Free step-by-step guide to completing and registering the official government Parental Responsibility Agreement form (C(PRA1)) in England and Wales.
Important: UK law requires the official government C(PRA1) form. This free guide explains how to complete and submit it correctly — it does not replace the GOV.UK form.
The C(PRA1) Parental Responsibility Agreement form is provided free by the UK government. Download it directly from GOV.UK, then return to this guide for help completing it.
📥 Download C(PRA1) from GOV.UKA Parental Responsibility Agreement (Form C(PRA1)) is the legal document unmarried fathers use to gain parental responsibility for their child in England and Wales. When both parents sign the form and register it with the court, the father gets the same legal rights and responsibilities as the mother.
Note: If you're named on your child's birth certificate and the birth was registered after 1 December 2003, you already have automatic parental responsibility. This form is for fathers not named on the birth certificate, or those named on certificates registered before December 2003.
Other PR Agreement Forms: This guide covers Form C(PRA1) for unmarried fathers. Different forms exist for other situations: C(PRA2) for step-parents and C(PRA3) for second female parents.
Follow these steps to complete and register your Parental Responsibility Agreement correctly. The entire process is free — you don't pay any court fees for this.
Get the official form from GOV.UK. It's a 4-page PDF document. You'll need to print it out — electronic signatures aren't accepted.
Download C(PRA1) from GOV.UK →Complete the information about your child:
Tip: Have your child's birth certificate ready when filling this section. All details must match exactly.
The mother completes her information:
The father completes his information:
Important: If you live at the same address as the mother, write the full address for both of you. Don't write "as above".
DO NOT sign the form yet. Take the completed (but unsigned) form to your local family court for witnessing. Both parents should attend together if possible.
What to bring:
Find your court: Search "family court near me" or call 0300 123 5577 to find your local family court. Check opening hours before visiting — many courts only witness PR agreements on certain days or by appointment.
A court officer (Justice Clerk or Legal Adviser) will witness both parents signing the form. This is free — there's no charge for witnessing.
The court officer will then sign and stamp the form as an official witness. They'll keep one copy and give you copies to send to the Principal Registry.
Post the witnessed and signed form to the Principal Registry at:
Principal Registry of the Family Division
First Avenue House
42-49 High Holborn
London
WC1V 6NP
Tip: Send by recorded delivery so you have proof it was received. Keep a photocopy for your records before posting.
The Principal Registry will check and register your form, then send a sealed (officially stamped) copy back to both parents. This usually takes 2-4 weeks.
Keep this safe! You'll need your sealed copy as proof of parental responsibility when dealing with schools, hospitals, passport applications, and other organisations.
Parental responsibility gives you legal rights and responsibilities in these key areas. Click each to see specific rights:
Take your completed (but unsigned) form to your local family court.
A court officer will witness both parents signing the form free of charge.
You'll need to bring the child's birth certificate and photo ID for both parents.
Both parents should attend together if possible.
Check your local family court's opening hours before visiting.
The C(PRA1) Parental Responsibility Agreement requires both parents to agree.
If the mother refuses to sign, you'll need to apply to the court for a Parental Responsibility Order (Form C1) instead.
This is a different process that involves a court application with fees (currently around £232 – check current HMCTS fees at time of application) and potentially a hearing.
The court will decide based on your involvement with the child and what's in the child's best interests.
It depends when the birth was registered.
If you're named on a birth certificate registered after 1 December 2003, you already have automatic parental responsibility.
If the birth was registered before this date, being named on the certificate did not grant automatic PR – you'll need a Parental Responsibility Agreement or court order.
Parental responsibility obtained through a PR Agreement can potentially be ended by a court order, but courts rarely do this except in extreme circumstances.
If you're granted PR through a court order, it can also be ended by court application.
However, PR obtained through being named on the birth certificate (post-2003) or through marriage cannot normally be removed.
No, parental responsibility and contact (seeing your child) are separate legal matters.
PR gives you decision-making rights, but it doesn't automatically give you the right to have the child live with you or to see them at specific times.
If you need to formalise contact arrangements, that's a separate matter.
Many parents create a Child Arrangement Agreement to set out living and contact arrangements.
The Principal Registry will check that the form is correctly completed and witnessed, then register it.
They keep the original and send a sealed (stamped) copy back to both parents, usually within 2-4 weeks.
Keep your sealed copy safely – you'll need it as proof of parental responsibility when dealing with schools, hospitals, passport applications, and other organisations.
Download the official C(PRA1) form from GOV.UK and follow the steps in this guide to complete and register your Parental Responsibility Agreement.
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