A newborn's birth must be registered within 60 days from the date of birth (Article 48 of the the household registration act, 戶籍法). Bring the original birth certificate (出生證明書), the household registration booklet (戶口名簿), the applicant's national ID card and seal (or signature) to any household registration office in the special municipality, county or city where the baby's household registration will be; without a justifiable reason, being late is fined NT$300 to 900 under Article 79 of the Act. Before applying, write the baby's name on the birth certificate in neat standard characters and, in the "surname agreement" (從姓約定) box below it, agree on whether the child takes the father's or the mother's surname, with a signature or seal from the parents (Article 1059 of the Civil Code; application guidelines of the Ministry of the Interior's household registration department). If the baby is registered in the same household as the father or the mother, you can also apply online on the household registration department's website.
Note: The current text of the the household registration act is the version amended on January 21, 2015; the tiers of late fines follow the Ministry of the Interior's schedule of household registration fine amounts (戶籍罰鍰處罰金額基準表), amended and issued on September 17, 2010. Childbirth subsidies and childcare allowance amounts in each county and city may change every year; this article only covers the items that can be applied for together with birth registration, so for amounts see the dedicated subsidy articles and city government announcements.
The 60-Day Deadline and Late Fines
Household registrations should in principle be applied for within 30 days after the event, but birth registration at the latest within 60 days; after the deadline the household registration office must still accept the application and send a written reminder to the person who should apply (Article 48). The period runs from the baby's date of birth (application guidelines). Late fines are tiered under the schedule:
| Days late (after the 60 days) | Fine |
|---|
| 1 to 15 days late | NT$300 |
| 16 to 30 days late | NT$500 |
| 31 to 180 days late | NT$700 |
| 181 days or more late | NT$900 |
| Still not applying after a reminder | NT$900 |
If the person still does not apply after the reminder, the household registration office must register the birth on its own (Article 48-2). For a child born within a marriage, the surname is decided by drawing lots between the father's and the mother's surname; a child born outside a marriage takes the mother's surname; and the director of the household registration office chooses the given name on the family's behalf (Article 49, paragraph 2). In other words, if you wait too long you may not even choose the name yourself.
What to Bring and Who Can Apply
| Item | Notes |
|---|
| Birth certificate (original) | Issued by a hospital, clinic or midwifery center; write the baby's name in neat standard characters in the name box above, and have the legal representative (both parents for a child born within a marriage, the birth mother for a child born outside a marriage) sign or seal the surname agreement box below. The household registration office keeps the original and does not return it |
| Household registration booklet | The household the newborn will be registered in |
| Applicant's national ID card and seal (or signature) | The applicant may be the father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, head of household, a person living in the same household, or the person raising the child (Article 29 of the Act) |
| Power of attorney, the agent's ID card and seal (or signature) | When someone else is entrusted to apply |
| Child's surname agreement document | Not needed if the birth certificate already records the surname agreement; children born within a marriage to a Taiwanese national and a foreign spouse also need an agreement, and the name must follow the naming customs of Taiwan's nationals |
Special cases, according to the household registration department's application guidelines:
- Not born in a hospital, clinic or midwifery center: instead attach a DNA parentage test report from a medical institution or a laboratory recognized by the national accreditation foundation (全國認證基金會), or a birth notification issued within 1 month after the birth by a licensed medical professional.
- The biological parents are married, but the child was conceived during a period when the marriage did not exist: the biological father must apply in person and attach the parents' written proof; this is not required if the surname agreement is already on the birth certificate or a separate surname agreement is attached.
- A Taiwanese national married to a foreigner, a person from mainland China, or a resident of Hong Kong or Macau, where the child was born before the marriage or was conceived while not in a marriage (the period from the 181st to the 302nd day before the date of birth): attach proof of the mother's marital status during the period of conception.
- Born abroad, in mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau: this is not birth registration; instead return to Taiwan and apply for initial household registration (初設戶籍登記).
Naming and Surname Rules
| Rule | Content | Basis |
|---|
| Father's or mother's surname | The parents agree in writing before the child's birth registration; if they have not agreed or cannot agree, it is decided by drawing lots at the household registration office | Civil Code, Article 1059, paragraph 1 |
| Changing the surname later | Before adulthood the parents may agree in writing to change it 1 time; after adulthood the person may change it 1 time | Civil Code, Article 1059, paragraphs 2 to 4 |
| Characters | Must use characters listed in commonly used dictionaries such as the Ciyuan (辭源), Cihai (辭海) or Kangxi (康熙) dictionaries, or the Ministry of Education's Mandarin dictionary (教育部國語辭典); otherwise the name is not registered | Article 2 of the act on names (姓名條例) |
| Format | Surname first, given name after; no spaces or symbols between the surname and the given name | Act on names, Article 3 |
| Foreign parent | For a child of a Taiwanese national and a foreigner who takes a Chinese name, the name must follow the naming customs of Taiwan's nationals | Act on names, Article 1, paragraph 5 |
| Changing the name later | For example if the meaning is vulgar or indecent, a transliteration is too long, or there are other special reasons; limited to 3 times, and a minor's second name change can be done only after reaching adulthood | Act on names, Article 9 |
This article's suggestion: before choosing a name, check the Ministry of Education's Mandarin dictionary to confirm the characters are listed, and write the name together with the surname agreement on the birth certificate, so the counter does not need a separate surname agreement document.
Where to Apply: Other Districts and Online
- Other districts: you can use any household registration office under the special municipality, county or city government where the baby's household registration will be. For example, if the baby will be registered in Songshan District, Taipei, the Nangang District household registration office in Taipei can also handle it.
