The household registration of nationals of the Republic of China(hereinafter referred to as ROC) shall be implemented in accordance with this Act.

The competent authorities in charge of the administration of household registration are the Ministry of the Interior (hereinafter referred to as MOI) in the central competent authority, the municipal governments in municipalities, and the county (city) governments in counties (cities).

The household registration shall be made on a household basis.
All members living together in a family or a place under the same household head, or engaging in a joint business shall belong to one household, with the head of the household or the managing person as the head of the household. One who lives independently shall constitute a household with himself/herself as the head of the household. One person cannot be registered in two households.

Household registration as used herein shall mean the following registrations:
1. Registrations of personal status:
(1) Birth registration
(2) Registration of parentage
(3) Adoption and adoption termination registration
(4) Marriage and divorce registration
(5) Registration of legal guardianship
(6) Assistance registration
(7) Registration of exercising responsibility for the rights and obligations of minor children
(8) Registration of death and presumption of death
(9) Registration of Indigenous status and tribe group
2. Initial household registrations
3. Registrations of movement:
(1) Moving-out registration
(2) Moving-in registration
(3) Address alteration registration
4. Household separation (combination) registration
5. Birth place registration
6. Registration according to other laws

The municipal and the county (city) governments shall establish Household Registration Offices to deal with household registrations in the area under the individual Office’s jurisdiction.

The household registration records mentioned in this Act refer to current household registration records, cancelled household registration records, census registration records during the Japanese colonial period, household registration application forms, original household registration records, booklets, cards, and computer storage media.
The current household registration records mentioned in the preceding Paragraph refer to the household registration records of current members and non-current members who previously resided there but moved to a foreign country, died or are presumed dead, and household annulment registration within a household under the same household head. Canceled household registration records refer to the household registration records before the household head alteration.
The format and content of current household registration records, canceled household registration records, and household registration application forms shall be stipulated by the central competent authority.

Any nationals under 12 years of age born in the ROC, shall be subject to birth registration; the same applies to abandoned or helpless children who have not yet applied for household registration.

Any acknowledgment of parentage shall be subject to registration of parentage.

Any adoption shall be subject to adoption registration.
Any termination of adoption shall be subject to adoption termination registration.

Any marriage shall be subject to marriage registration.
Any divorce shall be subject to divorce registration.

(Deleted)

People who have no or are limited in capacity to make juridical acts when placed, selected, altered, considered, appointed, or delegated a legal guardian should conduct registration of legal guardianship.

Developmentally disabled or mentally disabled people only partly able to show their intentions or people who have insufficient ability to recognize their intentions and been declared in need of assistance should conduct assistance registration.

For the executing or exercising of the rights and obligations toward minor children, once parents mutually agree with it or are the court's final judgment, achieved mediation or settlement that they should be assisted by either or both parties, he/she or they should conduct Registration of the executing or exercising of the rights and obligations toward minor children.

Any death or presunotion of death shall be subject to registration of death or presumption of death.
After the prosecutors office, military prosecutors office, or a medical institute has issued the autopsy certificate or death certificate, or the court has declared the death of the person in the final judgment, it is necessary to hand the certificate or declaration and purport of the decision to the competent authorities of the municipality and the county (city) where the domicile place is registered.
Regulations on the preceding procedure, duration, methods, and other items to be followed are as stipulated by the central competent authority.

The acquisition, forfeiture, alteration, or recovery of Indigenous status and tribe should be filed for Indigenous status and tribe group.
The registration in the preceding Paragraph shall be processed in accordance with the Status Act For Indigenous People and its relevant laws and regulations.

Those who do not have domestic household registration shall make initial household registration if they meet one of the following conditions:
1. An ROC citizen who enters the country and has been approved to reside domestically.
2. A foreign national or stateless person who has become naturalized or regained his/her ROC nationality and has been approved to reside domestically.
3. A citizen from Mainland China, Hong Kong, or Macau who has been approved to reside domestically.
4. Those born in the ROC are over 12 years of age, without birth registration, reside in the ROC legally, and have never departed from the country.

