Bexleyheath Register Office: Registering a Birth or Death and Giving Notice of Marriage

The registration service for the London Borough of Bexley is run for the council by Kent County Council. Times, fees and appointment arrangements are theirs to set, so use the links below for the current position.

Where is the register office?

The council's Danson House page says Danson House is the official register office for the London Borough of Bexley, run by Kent County Council on its behalf. It says the office offers weddings, citizenship ceremonies, renewal of vows, notice of marriage appointments and the registration of births and deaths. You can phone 03000 411103 for appointments and enquiries, or email registerofficebexley@kent.gov.uk.

A Kentish Ceremony gives the address as Danson Road, Danson Park, Bexleyheath, DA6 8HL, and publishes office hours of 9am to 5pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 10am to 5pm on Wednesday. For the history of the house, see our local history guide.

How do I register a birth?

The council's registering a birth page says:

• all births must be registered with a registrar in the district where the birth occurred, within six weeks (42 days) of the date of birth
• you can make an appointment through the council's booking service or by phoning 03000 415252
• the registrar may ask you to bring identification such as a passport or driving licence, but your baby can still be registered if you do not
• you officially name your baby at registration, and the surname you give can only be changed by re-registration
• if the birth was in Kent or Bexley but you cannot attend, you can give the details to any registrar in England and Wales, known as registration by declaration

GOV.UK gives the same 42 day limit and lists the information you should know, including the place and date of birth, the baby's name, and the parents' names, addresses, places and dates of birth and jobs.

How do I register a death?

The council's who can register a death page says:

• deaths should be registered within five days, counted from when the register office receives the necessary paperwork from the medical examiner, unless a coroner is investigating
• only book an appointment if the medical examiner has told you the paperwork has been sent
• if the death occurred in Bexley you do not need to book online, as the Bexley Registration Team will contact you to schedule an appointment
• the people who can register include a relative, a person present at the death, a hospital administrator and the person arranging the funeral with the funeral director
• the registration service is free of charge, but copies of the death certificate are charged for
• you are asked to bring the medical certificate of cause of death and, if available, birth and marriage or civil partnership certificates

GOV.UK's what to do after someone dies says you will get a certificate for burial or cremation, often called the green form, to give to the funeral director, crematorium or burial authority. The council also points to the Tell Us Once service for reporting a death to most government organisations in one go.

How do I give notice of marriage?

The council's marriage page says both of you must give notice at your local register office, and to contact that office to make an appointment. It lists fees for notice of marriage, for registration staff attending the ceremony and for certificates, and links to a fees document.

GOV.UK adds that:

• you must give notice at least 29 days before your ceremony
• the ceremony must be held within 12 months of giving notice
• you usually need an appointment at your local register office, and must have lived in that registration district for the past seven days
• different rules apply if one of you is from outside the UK or Ireland

What about ceremonies and certificates?

The council points to A Kentish Ceremony for licensed venues and register offices, and says the Danson House office also holds monthly open wedding mornings. It also says Kent County Council licenses Kent and Bexley venues for civil marriages and civil partnerships, and that copy birth, death and marriage certificates are ordered through the Kent County Council registration booking system, from the council's births, deaths and marriages hub.