Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1998 (Western Australia) — Zoe

Western Australia act

Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1998

In ForceWA

Jurisdiction

Western Australia

Collection

act

Plain English Summary

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What this law does, in practical terms

It sets up and runs the official registers that record births, deaths, marriages, changes of name, certain parentage changes (adoption and surrogacy), and changes to a person’s recorded sex or gender. The Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages is responsible for running the registers and issuing certificates or other documents (see ss 5–6, 49).
It prescribes who must notify and register events, the time limits and the form of notices, and the documents professionals must provide (for example doctors must issue certificates of cause of death) (see ss 12, 16, 42, 44).
It creates procedures for changing entries after registration: adding details, changing names, and changing the recorded sex or gender or issuing "acknowledgment documents" (see ss 19, Pt 5, Pt 5A (36J–36ZA)).
It gives courts and coroners powers to order registrations or corrections and sets out how interstate and inter‑jurisdictional matters are to be handled (see ss 20–21, 24–26, 41, 11).
It sets rules about who can access register information, how access is authorised and limited, and privacy protections (see ss 54–58, 36Q(3)(b)).
It specifies offences, penalties and powers to prevent or remedy fraud, unauthorised access, falsification and improper disclosure (see ss 59–63, 61, 62).

Who this affects and who makes the decisions

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What it does

The Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1998 (WA) establishes the statutory framework for recording and preserving information about births, deaths, marriages, changes of name, changes of registration of sex or gender, and certain parentage changes (adoptions and surrogacy orders) in Western Australia. Its primary mechanism is the Register maintained by the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages, which must contain the particulars required under the Act and may contain further information the Registrar considers appropriate (s. 49(1)-(2A)). The objects set out in s. 3 include the registration of these events, the perpetual keeping of registers, controlled access to information by government agencies and the public, the issue of certified and uncertified information, and the collection of statistical data. A notable addition by the 2024 amendments is the object of issuing acknowledgment documents that recognise the sex or gender of persons resident in Western Australia who were born outside Australia (s. 3(da)). The Act provides for reciprocal administrative arrangements with other States’ registering authorities (s. 11), allowing the Registrar to perform functions under corresponding laws and vice versa, including the establishment of shared databases. The Register may be held in computer database, documentary, or other appropriate form (s. 49(3)). The Registrar may also maintain records of additional information beyond registrable events (s. 49(2A)). The Act imposes obligations on doctors, funeral directors, parents, and others to provide timely notice and certificates, and creates criminal offences for false statements, unauthorised access, forgery, and unauthorised disclosure of Register information. It also provides for correction and amendment of the Register, court orders, and a right to seek review of Registrar’s decisions in the State Administrative Tribunal (s. 67). The 2024 amendments (commenced 30 May 2025) introduced a comprehensive Part 5A for changes of sex or gender registration and acknowledgment documents, replacing the former Gender Reassignment Act 2000 regime while preserving recognition certificates already issued (s. 70A).

Current sections

Direct links to the current provisions in Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1998.

Authorised Version

The authorised version of this legislation is published by the jurisdiction's legislation service. Follow the link below to read or download it from the official source.

View on official register

Sourced from the Western Australian Legislation website (legislation.wa.gov.au). Not the authorised version.