Those who move out of the jurisdictional area (township, city, district) for over 3 months shall be subject to Moving-out Registration, except when movement is made owing to the requirements otherwise provided by laws, military service, schooling within the country, imprisonment, and dwelling in long-term care institutions or other similar premises.
When all household members move, missing persons with a case number compiled by police authorities, those in detention or who have left the country for less than two years shall be moved accordingly.
Those absent from ROC for 2 years and over shall be subject to Moving-out Registration. People meeting the following conditions do not apply to the above provisions:
1. A person stationed overseas by government order or the family of such person.
2. Working on an ROC oceangoing fishing ship.
An ROC national who departs from the country but enters with no ROC passport or other entrance documents. However he or she is in the country, is still considered to have left the ROC for 2 years and over and shall be subject to Moving-out Registration.

Those who have moved in from other jurisdictional domiciliary areas (township, city, district) for 3 months or more shall be subject to Moving-in Registration.
A person having household registration initially, who moved out to a foreign country, enters ROC territory with an ROC passport or entrance documents, and stays for over three months shall apply for the Moving-in Registration. When the person having household registration is originally approved to have nationality restored, the above item shall be applied likewise.

Any address alteration made within the same domiciliary area of jurisdiction (township, city, district) for over 3 months shall be subject to Address Alteration Registration.

Household Separation (Combination) Registration should be made if a household at the same address wants to separate into two or more households, or multi-households in the same household address want to combine as a household.

When an ROC national applies for Initial Household Registration, the place of birth shall meet one of the following conditions:
1. For the application for household registration, the place of birth shall be the province (municipality) or the county (city) where the national was born.
2. For an abandoned and helpless child whose birthplace is unknown, the place of birth shall be the place where he/she was found.
3. For a child born on a ship or an airplane so that the birthplace cannot be defined, the place of birth shall be the place of registration for such ship or airplane, ROC nationality, or port of registry.
4. If the person concerned was placed and educated at welfare institutes for children and youth, and the birthplace is unknown, the place of birth shall be where such institute is located.
5. If a child was born in a foreign country or area, the place of birth shall be the country or area to which the birthplace where he/she was born belongs.
6.As stipulated in Subparagraph 5, if the birthplace is unknown, the place of birth shall be the place where he/she resides.

Any alteration of items of the household registration shall be subject to Alteration Registration.

Any error or omission of items of the household registration shall be subject to Correction Registration.

Any item of the household registration that does not exist from the beginning or is invalid from the beginning shall be subject to Revocation Registration. The revocation of loss of ROC nationality or the revocation of ROC nationality shall be applied likewise.

Any item of the household registration that does not exist afterward shall be subject to Annulment Registration, where shall also apply to the person who loses ROC nationality or citizenship of Taiwan.

In case litigation occurs after registration, the application for Alteration, Correction, Revocation, or Annulment Registration shall be made after a judgment is ascertained or a reconciliation or mediation is arrived.

The application for household registration shall be filed with the Household Registration Office where the place of domicile is registered, except for the following:
1. For registration of an item announced and assigned by the central competent authority, the applicant shall apply to the Household Registration Office outside of where his or her permanent residence is located.
2. If both or either of the parties concerned once had a household registration within the country when they were married or divorced within, the marriage registration or divorce registration shall be applied for at any party's Household Registration Office.
3. If both or either of the parties concerned has or once had a household registration within the country when they were married or divorced overseas, they shall submit related documents to ROC embassies, consulates general, consulates, representative offices, or offices (hereinafter referred to as “Diplomatic Missions”), or to organizations or civilian groups in Hong Kong and Macau designated by the Executive Yuan, to have them authenticated. After authentication, the documents will be forwarded to the Household Registration Office where the applicant’s place of domicile is, or was originally, registered for marriage or divorce registration.
4. If neither of the parties concerned has a household registration within the country, when they were married or divorced within the country, the marriage registration or divorce registration shall be applied for at any party's Household Registration Office; when they are married or divorced overseas, they shall bring related documents to ROC Embassies or Missions Abroad, organizations or civilian groups in Hong Kong and Macau designated by the Executive Yuan to apply for certificates. After verification, the certificates will be forwarded to the Household Registration Office, where the central competent authority is designated by the central competent authority for marriage or divorce registration.
5. For an Initial Household Registration, the applicant must apply with the Household Registration Office, where he or she resides currently.
6. For a moving-out registration, the applicant must apply with the Household Registration Office where he or she is to immigrate.

