Apply for a birth certificate online through the national Civil Registration System portal at https://dc.crsorgi.gov.in or your state's e-district portal. For a new birth, register within 21 days and the Registrar must give the first certificate free within 7 days (Section 12, RBD Act 1969). For an older birth, request a certified copy on payment of the state fee (Section 17). If the office sits on your application, you can file an RTI for the file status and, if refused, appeal under Section 25A within 30 days.
Short on time? Jump to how to apply online step by step for the exact process, or what to do when the office delays or refuses if your application is already stuck.
A birth certificate is now the single proof of date of birth for school admission, a driving licence, the voter roll, Aadhaar, marriage registration and a government job. That follows the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act 2023, in force from 1 October 2023, which made registration digital and the certificate a single accepted document for these services.
The friction is rarely the law. It is the counter. Registrars still ask people to “come in person”, demand documents the rules do not list, or let an online application sit unactioned. Knowing the exact section, the timeline and the escalation path is what gets the certificate issued.
Take a common situation: a parent applies online for a child's certificate, pays the fee, and then hears nothing for weeks. The portal shows “pending with Registrar”. The law already fixes a timeline and gives an appeal. The sections below show how to use them.
The Registration of Births and Deaths Act 1969 (RBD Act), as amended by the 2023 Amendment Act, governs birth registration across India. The sections that matter to you:
On identity proof: a birth certificate does not require Aadhaar. The Supreme Court in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) v. Union of India (2019) 1 SCC 1 held that Aadhaar cannot be made mandatory for a service unless a law specifically requires it. You can use a Voter ID, passport or other accepted proof. Giving Aadhaar is optional and only speeds up the form.
Watch for fake portals. Search results often show lookalike sites such as “dc.crsorgi.gov.in.veriy.in” or “…dccertificate.in” that imitate the government page to harvest payments and data. The genuine portal is dc.crsorgi.gov.in (and crsorgi.gov.in). If the address does not end in gov.in, do not pay or upload anything.
For a new birth (within 21 days):
For delayed registration (after 21 days):
Exact lists vary by state. Check your state portal's document page before you start.
Fees are fixed by each state's rules under the RBD Act, not by a national rate, and are generally small (commonly ₹10–₹50 for a certified copy as of 2026). The first certificate after timely registration is free under Section 12. Confirm the current fee on your state portal before paying.
On timing: the Registrar must issue the first certificate within 7 days of completing registration (Section 12). State portals typically process an online request in about 7 working days. If your application crosses that window with no action, treat it as a delay and use the escalation steps below.
Within 21 days — normal registration. The hospital or the parents report the birth; the first certificate is free.
After 21 days but within 1 year — apply with an affidavit explaining the delay and the late fee. This needs the written permission of the District Registrar (Section 13).
After 1 year — registration needs an order of a District Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, or an authorised Executive Magistrate (Section 13). The magistrate verifies the birth from records such as a school certificate or immunisation card before allowing it. Once the order is issued, the Registrar registers the birth and issues the certificate.
If the name is misspelled or a detail is wrong, you do not re-register. Under Section 15, the Registrar corrects the entry by a marginal note, subject to your state's rules. Apply for a correction with an affidavit and a document showing the correct detail (such as a school certificate). The original entry is not erased; a dated correction is added.
The office of the Registrar or Chief Registrar is a public authority under Section 2(h) of the Right to Information Act 2005. File a Section 6(1) RTI asking for:
The PIO must reply within 30 days (Section 7, RTI Act). You can draft the application with the AI RTI Drafter and check any evasive reply with the PIO Reply Checker.
If the Registrar rejects the application or does not act, file an appeal to the District Registrar (or to the Chief Registrar against a District Registrar) within 30 days of the action under Section 25A of the RBD Act. Attach your application acknowledgement, the payment reference, and any RTI reply.
If the delay is unreasonable and the office still does not act, you can take it further — a complaint for deficiency in service, or a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution in your state High Court asking for a direction to issue the certificate. This is a last resort once the RTI and the Section 25A appeal are exhausted.
SAMPLE RTI APPLICATION To, The Public Information Officer, Office of the Registrar (Births and Deaths), [Office address from your state portal] Subject: Status of birth certificate application no. [Number] dated [Date] Under the Right to Information Act 2005, please provide: 1. The date my application was received and its current status. 2. The name and designation of the officer processing it. 3. If rejected, the reason and the rule relied on. 4. Certified copies of the documents I uploaded on [Date]. 5. The action taken to issue the certificate within the timeline under Section 12 of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act 1969. I enclose the application fee of Rs 10 by IPO no. [Number]. Date: Name, address, signature Phone / email
Yes, through delayed registration under Section 13. If the birth is more than a year old, you need a magistrate's order, supported by records such as a school certificate or immunisation card. Apply on your state portal or at the Registrar's office.
The hospital should have reported the birth (Form 1) to the Registrar within 21 days under Section 8. Search the CRS or your state portal using the parents' names and the approximate date. If no record exists, apply for delayed registration with whatever proof you have, such as the discharge summary or hospital bill.
Yes. A certificate digitally signed by the Registrar through the CRS or state portal is legally valid; digital signatures are recognised under the Information Technology Act 2000. There is no expiry date on a birth certificate. Many offices accept the DigiLocker copy directly.
No. Following Puttaswamy (2019), Aadhaar cannot be forced for a service unless a law requires it, and the RBD Act does not. You may use a Voter ID, passport or other accepted proof. Aadhaar only auto-fills the form if you choose to give it.
File an RTI for the file status (sample above) and, in parallel, an appeal under Section 25A treating the silence as a refusal. If the RTI reply is also delayed, you can complain to the State Information Commission for the RTI delay.
Yes. Upload a signed authorisation letter with your identity proof and the representative's identity proof. Some states ask for the authorisation to be notarised — check your state portal.
| Myth | Reality |
|---|---|
| Only the hospital where you were born can issue the certificate. | The Registrar issues it (Section 17). The hospital only reports the birth. |
| You must visit the office in person. | The 2023 Amendment makes online application valid; a digitally-signed certificate suffices. |
| Aadhaar is compulsory. | It is not, per Puttaswamy (2019). Other ID is accepted. |
| An old certificate “expires” and must be replaced. | Birth certificates have no expiry. You can request a fresh certified copy under Section 17 for convenience. |
| A misspelled name means re-registering the birth. | No. A correction under Section 15 fixes it by a marginal entry. |