Official purpose: the Act exists to provide permanent public records of vital events, controlled access to that information, issuance of certified documents, and collection of statistics (s 3). The added Part 5A also provides a statutory route for changing recorded sex or gender and for issuing acknowledgment documents to WA residents born overseas (ss 36J–36ZA).
Costs and incentives: the Act imposes notification duties and short time limits on professionals and responsible persons (e.g. s 12: notice by responsible person within 1 month; s 16: parents to lodge birth statement within 60 days; s 42: death notice within 14 days). Failure attracts fines (see ss 12(2), 16(1), 42). These timelines and penalty risks create compliance costs for individuals and institutions and an incentive to meet administrative requirements promptly.
Administrative discretion and implementation risk: the Registrar has broad discretionary powers to accept incomplete particulars (s 17(2)), to decide whether to register interstate events (ss 13(3), 13(4)–(6)), to set conditions for access (s 54), to allow or refuse registrations under evidentiary or propriety grounds (s 34), and to keep additional records (s 49(2A)). That discretion focuses decision‑making with the Registrar and with supervisory authorities in restricted‑person cases (ss 36E, 36ZJ). Those delegated decisions create implementation risk in the form of variable outcomes, administrative delays, and resource demand for verification and record‑keeping.
Compliance burden and evidentiary requirements: many applications require approved forms, statutory declarations and supporting evidence (s 14; s 19(2); s 34(1); ss 36J–36U require medical or psychologist statements). The Act also requires applicants to declare whether they are a "required declarant" in specified offender/supervision categories (ss 28A, 30, 31, 36J, 36T). These steps increase the paperwork and proof required of applicants and of government staff verifying claims.
Interaction with courts and alternative pathways: people may apply directly to the Registrar (administrative route) or to the Family Court (judicial route) for changes affecting children or for cases where parents disagree (ss 36K–36N, 36L–36M, 36P, 36Z). That creates substitution effects: some applicants will choose the quicker administrative path; others will pursue court orders when parental consent or supervisory approvals are absent.
Privacy and historical records: where a sex/gender registration is changed, the Registrar must retain the prior entry but restrict access and not issue birth certificates showing the former sex/gender except in tightly defined circumstances (s 36Q(3)–(4)). That is a mechanical trade‑off: the register keeps historical data (for integrity and audit) while access to that data is limited (privacy control). The Registrar also has an access policy duty (s 58) and must consider privacy when setting conditions (s 54(3), s 56).
Fees and who pays: the Act permits regulations to prescribe fees and the basis for fees (s 69(2)); the Registrar can remit fees in whole or part (s 70). The financial cost of applications and certified documents sits with applicants unless the Registrar remits fees. Enforcement penalties are payable by offending individuals or bodies under specified offences (see ss 59–63 and the penalty provisions within notification sections).

Main concepts

The Act defines several key terms in s. 4. “Birth” means the expulsion or extraction of a child from its mother. “Death” includes still-birth. “Still-born child” is defined as a child of at least 20 weeks’ gestation (or, if gestation cannot be reliably established, with body mass of at least 400 grams) that shows no sign of respiration, heartbeat, or other sign of life immediately after birth. “Neonatal death” means death of a live-born child within 28 days after birth. A “child” includes a still-born child. “Registrable event” covers birth, death, marriage, change of name, and an adoption or discharge of an adoption or the making or discharge of a parentage order under the Surrogacy Act 2008 (s. 4 definition). “Registrable information” means the particulars that must or may be included in the Register under s. 49(2) or (2A). The “Register” is the register or registers of registrable events maintained under s. 49(1). The “Registrar” is the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages appointed under s. 5. A “prohibited name” is a name that in the Registrar’s opinion is obscene or offensive, cannot practicably be established by repute or usage (because it is too long, contains symbols without phonetic significance, or for another reason), or is contrary to the public interest (s. 4). “State court” includes the Supreme Court, District Court, Family Court (including a court of summary jurisdiction exercising Family Court jurisdiction) and the Children’s Court. For change of name purposes, Part 5 introduces several specialised terms in s. 28A: “required declarant” includes high risk serious offenders, detainees, persons subject to early release orders, prisoners, reportable offenders, supervised offenders, and supervised young offenders. “Restricted person” (s. 36A) excludes reportable offenders but includes other categories of offenders under supervision or detention. “Supervisory authority” varies by category (e.g., for prisoners it is the chief executive officer under the Prisons Act 1981; for high risk serious offenders it is the CEO of the department administering Part 4 Division 2 of the High Risk Serious Offenders Act 2020). For sex or gender changes, Part 5A uses the same restricted person and supervisory authority definitions (s. 36ZD) and adds “psychologist” as a person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (WA) in the psychology profession (s. 36I). “Acknowledgment document” is defined in ss. 36I(1) and 36ZA(1) as a document issued by the Registrar acknowledging a person’s sex or gender, available for Western Australian residents born outside Australia.