- New Taipei: New Taipei residents can use any household registration office in New Taipei for cross-district birth registration (including acknowledgment of a child at the same time); people registered in Kinmen, Lienchiang, Penghu, Hualien, Taitung or Pingtung counties but currently living in New Taipei can also apply across counties and cities at New Taipei's offices.
- Online: birth registration where the newborn is registered in the same household as the father or the mother can be applied for online through the "online application services" (網路申辦服務) on the household registration department's website.
- Processing time: the New Taipei City Government's online application page announces a processing time of 1 day.
| City | Contact |
|---|
| Taipei | Household registration offices in each district, for example Songshan District (02)2753-3043; Taipei citizen hotline (臺北市民當家熱線) 1999 (from outside the city 02-2720-8889) |
| New Taipei | Household registration offices in each district; New Taipei City Government business consultation line (02)2960-3456, then ask to be transferred to the relevant agency |
Subsidies and Documents You Can Handle Together With Birth Registration
Items in the "one-stop birth registration service" compiled by the Songshan District household registration office in Taipei:
| Item | Receiving or reviewing agency |
|---|
| Taipei City birth subsidy | Household registration office |
| Receipt of the application form for the childcare allowance for children under 2 | District office (區公所) |
| Cross-agency notification, with the Bureau of Labor Insurance receiving the "maternity benefit" (生育給付) application | Bureau of Labor Insurance, Ministry of Labor |
| Cross-agency notification, with the Ministry of National Defense receiving the "armed forces maternity benefit" (國軍生育給付) application | Armed forces service agencies (國軍服務機關) |
| Cross-agency notification, with the health insurance administration receiving the "newborn NHI card" application | Health insurance administration (中央健康保險署) of the Ministry of Health and Welfare |
| Taipei City certificate for a resident's third or later child | Household registration office |
| Parking space permit for pregnant women and people with children aged 6 or under | Taipei City parking management and engineering office (臺北市停車管理工程處) |
New Taipei accepts applications for its childbirth award at the time of birth registration. For subsidy amounts and eligibility see birth subsidies 2026: how much you can get and childcare allowance and childcare subsidies; for parents' leave and allowances see how many days of maternity and paternity leave and how to apply for the parental leave allowance.
FAQ
What if I register the birth after 60 days?
The household registration office will still accept it (Article 48, paragraph 2 of the Act), but being late without a justifiable reason is fined under Article 79: NT$300 for 1 to 15 days late, NT$500 for 16 to 30 days, NT$700 for 31 to 180 days, and NT$900 for 181 days or more or if you still do not apply after a reminder.
What if the parents have not agreed on whose surname the child takes?
The parents should agree in writing before birth registration whether the child takes the father's or the mother's surname; if they have not agreed or cannot agree, it is decided by drawing lots at the household registration office (Article 1059 of the Civil Code).
Can a name use characters that are not in the dictionary?
No. Article 2 of the act on names requires characters listed in commonly used dictionaries such as the Ciyuan, Cihai or Kangxi dictionaries, or the Ministry of Education's Mandarin dictionary; otherwise the name is not registered.
Can grandparents help with birth registration?
Yes. A grandfather and a grandmother are applicants by law under Article 29 of the Act; anyone else must attach a power of attorney and the agent's ID card and seal (or signature).
Do I have to go to the household registration office where the baby is registered?
Not necessarily. Any household registration office in the special municipality, county or city where the baby's household registration will be can handle it; for example, a newborn registered in Taipei can be handled in any Taipei district, and if the baby shares a household with the parents you can also apply online.
Last updated: 2026-11-03
This article was compiled by SOSfix editors from public information and is for general reference only; for your own case, contact any household registration office in the special municipality, county or city where the baby's household registration will be.
Sources
- National laws and regulations database (全國法規資料庫): the household registration act (amended January 21, 2015, verified 2026-11-02) (in Chinese): Article 6, Article 29 on applicants, Article 48 on the 60 days, acceptance after the deadline and the reminder, Article 48-2 on registration made by the office, Article 49 on drawing lots and the director choosing the name, Article 79 on fines of NT$300 to 900.
- Ministry of the Interior household registration department (戶政司): application guidelines for household registration services, "Birth registration" (verified 2026-11-02) (in Chinese): applicants, documents to bring, special cases, 60 days counted from the date of birth, offices that accept applications and the conditions for applying online.
- Ministry of the Interior: schedule of household registration fine amounts (order 台內戶字第 0990186657 號 amended and issued September 17, 2010, provided by the Songshan District household registration office in Taipei, downloaded 2026-11-02) (in Chinese): birth registration within 60 days, the tiers of NT$300, 500, 700 and 900 for lateness, and NT$900 after a reminder.
- National laws and regulations database: Civil Code (amended August 17, 2026, verified 2026-11-02) (in Chinese): Article 1059 on the surname agreement, drawing lots and changes.
- National laws and regulations database: act on names (amended May 29, 2024, verified 2026-11-02) (in Chinese): Articles 1, 2, 3 and 9 on characters, format, children of foreign parents and the number of name changes.
- Songshan District household registration office, Taipei: common services, birth registration (verified 2026-11-02) (in Chinese): 60 days, the cross-district example, the one-stop items and the reviewing agencies.
- New Taipei City Government online applications: birth registration (verified 2026-11-02) (in Chinese): the scope of cross-district and cross-county applications in New Taipei, documents to bring, the childbirth award, processing time of 1 day and the consultation phone number.
