Registration of Births and Deaths Act 2021

Sections (69)

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• § 1 — Short title and commencement

  1. This Act is the Registration of Births and Deaths Act 2021 and comes into operation on a date that the Minister appoints by notification in the Gazette.

• § 10 — Report of birth in aircraft, vessel or train bound for Singapore

  10.—(1) The birth of every child born in an aircraft, a vessel or a train (called in this section the conveyance) outside, but bound for, Singapore must be reported in accordance with this section if —(a) the birth occurs —(i) in the case of an aircraft — during the flight of the aircraft to an airp

• § 11 — Application of sections 12 and 13

  11. Sections 12 and 13 apply to a child whose birth is required to be and is reported to the Registrar‑General under section 10.

• § 12 — Application for registration of birth mentioned in section 11

  12.—(1) A responsible person for a child mentioned in section 11 may apply to the Registrar‑General for the child’s birth to be registered.(2) The application by the responsible person (called in this section the applicant) under subsection (1) —(a) must be made within 42 days after the child’s birt

• § 13 — Registration of birth mentioned in section 11

  13.—(1) The Registrar‑General may, on an application made under section 12, register the birth of a child mentioned in section 11 if —(a) the Registrar‑General is satisfied that the applicant mentioned in section 12 has complied with the requirements relating to the application; (b) there is no unc

• § 14 — Registration or re‑registration of birth of adopted child

  14.—(1) Subject to subsection (3), if an adoption order is made by a court in respect of a child under the Adoption of Children Act 2022 or any corresponding previous written law, the Registrar‑General must, as soon as practicable after receiving (from the Registrar of the court) a copy of the adopt

• § 15 — Re‑registration of birth of person legitimated by Legitimacy Act 1934

  15.—(1) This section applies to a person (called in this section the subject person) —(a) whose birth is registered under section 9 or 13 (or section 9, 17 or 23 of the repealed Act); and (b) who is legitimated by the Legitimacy Act 1934, on the marriage of the subject person’s parents, after the b

• § 16 — Birth registration and Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013

  16.—(1) If the Registrar‑General is informed at or before registration of a child’s birth under section 9 or 13 that the Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013 applies to the child, the particulars of the child’s parents to be entered in the register of births for registratio

• § 17 — Re‑registration of birth in relation to Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013

  17.—(1) This section applies to a person (called in this section the subject person) —(a) to whom the Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013 applies; and (b) whose birth is registered under section 9 or 13 (or section 9, 17 or 23 of the repealed Act) —(i) without the Registr

• § 18 — Re‑registration of birth of person legitimated by Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013

  18.—(1) This section applies to a person (called in this section the subject person) —(a) whose birth is registered under section 9 or 13 (or section 9, 17 or 23 of the repealed Act), or re‑registered under section 17 (or rule 8A or 8B of the Registration of Births and Deaths Rules (Cap. 267, R 1) a

• § 19 — Name in register of births

  19.—(1) The name of a person to be entered in the register of births or, where the person’s name in the register is to be altered, the person’s altered name to be entered in the register —(a) must be in a form expressed in characters in the modern English alphabet; (b) may include a permitted chara

• § 2 — Interpretation

  2.—(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires —“authorised registration officer” means a registration officer authorised by the Registrar‑General to exercise all or any of the powers of an authorised registration officer mentioned in Part 8; “birth” does not include stillbirth; “birth

• § 20 — Child’s name omitted during birth registration

  20.—(1) Where a child’s birth is registered without a name, a responsible person for the child may apply to the Registrar‑General for a name to be entered for the child in the register of births.(2) The responsible person (called in this section the applicant) must make the application under subsect

• § 21 — Alteration of child’s name in register of births

  21.—(1) This section applies to a child whose name is entered in the register of births at the time of registration of the child’s birth, but does not affect any application for change of name under section 15(3), 17(3) or 18(3).(2) A responsible person for a child mentioned in subsection (1) may ap

• § 22 — Report of death in Singapore

  22.—(1) The death of every person who dies in Singapore must be reported in accordance with this section if the death is not, or does not appear to be, a reportable death.(2) The following persons are responsible for reporting a death mentioned in subsection (1):(a) where the death occurs in a hospi

• § 23 — Duties of medical practitioner who receives report of death under section 22(3)

  23.—(1) A medical practitioner who receives a report of a death under section 22(3) must, as soon as practicable —(a) examine the body of the deceased person; and (b) ascertain relevant information about the deceased person’s medical history and the circumstances of the death. (2) If the death is

• § 24 — Registration of death in Singapore

  24. The Registrar‑General must register the death of a person in Singapore, as soon as practicable —(a) where section 23(2) applies — after receiving from a medical practitioner mentioned in that provision the cause of death and the other death particulars; (b) where a pathologist or forensic patho