Who it affects

The Act imposes duties and confers rights on a broad range of persons in Western Australia. For births, the parents of a child are jointly responsible for having the birth registered and must both sign the birth registration statement unless one parent is deceased, missing, unwell, or unavailable to avoid unwarranted distress (s. 15(1)). The responsible person for notifying a birth under s. 12(2) includes the chief executive of a public hospital or the CEO of a private hospital if the child was born there, or otherwise the doctor or midwife in attendance, or any person in attendance if no medical professional was present. For deaths, the funeral director or person arranging disposal of remains, or the person in charge of an educational or scientific institution where remains are placed for medical education or research, must notify the Registrar and provide the certificate of cause of death within 14 days (s. 42). Doctors must provide a certificate of cause of death within 48 hours after death for deaths other than still-births or neonatal deaths, and similar requirements apply for still-births and neonatal deaths (s. 44). The Act also affects State courts and coroners, who may order registration or correction of entries (ss. 20, 21, 41). The Family Court has jurisdiction to approve changes of sex or gender for children under 12 years and to resolve disputes where parents do not support the change for children 12 or over (ss. 36L-36N, 36V-36X). The CEO of Children and Community Services may apply for sex or gender changes or acknowledgment documents for children under protection orders (ss. 36O, 36Y). Persons seeking to change their name or sex/gender registration are affected by frequency restrictions: an adult cannot have more than three name changes registered (or one in the preceding 12 months) without exceptional circumstances (s. 30A), and similar limits apply to sex/gender changes (s. 36ZE) and acknowledgment documents (s. 36ZF). Restricted persons (prisoners, detainees, supervised offenders, etc.) are prohibited from applying for name changes or sex/gender changes without prior written approval from their supervisory authority, with criminal penalties of imprisonment for 2 years and a fine of $12,000 for non-compliance (ss. 36C, 36D, 36ZH, 36ZI). The Registrar and Deputy Registrars are protected from tort liability for good-faith actions (s. 66). Public authorities may be informed of name changes (s. 35B). Finally, the Act affects individuals seeking access to the Register: applicants must show an adequate reason, and the Registrar must consider privacy and sensitivity (ss. 54-56).

Key duties and rights

The Act imposes several core duties. Parents must ensure a birth registration statement is lodged within 60 days after the birth (s. 16(1)); failure attracts a $1,000 penalty, though the Registrar must accept late statements (s. 16(2)). The responsible person for notifying a birth must do so within one month (s. 12(2)). Doctors must provide a certificate of cause of death within 48 hours (s. 44). Funeral directors or other persons responsible for disposal must notify the Registrar of disposal within 7 days, including out-of-State removals (ss. 45, 46), and notify if remains are not disposed of within 30 days (s. 47). A person must not make a false or misleading representation in any application or document under the Act (s. 59, penalty $10,000). Unauthorised access to or interference with the Register is an offence (s. 60, penalty $10,000 or imprisonment for 2 years). Forging the Registrar’s signature or seal or falsifying a certificate carries similar penalties (s. 61). Unauthorised disclosure of information from the Register by employees or those granted access is an offence (s. 63, penalty $5,000 or imprisonment for 1 year). Rights include the right to apply to change a name under Part 5. Adults whose birth is registered in WA, or who were born outside Australia but are citizens or permanent residents with 12 months’ continuous WA residence, may apply (s. 30). Parents or guardians may apply to change a child’s name under certain conditions (s. 31). A change of name may also be established by repute or usage (s. 36). For sex or gender changes, persons 18 or over whose birth is registered in WA may apply to the Registrar with a doctor’s or psychologist’s certificate of appropriate clinical treatment (s. 36J). Parents of children aged 12-17 may apply jointly (with child’s consent) or via the Family Court if parents do not support the change (ss. 36K-36M). For children under 12, only the Family Court can approve changes (s. 36N). Equivalent provisions apply for acknowledgment documents for residents born outside Australia (ss. 36T-36X). Importantly, changing sex or gender registration does not affect existing entitlements under wills, trusts, or operation of law (s. 36R; similar for acknowledgment documents, s. 36ZB). A person whose sex or gender is changed is taken to be of that sex or gender for the purposes of a law of the State, subject to that law (s. 36S; s. 36ZC for acknowledgment documents). Individuals may request that a birth certificate show both former and current sex/gender (s. 36Q(4)-(5)). The Registrar must inform certain registering authorities of name changes unless it would pose a safety risk (s. 35A). Access to the Register is conditional on adequate reason with safeguards for privacy (ss. 54-58). A person dissatisfied with a Registrar’s decision may apply to the State Administrative Tribunal for review (s. 67).

