the application reference number and sends an OTP to the registered mobile. Without it, ask the registrar for a copy.

Can I get a birth certificate without the child’s name?

Yes. The name can be added free within 12 months, and later with a fee, up to 15 years from registration.

My child was born in a hospital. Do I have to apply?

No. The hospital reports the birth. Collect the certificate from the hospital’s registration unit or the local registrar.

How do I register a birth that happened 10 years ago?

Apply to the registrar with proof of birth. You will need a magistrate’s order and the late fee. Once the 2026 amendment is notified, this will be a Judicial Magistrate First Class.

Where do I register a birth that happened abroad?

At the Indian mission abroad. If the family returns to settle in India, it can be registered within 60 days of the child’s arrival.

Sources

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