For a registration application, the applicant shall apply with the Household Registration Office in written or oral form or through the Internet.
For items of registration applied through the Internet per the preceding Paragraph, the central competent authority makes the assignment and announcement.

The application form for registration shall be signed or stamped with a chop by the applicant. If the application is made verbally, the Household Registration Office shall fill out the application form on behalf of the applicant and shall read to the applicant, then ask him/her to sign or stamp the chop. If the application is made through the Internet, the application form shall have an electronic signature.
The electronic signature in the preceding Paragraph is restricted only to the Citizen Digital Certificate by the Certificate Authority of MOI.

The applicant for birth registration shall be the father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, head of the household, cohabitant, or foster parent.
For the abandoned or helpless child, the applicant of the birth registration mentioned in the preceding Paragraph may be the children’s welfare organization.

The applicant for registration of parentage shall be the recognizer. If the recognizer does not make the application, the recognized one shall be the applicant.

The applicant for adoption registration shall be the adopter or the adoptee.

The applicant for adoption termination registration shall be the adopter or the adoptee.

The applicants for marriage registration shall be both parties concerned. However, when people were married before May 22, 2008 (including May 22) or their marriage was effective before that time, one of the parties concerned can be the applicant.
For the above proviso, if necessary, the competent authorities or Household Registration Offices can ask related authorities to verify the marriage and check any documents that prove the marriage.

The applicant for divorce registration shall be both parties concerned. However, for divorce through final court decree, court mediation or court settlement, or if the divorce had been effective, the applicant shall be one of the parties concerned.

The applicant for Indigenous people’s status and tribe registration shall be himself/herself, except, for an unmarried minor. The acquisition or alteration of Indigenous status and tribe group registration shall be applied for by the statutory agent.

The applicant for registration of legal guardianship shall be the legal guardian.
The applicant for assistance registration shall be the assistant or the person subject to the order of commencement of assistance.
The applicant for registration of the executing or exercising of the rights and obligations of minor children shall be one or both of the parties concerned.

The applicant for death registration shall be the spouse, relative, head of the household, cohabitant, the person handling burying, or the person in charge of the house or land of the dead when he/she dies.

In the case of execution ,or death in a jail, detention house or other shelter, and no one claims the dead, the jail, detention house, or shelter shall notify the Household Registration Office where the domicile of the dead is registered to make the death registration.

In case of death due to disaster or the dead being unidentifiable, or is investigated and verified by a police department. However no one claims the dead, the police department shall notify the Household Registration Office where the domicile of the dead is registered to make the death registration.

The registration of presumption of death applicant shall be the person applying for the declaration or the interested person.

The applicant of initial household registration shall be himself/herself or the head of the household.

The applicant of registration of movement shall be the person himself/herself or the head of the household.
The applicant of registration of movement of all household members shall be the head of the household.

For the person departing from the country, who shall be subject to the moving-out registration under Paragraph 3 of Article 16, the Household Registration Office where the person’s domicile is registered shall proceed with the moving-out registration at its discretion.

The applicant of household separation (combination) Registration shall be himself/herself or the head of the household.

The applicant of birthplace registration shall be himself/herself or the applicant mentioned in Article 29.

After the cases for household registrations occur or are ascertained, but no applicants are available for those cases as stated in Articles 29 to 32, the first proviso of Article 33, proviso of Article 34, Article 36 and Article 40, Article 41 and its first two provisos, the interested persons shall act as the applicants.

The applicant for alteration, correction, revocation, or annulment registration shall be the concerned party himself/herself. If the concerned party cannot apply the application, the applicant should be the original applicant or interested person. Likewise, the Household Registration Office shall proceed with the alteration, correction, revocation, or annulment registration at its discretion.

