Punjab waives fee on birth, death certificates

LAHORE:In a major relief for citizens, the Punjab government has announced the waiver of all fees related to the registration of birth and death as well as the issuance of computerised certificates for a period of up to seven years, under newly-enforced Birth and Death Registration Rules 2025.

The decision was made on the directives of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, as part of a broader initiative to streamline public service delivery and reduce the financial burden on citizens. The new rules, officially notified in the Punjab Gazette, aim to make the civil registration process more transparent, efficient, and citizen-friendly.

According to the Local Government Department, no fee will be charged for birth or death registrations within seven years of the event, and citizens will also be able to obtain computerised certificates free-of-cost within this period. The initiative, officials say, aligns with the chief minister’s vision to provide accessible and affordable governance to the people.

Under the updated framework, the window for regular registration has been extended from 60 days to one year. Furthermore, the requirement of a court decree for late registration has been abolished — except in cases where registration is delayed by more than seven years. In such cases, a newspaper advertisement will be mandatory, and registration fee will be charged. However, for death registrations exceeding seven years, a court decree will remain a legal requirement.

The rules also redefined administrative authority over the registration process. Registrations for children up to one year of age will fall under the jurisdiction of the Union Council Secretary. Those between one and seven years will be handled by the Assistant Director of Local Government, while registrations delayed beyond seven years will require the approval of the Deputy Director concerned.

A spokesperson for the Local Government Department said the reforms had been introduced under the chief minister’s special instructions to ensure timely and accurate civil registration, eliminate procedural hurdles, and uphold the fundamental rights of all citizens. ‘The Punjab government is committed to delivering free, dignified, and efficient services to every resident of the province,’ the spokesperson added.