• § 25 — Registration of reportable death in Singapore without Coroner’s certificate

  25.—(1) Where the Registrar‑General is informed that a death has occurred in Singapore but that the body of the deceased person is destroyed, is not recoverable or cannot be located, the Registrar‑General may register the death before a Coroner’s certificate is issued for the death if the Registrar‑

• § 26 — Report of death in aircraft, vessel or train bound for Singapore

  26.—(1) The death of every person who dies in an aircraft, a vessel or a train (called in this section the conveyance) outside, but bound for, Singapore must be reported in accordance with this section if —(a) the death occurs —(i) in the case of an aircraft — during the flight of the aircraft to an

• § 27 — Registration of death in conveyance reported under section 26

  27.—(1) A relative of a deceased person whose death is required to be and is reported under section 26 may apply to the Registrar‑General for the death to be registered.(2) The application by the relative (called in this section the applicant) under subsection (1) must —(a) be made within 3 months a

• § 28 — Registration of death of Singapore citizen or permanent resident outside Singapore

  28.—(1) Where a Singapore citizen or permanent resident dies outside Singapore and the body of the deceased person is brought to Singapore, a relative of the deceased person may apply to the Registrar‑General for the death to be registered.(2) The application by the relative (called in this section

• § 29 — Registration of death under Coroner’s certificate

  29. If a Coroner’s certificate is issued for a death that occurs outside Singapore (including a death mentioned in section 26 or 28), the Registrar‑General must register the death as soon as practicable after receiving the Coroner’s certificate.

• § 3 — Registrar‑General of Births and Deaths

  3.—(1) The Minister must appoint, from among public officers, a Registrar‑General of Births and Deaths.(2) The Registrar‑General is responsible for the administration of this Act. (3) The Minister may give the Registrar‑General directions of a general character, and not inconsistent with the provis

• § 30 — Coroner’s certificate issued after death registration

  30. If the Registrar‑General receives a Coroner’s certificate for a death after the death has been registered, the Registrar‑General must, as soon as practicable after receiving the Coroner’s certificate —(a) where the death particulars stated in the Coroner’s certificate are not entered in the regi

• § 31 — Duty to report death under other written law not affected

  31. This Part does not affect the duty of any person to report a death under any other written law.

• § 32 — Report of stillbirth in Singapore

  32.—(1) The birth of every stillborn child in Singapore must be reported in accordance with this section.(2) The following persons are responsible for reporting the birth of a stillborn child in Singapore:(a) where the stillbirth occurs in a hospital — the hospital (or the person having general mana

• § 33 — Duties of medical practitioner who receives report of stillbirth under section 32(3)

  33.—(1) A medical practitioner who receives a report of a stillbirth under section 32(3) must —(a) examine the body of the child as soon as practicable to ascertain whether the child was stillborn; and (b) where the medical practitioner is satisfied that the child was stillborn, provide the cause o

• § 34 — Registration of stillbirth in Singapore

  34. The Registrar‑General must register the birth of a stillborn child in Singapore, as soon as practicable after receiving the cause of death and the other stillbirth particulars from a medical practitioner under section 33.

• § 35 — Report of stillbirth in aircraft, vessel or train bound for Singapore

  35.—(1) The birth of every stillborn child in an aircraft, a vessel or a train (called in this section the conveyance) outside, but bound for, Singapore must be reported in accordance with this section if —(a) the stillbirth occurs —(i) in the case of an aircraft — during the flight of the aircraft

• § 36 — Registration of stillbirth in conveyance reported under section 35

  36.—(1) A parent of a stillborn child whose stillbirth is required to be and is reported under section 35 may apply to the Registrar‑General for the stillbirth to be registered.(2) The application by the parent (called in this section the applicant) under subsection (1) must —(a) be made within 3 mo

• § 37 — Registers

  37.—(1) The Registrar‑General must provide and maintain, in the form and manner that the Registrar‑General thinks fit, the following registers:(a) a register of births; (b) a register of deaths; (c) a register of stillbirths. (2) The registers are not open to inspection by the public. —(1) The R

• § 38 — Alteration of record in register

  38.—(1) Any record of a registered event in a register must not be altered except as authorised by or under this Act.(2) A reference in this section to the alteration of a record of a registered event in a register includes a reference to the recording in the register of the particulars of the regis

• § 39 — Correction of clerical error in record in register

  39.—(1) The Registrar‑General may correct any clerical error in any record in a register that the Registrar‑General discovers or is informed of.(2) A person informing the Registrar‑General of any clerical error in any record in a register must do so in the form and manner that the Registrar‑General

