Within one month after the child is born, go to the police station to file the birth registration

The law gives one month, not “when you have time.” Hukou registration blocks what comes after: vaccines, kindergarten, school, and an ID card. The longer you wait, the more materials you have to make up.

Cost

No money spent. One trip to the hukou (户口 — household registration) window at the police station

Benefit

Article 7 of the Household Registration Regulations: “Within one month after the infant is born, the household head, a relative, a foster parent, or a neighbor shall report the birth registration to the household registration authority at the infant’s place of habitual residence.” This is a statutory deadline, not advice. Hukou registration is the prerequisite for vaccines, kindergarten, school, and an ID card. The longer you wait, the more materials you need to supply

Notes

Bring these: the Medical Certificate of Birth, the parents’ ID cards and household registers, and the marriage certificate; the exact list follows what the local police station requires. The State Council General Office’s 2015 opinion states voluntary choice of father’s or mother’s hukou — you may choose either side. School districts and insurance enrollment areas may differ; decide before you go, because changing later is trouble. Children born outside marriage can also register hukou: the same opinion says you may apply with the Medical Certificate of Birth, one parent’s household register, and a statement of non-marital birth. For registration under the father’s hukou, you also need a parentage test from a qualified appraisal body

Sources · 1

1. 国务院 (1958). 中华人民共和国户口登记条例（第七条）. gd.gov.cn/zwgk/wjk/zcfgk/content/post_2531969…（广东省人民政府转载）；国务院办公厅 (2015). 关于解决无户口人员登记户口问题的意见（国办发〔2015〕96 号）. gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2016-01/14/content_1…