{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/registration-of-births-and-deaths-regulations-1987/regulation-2",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/registration-of-births-and-deaths-regulations-1987/regulation-2.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/1987/2088",
  "legislation_title": "The Registration of Births and Deaths Regulations 1987",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/registration-of-births-and-deaths-regulations-1987",
  "path": "regulation/2",
  "kind": "regulation",
  "number": "2",
  "heading": "Interpretation",
  "text": "(1) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires–\n“the 2009 Act” means the Coroners and Justice Act 2009”\n“approved electronic form” means any form of electronic communication or electronic storage (including an electronic signature) approved by the Registrar General pursuant to the powers conferred under section 9(2) of the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1926, or under section 39(2) of the Act;\n“the Act” means the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953;\n“approved form” means a form approved by the Registrar General for the purpose for which it is used;\n...\n“coroner” includes—\n(a)a senior coroner, area coroner and assistant coroner;\n(b)the Chief Coroner when conducting an investigation under paragraph 1 of Schedule 10 to the 2009 Act; and\n(c)a judge, former judge, or former coroner conducting an investigation under paragraph 3 of Schedule 10 to the 2009 Act;\n“description”, in relation to a coroner, means his official designation and the area of his jurisdiction;\n“electronic communication” has the meaning given in section 15(1) of the Electronic Communications Act 2000;\n“electronic signature” has the meaning given in section 7(2) of the Electronic Communications Act 2000;\n“entry” means a record of the particulars relating to a live-birth, still-birth or death completed by the registrar in the appropriate spaces in form 1, 9 or 13;\n“inquest” includes an inquest which is conducted as part of an investigation under Part 1 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (including any inquest which has been adjourned);\n“maiden surname” means the surname with which a woman entered into her first marriage or civil partnership, and, where a woman has entered into a civil partnership and marriage, it means the surname with which she entered the first of these ceremonies.\n“name”, in relation to a person, excludes surname;\n...\n“other parent” means a woman who is a parent by virtue of section 42 or 43 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008.\n“relevant registrar”, in relation to the registration of a birth or death, means (subject to paragraph (3)(b) below) the registrar of the sub-district in which the birth or death occurred.\n(2) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires–\n(a) any reference to a numbered regulation is to the regulation in these Regulations bearing that number and any reference in a regulation to a numbered paragraph is to the paragraph of that Regulation bearing that number;\n(b) any reference to a numbered form is to the form bearing that number in Schedule 2 to these Regulations and any reference to a numbered space in a form is to the space bearing that number in that form.\n(3) Where a still-born child is found exposed or a dead body is found, any reference in these Regulations to–\n(a) the date of the still-birth or of the death of the deceased person, is to be construed as a reference to the date on which the still-born child or the deceased was found;\n(b) the place where the still-birth or death occurred is, if the place is unknown, to be construed as a reference to the place where the still-born child or the deceased was found.",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in reg. 2(1) inserted (25.7.2013) by The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (Commencement No. 15, Consequential and Transitory Provisions) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/1869), art. 4, Sch. para. 2(2)(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in reg. 2 inserted (20.12.2021) by The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/1436), regs. 1(2), 2(2)(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in reg. 2(1) omitted (9.9.2024) by virtue of The Registration of Births and Deaths (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/885), regs. 1(2), 2(2)(a) (with art. 3) (as amended by S.I. 2024/904, arts. 1(2), 2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in reg. 2(1) substituted (25.7.2013) by The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (Commencement No. 15, Consequential and Transitory Provisions) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/1869), art. 4, Sch. para. 2(2)(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Words in reg. 2 inserted (20.12.2021) by The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/1436), regs. 1(2), 2(2)(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Words in reg. 2(1) substituted (25.7.2013) by The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (Commencement No. 15, Consequential and Transitory Provisions) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/1869), art. 4, Sch. para. 2(2)(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Words in reg. 2 substituted (1.9.2009) by The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/2165), regs. 1(1), 2(2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "Words in reg. 2(1) omitted (9.9.2024) by virtue of The Registration of Births and Deaths (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/885), regs. 1(2), 2(2)(b) (with art. 3) (as amended by S.I. 2024/904, arts. 1(2), 2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "Words in reg. 2 inserted (1.9.2009) by The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/2165), regs. 1(1), 2(3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "Reg. 2(1) entry substituted (28.5.2012) by The Registration of Births and Deaths Regulations 1987 (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/1203), regs. 1(1), 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "Reg. 2 in force at 1.1.1988, see reg. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "1953 c. 20."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1987/2088/regulation/2",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T16:16:18.930722+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}