If the applicant cannot make an application personally, he/she shall entrust another person with a letter of proxy to make such application.
Except where there are due reasons which the Household Registration Office approves, the provision outlined in the previous Paragraph does not apply to the registrations of parentage, adoption termination, narriage, or divorce agreed upon by both parties concerned.

The applications for household registrations should be made within 30 days after the cases concerned occur or are ascertained; however, birth registration must be made within 60 days.
The Household Registration Office should still accept overdue applications.
When the Household Registration Office finds overdue applications that are not made within the statutory time limit, it

The following household registrations shall be filed directly by the household registration office without notification procedure:
1.Registration of Presumption of Death.
2.Household annulment registration of loss of ROC nationality.
3.Household revocation registration of revoking the household registration under the preceding subparagraph.
4.Household revocation registration of revocation of the ROC nationality.
5.Household revocation registration of loss of citizenship of Taiwan.
6.Household annulment registration of loss of citizenship of Taiwan.

The following household registrations shall be filed directly by the household registration office if the concerned parties still fail to apply for relative registration for themselves after notification:
1.Birth registration.
2.Registration of legal guardianship
3.Assistance registration
4.Registration to exercise responsibility for the rights and obligations for minor children
5.Registration of death
6.Initial household registrations
7.Registrations of re-location
8.Alteration (Correction), revocation and annulment registrations
9.Registrations of personal status upon court's final judgment, court mediation or court settlement.

In case the surname of the concerned party of the birth registration is not sure according to related laws, if the child is legitimate, the applicant can decide the child to be registered with the father or mother's surname upon taking a draw; if the child is illegitimate, the child is registered with the mother's surname; if the child is abandoned or helpless, the child is registered with the legal guardian's surname.
Should the Household Registration Office register a child according to Subparagraph 1 of the previous Article, if the child is legitimate, the applicant can register the child with the father or mother's surname upon taking a draw; if the child is illegitimate, the child is registered with the mother's surname; if the child is abandoned or helpless, the child is registered with the legal guardian's surname and the director of the Household Registration Office should give the child a first name.

In case the whole household moves out of its place of domicile without conducting Moving-out Registration within the statutory time limit and the household cannot be notified, the Household Registration Office shall process the moving-out registration to immigrate the whole household to the address of the Household Registration Office directly under the application being made by the house owner, managing authority, or local government. Suppose the house owner, managing authority, or local government mentioned in the prior Paragraph does not make the application. In that case, the Household Registration Office shall process the registration directly to temporarily move the whole household to the address of the Household Registration Office.
When an inmate in correction authority meets one condition of the preceding Paragraph, the Household Registration Office shall make moving-out registration to the corrections authority, and it is not bound by Paragraph 1 and Paragraph 2 of Article 16.
When the Household Registration Office receives notification from the corrections authority that the inmate is released, it shall verify the fact. It shall process move-in registration by the Household Registration Office where the inmate lives.

A National Identification Card (hereinafter referred to as a National ID Card) represents one person's identity and is effective throughout the country.
The Household Certificate should contain current household registration records within the household under the same household head and list all the members within the household. The head of the household should be listed in the first column.

The format, content, and photo specifications of the National ID Card and Household Certificate shall be stipulated by the central competent authority.
The issuance, photo file content, preservation, usage, examination and other items of the National ID Card and Household Certificate shall be stipulated by the central competent authority．

The blank National ID Card and blank household certificate shall be printed by the competent authorities of municipalities, and the counties (cities), if necessary, shall be printed only by the central governing authorization.

According to the household registration record, the Household Registration Office shall print the ID card and household certificate.

The generation and assignment of National ID Card numbers and household certificate numbers shall be stipulated by the central competent authority and be executed by the Household Registration Office.

One must always carry his or her National ID Card. A National ID Card shall not be detained unless under the law.
The head of the household shall keep the household certificate. When a household member proceeds with household registration, the head shall provide the booklet and not detain it.