Penalties and enforcement

The Act contains a range of criminal penalties enforced largely through fines and imprisonment. Failure to comply with birth notification obligations results in a $1,000 fine (s. 12(2)). Failure by parents to lodge a birth registration statement within 60 days also attracts a $1,000 fine (s. 16(1)). For deaths, failure by the responsible person to notify the Registrar within 14 days carries a $1,000 fine (s. 42). Doctors who fail to provide a certificate of cause of death within 48 hours face a $1,000 fine, with a defence if another doctor provided the certificate or the doctor had reasonable cause (s. 44(4)). Failure to notify disposal of remains (ss. 45, 46) or failure to notify non-disposal within 30 days (s. 47) each carry a $1,000 fine. False or misleading representations in applications or documents under the Act carry a maximum penalty of $10,000 (s. 59). Unauthorised access to or interference with the Register attracts a $10,000 fine or imprisonment for 2 years (s. 60). Forging the Registrar’s signature or seal, or forging or falsifying certificates or documents under the Act, carries a $10,000 fine or imprisonment for 2 years (s. 61(1)-(2)). Failure to return a certificate or document impounded by the Registrar (s. 61(3)-(4)) carries a $1,000 penalty unless the person has a reasonable excuse. Unauthorised disclosure of information from the Register by employees or authorised persons attracts a $5,000 fine or imprisonment for one year (s. 63). For change of name and sex/gender change restrictions, restricted persons who apply without supervisory authority approval commit an offence punishable by imprisonment for 2 years and a fine of $12,000 (ss. 36C, 36D, 36ZH, 36ZI). These provisions also apply to persons applying on behalf of a restricted person. The Registrar has powers of inquiry (s. 50) and may require answers to questions; failure to comply without reasonable excuse carries a $1,000 penalty. The Registrar may revoke registration or a Part 5A change obtained by fraud or other improper means (s. 62), and the Supreme Court may make consequential orders. The Act also provides for sanctions through the revocation of registration and correction of the Register (ss. 51, 52). Regulations may impose penalties not exceeding $1,000 for contravention of regulations (s. 69(3)). Enforcement is overseen by the Registrar, and decisions are reviewable by the State Administrative Tribunal (s. 67).