• § 4 — Registrars, deputies and assistants

  4.—(1) The Registrar‑General may appoint, by name or office, any number of public officers to be Registrars, Supervising Deputy Registrars and Assistant Registrars as the Registrar‑General considers necessary for the purposes of this Act.(2) A Registrar, a Supervising Deputy Registrar or an Assistan

• § 40 — Correction of error of fact or substance in record in register

  40.—(1) The Registrar‑General may correct an error of fact or substance in any record in the register of deaths —(a) in the case where the death registration is based on death particulars submitted by a medical practitioner under section 23(2) — subject to subsection (2), after receiving from that m

• § 41 — Cancellation of registration

  41. The Registrar‑General may cancel the registration of any birth, death or stillbirth if the Registrar‑General is satisfied that the registration has been —(a) obtained by means of fraud, false representation or the concealment of any material fact; or (b) made by mistake.

• § 42 — Power to obtain information

  42.—(1) The Registrar‑General may, by written notice, require any person to provide, within the time specified in the notice, any information that the Registrar‑General requires for the purpose of —(a) ascertaining whether a registrable event has occurred, or the particulars of a registrable event o

• § 43 — Form and manner of information, etc.

  43.—(1) Any information, report, particulars or evidence required to be provided to the Registrar‑General, and any application or request to be made to the Registrar‑General, by or under any provision of this Act, or any other written law, must be provided or made in the form and manner that the Reg

• § 44 — Taking possession of false or invalid documents

  44. The Registrar‑General may take possession of any document that is produced in connection with any of the following if the Registrar‑General reasonably suspects that the document is false or invalid:(a) reporting of a birth to the Registrar‑General; (b) registration of a birth, death or stillbir

• § 45 — Powers of search, etc.

  45.—(1) If an authorised registration officer reasonably suspects that any evidence of the commission of an offence under this Act is likely to be found in any premises, or in any vehicle, aircraft, vessel or train (called in this section the conveyance), or on any person, the officer may, without w

• § 46 — Powers of investigation

  46.—(1) For the purpose of investigating any offence or suspected offence under this Act, an authorised registration officer may do all or any of the following:(a) require, by written notice, any person, whom the authorised registration officer reasonably believes has any information, in the person’

• § 47 — Authorised registration officer to produce evidence of identity and authority

  47.—(1) When exercising any power under this Part, an authorised registration officer must, if so required by any person affected by the exercise of that power, produce to that person evidence of the officer’s identity and authority to exercise that power.(2) Despite anything in or under this Act, i

• § 48 — False or misleading statement or information

  48. A person who makes any statement, or provides any information, to the Registrar‑General or an authorised registration officer under this Act, that is false or misleading in a material particular —(a) knowing it to be false or misleading in a material particular; or (b) being reckless as to whet

• § 49 — Offences relating to register

  49.—(1) A person who, without lawful authority —(a) makes, alters or deletes, or permits to be made, altered or deleted, any record (or any part of it) in a register; (b) obtains, or provides any person, access to a register (or any part of it); or (c) interferes with a register (or any part of it

• § 5 — Registration officers

  5.—(1) The Registrar‑General may, for the purposes of this Act, appoint, by name or office, any of the following persons to be a registration officer, subject to any condition or restriction the Registrar‑General specifies:(a) a public officer; (b) an officer of a statutory body; (c) an employee o

• § 50 — Offences relating to certificates or extracts

  50. A person who —(a) forges a document, purporting to be a birth certificate, death certificate or stillbirth certificate, or an extract from any record in a register; (b) alters, or otherwise tampers with, a birth certificate, death certificate or stillbirth certificate, or an extract from any re

• § 51 — Obstruction

  51.—(1) A person commits an offence if the person, without reasonable excuse, obstructs or hinders the Registrar‑General or an authorised registration officer in the performance of any function or exercise of any power under this Act or any other written law.(2) A person who is guilty of an offence

• § 52 — Offences by corporations

  52.—(1) Where, in a proceeding for an offence under this Act, it is necessary to prove the state of mind of a corporation in relation to a particular conduct, evidence that —(a) an officer, employee or agent of the corporation engaged in that conduct within the scope of his or her actual or apparent

• § 53 — Offences by unincorporated associations or partnerships

  53.—(1) Where, in a proceeding for an offence under this Act, it is necessary to prove the state of mind of an unincorporated association or a partnership in relation to a particular conduct, evidence that —(a) an employee or agent of the unincorporated association or partnership engaged in that con

• § 54 — Jurisdiction of courts

  54. Despite the Criminal Procedure Code 2010, a District Court or a Magistrate’s Court has jurisdiction to try any offence under this Act and has power to impose the full punishment for any such offence.

