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Birth Registered Late or Never: Section 13, and the 2023 Rule on Birth Certificates

Sarkari Naukri Khabar  •  All India

Many adults, especially those born at home, never had their birth registered, and are now being asked for a birth certificate by UIDAI, during SIR, or for a passport. A birth can still be registered years later under Section 13 of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, but the 2023 amendment set out exactly who must approve it: the District Registrar if it is within a year, and a District Magistrate or Sub-Divisional Magistrate after that. This guide explains the three routes, what the 2023 rule on birth certificates does and does not change for today's job candidates, and how to add a name that was never entered.

The normal rule: 21 days, and free

The Civil Registration System's official guidance says the normal period for reporting a birth is 21 days from the date it happened, and if it is reported within that period, no fee is charged. One copy of the certificate is issued free to the person who reported the birth, under Section 12 of the Act; further copies can be obtained by anyone on payment of the prescribed fee, under Section 17.

A birth not reported within 21 days can still be registered at any time, under the delayed registration provisions of Section 13, on payment of the prescribed fee.

Late registration: who has to approve it

The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2023 rewrote the rules for births reported late. How far past the event you are decides who must approve it:

• After thirty days but within one year: registered only with the written permission of the District Registrar or such other authority, on payment of the prescribed fee and on production of a self-attested document in the prescribed form.
• After one year: registered only on an order of a District Magistrate, a Sub-Divisional Magistrate, or an Executive Magistrate authorised by the District Magistrate, having jurisdiction over the area where the birth took place, after verifying that the birth is correct, and on payment of the prescribed fee.

Apply where the birth happened, not where you live

The order has to come from the magistrate with jurisdiction over the area where the birth took place. So a person born in a village in one district and now living in Patna or Delhi applies in the district of birth. The fee, the form and the evidence the magistrate asks for are set by state rules, so ask at the district or sub-divisional office before you start. Our Bihar birth certificate guide explains how the registrar system works in Bihar.

The 2023 rule: one document for date and place of birth

The same amendment added a rule to Section 17. For a person born on or after the date the 2023 amendment came into force, the birth certificate shall be used to prove the date and place of birth, notwithstanding any other law, for these purposes:

• admission to an educational institution;
• issuance of a driving licence;
• preparation of a voter list;
• registration of a marriage;
• appointment to a post in the Central or State Government, a local body, a public sector undertaking, or a statutory or autonomous body;
• issuance of a passport;
• issuance of an Aadhaar number;
• any other purpose the Central Government determines.

What that rule means for today's job candidates

Read the dates carefully. The rule applies to people born on or after the date the 2023 amendment came into force. Nobody applying for a government job today was born that recently, so for current recruitments, which document proves your age is still decided by the notification, and it is usually the matriculation certificate.

The birth certificate still matters for adults, though, for other reasons. UIDAI treats it as the legal proof of date of birth, and once you give it to Aadhaar you normally cannot change your date of birth again. A birth certificate is also item 3 on the official SIR document list. See our guides on correcting Aadhaar and on SIR documents.

If the name was never entered

It is common for a birth to be registered before the child was named. Under Section 14 of the Act, a birth certificate can be issued without the name. The Civil Registration System's guidance says the name can then be entered by the registration authority without charge within 12 months, and on payment of the prescribed fee up to 15 years from the date of registration, a period that has been extended from time to time.

If the entry is wrong

Corrections and cancellations of an entry are allowed under Section 15 of the Act and the state's rules made under it. Correct the birth record before you use it anywhere else. A wrong date on a birth certificate will be copied into every document built from it, including Aadhaar, where you normally get only one change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a birth be registered after many years?

Yes. Under Section 13 of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, as amended in 2023, a birth reported more than a year late is registered on an order of a District Magistrate, a Sub-Divisional Magistrate, or an Executive Magistrate authorised by the District Magistrate, after verifying the birth and on payment of the prescribed fee.

Who approves registration within one year?

After thirty days but within one year, registration needs the written permission of the District Registrar or such other authority, with the prescribed fee and a self-attested document.

Where do I apply if I now live in another city?

In the area where the birth took place. The order must come from the magistrate with jurisdiction over that area.

Is the birth certificate now compulsory proof of age for government jobs?

Only for people born on or after the date the 2023 amendment came into force, under the 2023 amendment. For today's candidates, the recruitment notification still decides which document proves age.

Can a name be added to a birth certificate later?

Yes. Under Section 14, the name can be entered without charge within 12 months, and on payment of the prescribed fee up to 15 years from the date of registration.

Is registration within 21 days free?

Yes. The Civil Registration System's guidance says no fee is charged if a birth is reported within the normal period of 21 days.

ℹ️ Government rules, fees and processing times can change. Always confirm the current position on the official portal or at your block office before acting.

Last updated: 11 Sep 2026