Physician's Guide to Medicine - Birth Certificates

Who is responsible for preparing and filing a birth certificate?

Generally, the institution where the birth occurs is responsible for obtaining the personal data, preparing the certificate, securing the required signatures, and filing the certificate within seven days. The physician or other person in attendance shall provide the medical information required and certify to the facts of the birth within five days after the birth.

If the birth does not occur in or en route to a medical institution, then the attending physician, any other person in attendance, the mother or father, or the owner of the premises where the birth takes place in that order of priority is responsible for preparing and filing the birth certificate.