• § 55 — Composition of offences

  55.—(1) The Registrar‑General may compound any offence under this Act that is prescribed as a compoundable offence by collecting from a person reasonably suspected of having committed the offence a sum not exceeding $500.(2) On payment of the sum of money, no further proceedings are to be taken agai

• § 56 — Police officer’s functions or powers under other written law

  56. To avoid doubt, this Act does not affect a police officer’s functions or powers under the Criminal Procedure Code 2010 or any other written law.

• § 57 — Authorisation to provide information, etc., on behalf of person

  57. Any person who is unable, by reason of illness or other sufficient cause, to make a report, or provide any particulars, information or evidence, required by or under this Act may authorise another person to make the report, or provide the particulars, information or evidence, on behalf of the fi

• § 58 — Payments into Consolidated Fund

  58. All fees, charges and composition sums collected under this Act must be paid into the Consolidated Fund.

• § 59 — Service of documents

  59.—(1) A document that is permitted or required by this Act to be served on a person may be served as described in this section.(2) A document permitted or required by this Act to be served on an individual may be served —(a) by giving it to the individual personally; (b) by sending it by prepaid

• § 6 — Delegation to registration officers

  6.—(1) The Registrar‑General may delegate any function or power of the Registrar‑General under this Act (except the power of delegation conferred by this subsection) or any other written law to a registration officer or class of registration officers, subject to any condition or restriction the Regi

• § 60 — Exemption

  60. The Minister may, by order in the Gazette, exempt any person or class of persons, or exclude any event or class of events, from all or any of the provisions of this Act, either generally or in a particular case and subject to any condition the Minister specifies.

• § 61 — Regulations

  61.—(1) The Minister may make regulations necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act.(2) Without limiting subsection (1), the Minister may make regulations for any of the following:(a) matters relating to registration of births, deaths and stillbirths, inc

• § 62 — Repeal

  62. The Registration of Births and Deaths Act (Cap. 267) is repealed.

• § 63 — Saving and transitional provisions

  63.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, this Act extends to and applies in respect of —(a) a birth, death or stillbirth that is registered under the repealed Act, as if the birth, death or stillbirth (as the case may be) were registered under this Act; (b) a birth that is registered or re‑re

• § 64 — Amendment of Adoption of Children Act 1939

  64. The Adoption of Children Act 1939 is amended —(a) by deleting subsection (1) of section 12 and substituting the following subsection:“(1) If an adoption order is made, the Registrar of the court that makes the adoption order must, as soon as practicable, provide to the Registrar‑General of Birth

• § 65 — Amendment of Infectious Diseases Act 1976

  65. Section 46(2) of the Infectious Diseases Act 1976 is amended by deleting the words “Registrar of Births and Deaths” and substituting the words “Registrar‑General of Births and Deaths”.

• § 66 — Amendment of Legitimacy Act 1934

  66. The Legitimacy Act 1934 is amended —(a) by deleting subsection (4) of section 3; and (b) by repealing the Schedule.

• § 67 — Amendment of Merchant Shipping Act 1995

  67. Section 91 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 is amended —(a) by deleting the words “Registrar of Births and Deaths” in subsection (2) and substituting the words “Registrar‑General of Births and Deaths”; and (b) by deleting subsections (3) and (4).

• § 68 — Amendment of National Registration Act 1965

  68. The National Registration Act 1965 is amended —(a) by deleting the word “gender” in sections 4(2)(a) and 6A(2)(b) and substituting in each case the word “sex”; and (b) by deleting subsection (3) of section 6A and substituting the following subsection:“(3) In subsection (1)(b), “permitted charac

• § 69 — Amendment of Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013

  69. Section 12 of the Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013 is repealed.

• § 7 — Report of birth in Singapore

  7.—(1) The birth of every child born in Singapore must be reported in accordance with this section.(2) The following persons are responsible for reporting the birth of a child in Singapore:(a) where the child is born in a hospital — every medical practitioner who attends to the birth, and the hospit

• § 8 — Responsibility to provide birth particulars

  8.—(1) A responsible person for a child born in Singapore must provide to the Registrar‑General —(a) the birth particulars for the child, within 42 days after the child’s birth; and (b) any information or evidence the Registrar‑General requires that supports, or verifies the accuracy of, the birth

• § 9 — Registration of birth in Singapore

  9.—(1) The Registrar‑General must register the birth of a child born in Singapore, as soon as practicable after receiving the child’s birth particulars (whether from a responsible person mentioned in section 8(1) or any other person).[Act 2 of 2024 wef 16/04/2024] (2) The Registrar-General may (at a