How it interacts with other laws

The Act explicitly interacts with several other Western Australian and Commonwealth laws. Section 68 provides that provisions of the Adoption Act 1994 and the Surrogacy Act 2008 relating to access to information in the Register prevail over inconsistent provisions of this Act. Birth parent rights to add additional information after adoption or surrogacy are preserved (s. 68(1), (2A)). Section 53 preserves requirements under other written laws for the Registrar to correct or amend the Register. The Act works with the Marriage Act 1961 (Cth): marriages solemnised in the State must be registered, and the authorised celebrant is responsible under Commonwealth law for lodging the marriage certificate (s. 38 note). For deaths, the Coroners Act 1996 affects when a doctor must report a death to a coroner rather than provide a certificate (s. 44(5)). Where a coroner holds an inquest and finds a death established, the coroner is treated as the notifying person (s. 43). State courts and coroners have power to order registration or correction of birth and death entries (ss. 20, 21, 41). The Family Court Act 1997 is relevant: Part 5A defines the Family Court as including the Magistrates Court constituted by a family law magistrate but not the Magistrates Court under s. 39(a) (s. 36I(3)). The Minister may enter into reciprocal arrangements with corresponding laws of other States (s. 11), enabling cross-border information sharing and database establishment. Section 36S provides that a change of sex or gender registration under this Division or a prescribed corresponding law has effect for the purposes of a State law, subject to that law; the same applies for acknowledgment documents (s. 36ZC). The Act also references the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (WA) for definitions of “doctor” and “psychologist” (ss. 4, 36I). The Public Sector Management Act 1994 governs appointment of the Registrar and staff (ss. 5, 7). The State Administrative Tribunal Act 2004 provides for review of Registrar’s decisions (s. 67). The Health Services Act 2016 and Private Hospitals and Health Services Act 1927 are referenced in the definition of “responsible person” for hospital births (s. 12(1)). The Act also interacts with criminal justice legislation: the Prisons Act 1981, Sentence Administration Act 2003, Sentencing Act 1995, Young Offenders Act 1994, High Risk Serious Offenders Act 2020, and Community Protection (Offender Reporting) Act 2004 define categories of restricted persons and supervisory authorities for name and sex/gender change restrictions (ss. 28A, 36A, 36E, 36ZJ). The Australian Citizenship Act 2007 (Cth) definitions of Australian citizen and permanent resident are incorporated for change-of-name eligibility (s. 28A). Finally, the Gender Reassignment Act 2000 is repealed but its recognition certificates continue in force under savings provisions (s. 70A). An uncommenced Part 15 of the Assisted Reproductive Technology and Surrogacy Act 2025 will further amend the Act when proclaimed.

Amendment history

The Act has been amended multiple times since its commencement on 14 April 1999. Initial amendments were made by the Acts Amendment (Lesbian and Gay Law Reform) Act 2002 (No. 3 of 2002), which came into effect on 21 September 2002 and affected ss. 18 and 19 regarding parentage details and surname changes. The State Administrative Tribunal (Conferral of Jurisdiction) Amendment and Repeal Act 2004 (No. 55 of 2004) replaced the former review mechanism with the State Administrative Tribunal under s. 67, effective 1 January 2005. The Medical Practitioners Act 2008 (No. 22 of 2008) updated references to medical practitioners following the national registration scheme. The Surrogacy Act 2008 (No. 47 of 2008) was a significant amendment, inserting Part 4 on registration of information about parentage changes (adoptions and surrogacy orders) and amending the long title, objects, definitions, and ss. 24-26, 28, 68, effectively from 1 March 2009. The Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (WA) Act 2010 (No. 35 of 2010) replaced references to the Medical Act 1894 with the national law, effective 18 October 2010. The Health Services Act 2016 (No. 11 of 2016) updated references to public hospitals (s. 12). The Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Amendment (Change of Name) Act 2020 (No. 46 of 2020) substantially rewrote Part 5, introducing new Division headings, definitions (s. 28A), restrictions on frequency of name changes (s. 30A), provisions for registration despite restrictions (s. 29A), obligations to notify registering authorities (s. 35A), power to inform prescribed public authorities (s. 35B), and new Division 3 on change of name restrictions for restricted persons (ss. 36A-36H). These provisions commenced on 1 October 2022. Most recently, the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Amendment (Sex or Gender Changes) Act 2024 (No. 31 of 2024) inserted an entirely new Part 5A dealing with changes of registration of sex or gender and acknowledgment documents for Western Australian residents born outside Australia. This Part comprises four Divisions: preliminary (s. 36I), change of registration (ss. 36J-36S), acknowledgment documents for overseas-born residents (ss. 36T-36ZC), and restrictions on changes (ss. 36ZD-36ZM). The 2024 Act also amended the long title, objects, s. 18 (parentage details), s. 31 (child’s name application), and ss. 36C, 36D, 36G, 49, 54, 61, 62, and inserted ss. 68A (review of amendments), 70A (savings for recognition certificates under Gender Reassignment Act 2000). Part 2 of the 2024 Act commenced on 30 May 2025. The Assisted Reproductive Technology and Surrogacy Act 2025 (No. 19 of 2025) will further amend the Act when proclaimed, as noted in the uncommenced provisions table.

