Re-registration of the surname of a child under 18

13 March 2009

On 15 July 2008 the States approved an amendment to the Marriage and Civil Status (Jersey) Law 2001 which enables parents to choose any surname for their children when registering the birth of a child.

The amendment is retrospective so that parents of children under the age of 18 years can re-register the birth of their child, giving it a new surname. If the parents are unable to agree the choice of surname, either the father’s surname or the mother’s maiden surname will be assumed depending upon the marital status of the parents.

From Monday 16 March 2009, parents who wish to re-register the surnames of their children under the age of 18 are advised to go to the Register Office for the Parish of St Helier between the hours of 9.00am and 12.30pm. They should bring the original birth certificate for each child whose surname they wish to re-register together with their own identification. Parents whose children were born in any parish other than St Helier should make contact with the registrar for that parish.

In addition to the cost of a new birth certificate, now £20, there will be a fee of £50 payable to the parish in which the birth is registered, to cover the cost of the re-registration.

The cost of all certificates (birth, marriage and death) will be £20 from 16 March 2009.