How to Apply for a Birth Certificate in Kenya
How to Apply for a Birth Certificate in Kenya: Online and Manual Guide (2025)
The Kenyan Birth Certificate is necessary if you want to acquire a Kenyan ID, apply for a Kenyan passport, register your child for NHIF, or register for school exams and many more. It is therefore very vital that parents apply for their children’s birth certificate as soon as they are born to avoid inconveniences in the future.
What you need: Required Documents:
- Birth Notification: Original and copy of the Acknowledgement of Birth Notification (ABN) from the hospital or clinic. If you are a parent and you delivered your baby in hospital, then the hospital is obligated to issue you with a notification of birth. This is notification on birth has name (s) of parent and name of the child, the hospital the child was born, the date and signature and stamp from the hospital.
- Parent Identification: Copies of parents’ National ID cards or passports. Copy of a Death certificate ( If a parent passed on)
- Application Form: Duly filled BDA (Birth and Deaths Registration) Form.
- For Late Registration: A letter from the chief, school headteacher, or church, or baptismal card/clinic card to prove birth details.
The Procedure
The are several steps you can take to acquire a birth certificate in Kenya depending on your age and other documents that you have.
- Online Application (eCitizen Portal)
This method is primarily available for births that occurred in Nairobi County.
- Step 1: Log in to your eCitizen account.
- Step 2: Navigate to the Civil Registration Services (DCRS) section.
- Step 3: Select “Birth Certificate Application” and choose the relevant category (e.g., newborn or late registration).
- Step 4: Fill in the child’s details, including the Birth Notification Number, and upload scanned copies of required documents.
- Step 5: Pay the required fee (approx. Ksh 200) via M-Pesa.
- Step 6: Once processed, you will receive a notification to collect the certificate from a chosen location, such as Huduma GPO.
- In-Person Application
Required for births occurring outside Nairobi or for individuals who prefer physical submission.
- Locations: Visit any Huduma Centre or the District Birth and Death Registry in the sub-county where the birth occurred.
- Process:
- Obtain and fill out the Birth Registration Form (e.g., Form BDA).
- Attach the Original Birth Notification from the hospital or a letter from the Sub-Chief (for home births).
- Provide copies of both parents’ National IDs or passports.
- Pay the fee and collect your receipt.
- Pay the fee and collect your receipt.
- Requirements by Category
- Newborns (Under 6 months): Original hospital notification and parents’ IDs.
- Late Registration (Over 6 months): Requires additional proof such as a Clinic Card, Baptismal Certificate, or School Leaving Certificate.
- Adults (Over 18 years): Applicant’s own ID, parents’ IDs, and supporting documents like school certificates.
(2) Late Birth Certificate.
On the ecitizen.go.ke go to Civil registration services and select late birth certificate registration to begin the process.
This application is for births which were NOT registered within 6 months.
For individuals who are under 18 years of age
- Clinic Card
- Parents Orignal ID Card/Passport/Births Certificate.
- Additional Documents may be requested e.g Antinatal records or letter from Lawyer or Chief
Birth certificate for individuals who are over 18 years
- Identity Card
- Parents Orignal ID Card/Passport/Births Certificate.
- School leaving Certificate (Form Four or Class 8).
- Baptismal Card.
- National Registration Bureau printout for those who do not have the parents ID.
Key Fees & Timelines
- Standard Application: Ksh 200.
- Amendments: Ksh 1,000.
- Timeline: Processing typically takes about 10 working days once submitted
Can I use clinic card instead of birth notification to apply for birth certificate
Hi!my child’s notification name has spelling error…how do I get assosted please
Hi ,im merceline and in need of my son’s birth certificate .i have the notification with me and my id ..can i use one id or its a must to have two .
Hello am paul Kasyoka I would like to apply my birth certificate through online,but I don’t have my baptism card what should do,advice please
Hallo am Patrick, I have been seen at cybers that some one can apply a birth certificate on line, is that true reliable?
Yes. The process begins online on e-citizen website.
Hello, I want to apply for my son’s birth certificate, I lost the notification, and he is not baptised so I neither have the baptism card, how can you help?
Hey what if i have a photocopy of the birth certificate but the original got lost? Is the process the same do i need the parents photocopy id?
I gone to cuber yesterday to took another photocopy of father child ,and then tell me if I get it child Nairobi county it must to applying with ecitizen,now I asky how long can I take to took birth course they tell me to wait a message ,and I didn’t get it.
hi i have national ID but i dont have birth how can i get
hi i lost my parents at a tender age am 28 now i got no birth certificate,but i have copies of death certificates of both parents and there is any possibilities to get one from any huduma centers?
Hi. I applied for a birth certificate on January 2018 and up to now sijaipata. last time nilienda tulipewa bunch of forms zenye zilijazwa by that time kila mtu atafute ile form alijaza. Surely hiyo ni kazi gani are we in the same Kenya with others or what. So how long does one have to wait to get a birth certificate? Mimi nimechoka kwenda Kajiado.
What if the photocopy of the id of one parent am i goin to get birth certificate
I need a birth certificate but I don’t have any id card for my parents what can I do
is it a must I have a school leaving certificate to get the birth certificate
kwa nini kuna double entry watoi wawili wana share entry number moja
my daughter is three years old and I want a birth certificate for her…what’s the procedure
Am over 18yrs and i have both my ID and for my parents,school leaving certificate but my baptismal card is missing do i qualify?
A have a birth certificate For my son but it doesn’t have the father’s name and a need a new one with his father’s name can i b assisted at huduma center?
Am samwel Gitau father of four all of them need birth certificate And first born 12yrs can I fill where to start?
Visit your nearest Huduma Centre for assistance with copies of their birth notifications and copies of you and your wife’s IDs; or your area Sub_Chief if you do not have copies of birth notification.
I need a birth certificate
ilost both parents the problem is i have birth certificate iwant to apply for my brother and i have one ID of my parents what will ido
HI
You can look for the National Registration Bureau printout for those who do not have the parents ID.
Nimeshangaa wazazi kusikia single mother wanaitishwa elfu moja huko kilifi
Those are shallow minded people working in that office. Kwani mtoi wa single mother si mtoi kama wale wengine?
kindly help on 0723034654
My son does not have a birth certificate and he was born at home thus he doesn`t have a birth notification how can i get helped?
Hi,
You can use a baptismal card.
am Zablon macharia,I want to apply for a birth certificate for my daughter…. with no notification, kindly help
HI Zablon,
You can use a baptismal card.
OK Ineed I birth certificate,
hello.I’m Caroline and I need to replace my daughters birth certificate. how can I do that or what is required?
I lost my original birth certificate .
I have no parents details
I don’t remember my birth certificate number ..
I don’t have a national ID
I really need help because its been a year now I have not joined university because I don’t have a birthday certificate.
I could not even view the school calling later without my birth certificate number
I really need help..
I think you could try using your kcpe index number as your password to view your school
I need a birth certificate but I don’t have a clinical card or father’s id,what more can I do obtain it
?
am from a different district can i still go and apply for abirth certoficate grom any huduma center?