Litigation history

The Act itself does not name any specific litigated cases, but it provides avenues for court involvement and review. State courts (Supreme Court, District Court, Family Court, Children’s Court) have power under ss. 20 and 21 to order the Registrar to register a birth, include or correct registrable information, or make findings about parentage. Similarly, s. 41 gives State courts and coroners power to order registration of death or inclusion or correction of information. The Family Court has specific jurisdiction under Part 5A to approve changes of sex or gender for children where parents do not support the change (ss. 36L-36N, 36V-36X) and the CEO of Children and Community Services may apply for children under protection orders (ss. 36O, 36Y). The Family Court may also approve changes of a child’s name under s. 33; if it does, the Registrar must register accordingly. Applications for review of administrative decisions by the Registrar lie to the State Administrative Tribunal (s. 67), which has jurisdiction to review decisions made in the performance or purported performance of functions under the Act. The Registrar’s power to revoke registration or a Part 5A change obtained by fraud (s. 62) may give rise to Supreme Court proceedings for consequential orders. The Act also creates criminal offences (ss. 59-61, 36C, 36D, 36ZH, 36ZI) that would be prosecuted in the ordinary criminal courts. The evidentiary provision (s. 65) allows proof of approved forms or manners by Registrar’s certificate. Certificates issued under s. 57 are admissible in legal proceedings as evidence of the entry and facts recorded. There is also a protection from liability provision (s. 66) that may be litigated if a plaintiff attempts to bring a tort action against the Registrar, Deputy Registrar, or a public service officer; the defence requires good faith in performance of functions. Given the relatively recent introduction of the sex/gender change provisions (2025 commencement), litigation history under Part 5A is likely to develop over time. Review by the Minister of these amendments is mandated after three years (s. 68A), which may influence future legislative changes.

Gotchas

Several provisions in the Act contain traps for the unwary. For birth registration, the 60-day deadline in s. 16(1) is strict; while the Registrar must accept late statements, the parents remain liable for the $1,000 penalty. For hospital births, the responsible person (hospital CEO) must notify the Registrar within one month, but the parents still bear the ultimate responsibility for registration. A common oversight is the requirement for both parents to sign the birth registration statement under s. 15(1); the Registrar may accept a single parent’s statement only in limited circumstances (death, disappearance, ill health, unavailability, or to avoid unwarranted distress). For still-births, registration is mandatory (s. 40(7)) even if the parents may not wish to name the child (s. 22(2)). For deaths, doctors must provide a certificate of cause of death within 48 hours, but this obligation does not arise if the death is reportable to a coroner (s. 44(5)); misjudging whether a death is reportable could lead to an inadvertent breach. Funeral directors must give notice of disposal within 7 days, and if remains are not disposed of within 30 days, they must notify the Registrar (s. 47); failure attracts a $1,000 penalty. For change of name, the frequency restrictions in s. 30A(1) are absolute: the Registrar must not register a change if aware of a prior change within 12 months, or if three or more changes have been registered (changes before adulthood do not count). The exception in s. 29A (personal protection, marriage/divorce, exceptional circumstances) requires evidence. For children, a change of name cannot be registered within 12 months of a previous change unless the previous change was under s. 23 (given name change within first year) or s. 33 (Family Court order) - s. 32A(2). The child’s consent is required if the child is 12 or over and can understand the change (s. 32). A major trap is the prohibition on restricted persons (prisoners, detainees, supervised offenders, high risk serious offenders) applying for a name change without supervisory authority approval (s. 36C). This applies even if the person is applying to a registering authority in another State. The penalties are severe: imprisonment for 2 years and a fine of $12,000. Note that “reportable offender” is excluded from the definition of “restricted person” in s. 36A but is subject to separate controls under the Community Protection (Offender Reporting) Act 2004 Part 4A. For sex/gender changes, similar restrictions apply (ss. 36ZH, 36ZI). Additionally, s. 36ZE(1) limits adults to one change in 12 months and three changes total (excluding changes before age 18), but s. 36ZE(3) allows exceptional circumstances applications. For acknowledgment documents, equivalent frequency limits apply (s. 36ZF). The Registrar’s power to reject a change of name if the proposed name would become a prohibited name (s. 34(3)(a)) is subjective - the Registrar decides if the name is obscene, offensive, impracticable, or contrary to public interest (s. 4). Access to the Register is not automatic: applicants must show an adequate reason under s. 54, considering the nature of the interest, sensitivity of information, intended use, and privacy protection. The Registrar’s policies on access must be maintained and provided on request (s. 58). Finally, the Act contains an expansive offence for making false or misleading representations (s. 59) with a $10,000 penalty; this could catch inadvertent errors if made knowingly false. The revocation power in s. 62 allows the Registrar to revoke registration of a registrable event or a Part 5A change obtained by fraud, and the Supreme Court can make consequential orders, potentially undoing a change that was procured improperly but relied upon by third parties.

