Register a birth or death
How to register a birth or death with your Union Council in Pakistan, get the certificate, and what to do if you register late.
Last reviewed 11 October 2026
Births and deaths in Pakistan are registered with your local Union Council, or the municipal corporation, cantonment board or Capital Development Authority (CDA) in some urban areas. The record is entered into the NADRA database and you get a computerised certificate.
Register a birth
Register a baby's birth with the Union Council where the child was born or where the family lives. Each province sets its own deadline for normal registration:
| Area | Register within |
|---|---|
| Punjab | 1 year |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 90 days |
| Azad Kashmir | 60 days |
| Islamabad (CDA) | 1 month |
For Sindh, Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan, ask your Union Council. Register as soon as you can to avoid the extra steps for late registration.
You will usually need:
- the hospital birth record, if the baby was born in hospital
- CNICs of both parents
- details of the person reporting the birth
The Union Council registers the birth and issues a computerised birth certificate after NADRA approves the record.
You need the birth certificate to get a Child Registration Certificate (CRC or B-Form) for your child.
Late birth registration
If you miss the deadline, you can still register the birth, but you need more documents and an officer must approve it. For example:
- Punjab: up to 7 years late, fill in Form A with the reason for the delay, your CNIC, the hospital birth slip if there is one, the child's vaccination card if available and 2 recent photographs of the child. An Assistant Director checks the application. After 7 years, more proof of identity, a Deputy Director's approval and a public notice are needed.
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: up to 7 years late, fill in Form A with an affidavit signed by 2 witnesses, the hospital birth certificate or vaccination record, and a school certificate if the child is at school. The council chairman makes an inquiry before approving it. After 7 years, the local government director must also approve it.
- Azad Kashmir: up to 7 years late, apply with an affidavit for approval by the Union Council administrator.
Rules are updated from time to time, so check with your Union Council before you apply.
Register a death
Register a death with the Union Council where the person died or where they lived. You will usually need:
- the hospital death certificate, or a graveyard receipt where available
- the CNIC of the person who died
- your CNIC and proof of your relationship to them
If the person died at home, affidavits from close relatives may be needed.
In some areas you can start a birth or death registration in the NADRA Pak ID app by uploading the hospital documents. The request is sent to your Union Council.
After a death is registered
Once you have the death certificate, the person's identity card should be cancelled with NADRA. See Cancellation Certificate for how to do this.
You may also need the death certificate for a family succession certificate, bank accounts, pensions and property.