How to comply

Compliance with the Act requires attention to time limits, forms, and declarations. For birth registration, parents should ensure they lodge the birth registration statement (in an approved form) within 60 days of the child’s birth (s. 16(1)). Both parents should sign unless a statutory exception applies (s. 15(1)). If the child is still-born or dies within 28 days, the birth and death registrations must still be completed (ss. 13, 40(7); s. 22(2) does not require naming but permits it). The responsible person at the hospital or attending doctor/midwife must notify the Registrar within one month (s. 12(2)). For deaths, the funeral director or person responsible for disposal must, within 14 days of death (or finding of body or placement for medical education), notify the Registrar via a death registration statement and provide the certificate of cause of death from a doctor (s. 42). Doctors must provide that certificate within 48 hours of death unless the death is reportable to a coroner (s. 44). Notice of disposal (burial, cremation, mausoleum, or removal from State) must be given within 7 days (ss. 45, 46); if remains are not disposed of within 30 days, the person with custody must notify the Registrar (s. 47). For change of name, an adult whose birth is registered in WA, or who is an Australian citizen/permanent resident with 12 months’ WA residence (birth outside Australia, not registered elsewhere), may apply in the approved form, declaring whether they are a required declarant (s. 30). The applicant must not have had a name change registered in the preceding 12 months, and must not have had three or more prior changes (s. 30A). If the applicant is a restricted person, prior written approval from the supervisory authority is essential (s. 36B, 36C) - applying without approval is a criminal offence. For a child’s name change, the parents or guardian must use the approved form and declare whether the child is a required declarant (s. 31). If the child is 12 or over, their consent is required unless they cannot understand the change (s. 32). No more than one change in 12 months is permitted unless the prior change was under s. 23 or s. 33 (s. 32A). The Registrar may require evidence of identity, age, absence of fraud, and other matters (s. 34). For sex or gender changes of birth registration, an adult (18+) must apply in the approved form, specifying a prescribed sex or gender, accompanied by a doctor’s or psychologist’s statement certifying appropriate clinical treatment, along with any prescribed documents (s. 36J). A declaration as to whether the applicant is a required declarant is mandatory. For children 12-17, both parents/guardians must apply jointly with the child’s consent and a clinical statement confirming the child understands the implications (s. 36K). If parents do not support the change, an application may be made to the Family Court (ss. 36L, 36M). For children under 12, only the Family Court can approve a change (s. 36N). For Western Australian residents born outside Australia, the process for an acknowledgment document mirrors the sex/gender change provisions but uses a separate application (ss. 36T-36X). All applicants should be aware of the frequency limits: one change in 12 months and three total changes for adults (excluding pre-18 changes) (ss. 36ZE, 36ZF). Restricted persons must obtain supervisory authority approval before applying for a sex/gender change or acknowledgment document (ss. 36ZG, 36ZH, 36ZI). Finally, any person who is dissatisfied with a Registrar’s decision may seek review by the State Administrative Tribunal within the applicable time limits (s. 67). For all matters, keeping accurate records, meeting deadlines, and using approved forms is critical to avoid penalties.