Nationals who have reached the age of 14 shall apply for citizen's National ID Cards, and those under 14 years old shall apply for citizen's National ID Cards.
Those who have lost or damaged their National ID Cards and Household Certificates shall apply for re-issuing.
A registered household shall apply for the household certificate.

When a person applies for household registration and this results in changes in National ID Card information, he or she shall simultaneously apply for a replacement of their National ID Card.
One must apply for a replacement of a National ID Card when his or her National ID Card is damaged or if the National ID Card photo is replaced.
When there are changes to the Household Certificate, a replacement household certificate must be applied.

The national-wide replacement process and other items of National ID Cards to be followed should be stipulated by the central competent authority.
The replacement of National ID Cards and the invalid date of old National ID Cards shall be announced by the central competent authority and be published on the government agenda.
Those with National ID Cards should replace their cards during the due period.
The first three Paragraphs shall apply to the replacement of household certificates.

In case of initial issuance or re-issuance of National ID Card, the person concerned shall claim the card in person.
In case of replacement of National ID Card, he/she shall entrust some other person with a Letter of Proxy to make the claim, except a replacement of National ID Card due to replacement of photo, when the person concerned shall claim the card in person.
When the head of the household in person or by delegation conducts registration of movement for the whole household or partial household members, the applicant can simultaneously apply for the replacement of National ID Cards and is not bound by the abovementioned restriction.

The initial issuance, re-issuance, replacement, and national-wide replacement of the National ID Card shall be proceeded as follows:
1. Initial issuance, re-issuance, and replacement of National ID Card: Apply at the Household Registration Office where the place of domicile is registered.
2. Replacement: When applying for household registration which has caused changes to National ID Card information, the householder shall apply for replacement at the Household Registration Office where the place of domicile is registered; for a damaged National ID Card or replacement of photo, the applicant can apply at any Household Registration Office.
For the situation stipulated in the first Paragraph above, for registration of an item announced and assigned by the central competent authority, the applicant shall apply with the Household Registration Office outside where the place of domicile is registered.

In cases of registration of death and presumption of death, revocation or annulment of household registration, re-issuance, replacement, or national-wide replacement of National ID Cards, the original National ID Cards shall be clipped and collected by the Household Registration Office.
Suppose a National ID Card is obtained illegally, falsely used, or faked. In that case, the organization that discovers the fact shall notify the issuing municipalities, counties (and cities) competent authorities and annul the renewal information.

Upon the initial issuance or national-wide replacement of household certificates, it can be claimed by the head of the household himself/herself or delegated to others with a letter of proxy.
Upon the re-issuance or replacement of household certificates, it can be claimed by the head of the household himself/herself or delegated to others with a Letter of Proxy at any Household Registration Office.

Any record of household registration shall not be carried out of the places where they are kept, except for avoiding natural disasters and accidents, census, or as approved by the director of the Household Registration Office.
The central competent authority shall stipulate the form and the record's retention period mentioned in the preceding Paragraph.

A person himself/herself or interested persons shall apply to review the household registration record or ask for the household certificate transcript. If the applicant cannot make the application personally, he/she shall entrust another person to make it with a letter of proxy.
When an interested person applies as regulated above, the Household Registration Office shall only provide the partial household registration record or household certificate transcript that concerns the applicant.
The central competent authority shall stipulate the format of the household certificate transcript and the scope of the interested person.

The applicants shall apply for their kinsfolk relation record at any Household Registration Office if they meet one of the following conditions:
1. Verification of family relationships is required according to Article 15 or Article 29 of the Artificial Reproduction Act.
2. Are required to verify family relationships for organ donation as stipulated according to Article 8, the Human Organ Transplant Regulation.
3. Verification of the descendant’s spouse and the genetic relationship for Inheritance Registration is required.
4. They must verify that their fathers or mothers are ROC nationals according to Article 2, Nationality Act.
5. Are required by court or trial to verify their kinsfolk relation record.
6. They must verify their kinsfolk relation record according to other laws.
The kinsfolk relation record mentioned in the preceding Paragraph is the family relationship certificate linked from the household registration record issued by the household registration authority according to related provisions.
If the applicant in the preceding first Paragraph cannot apply for the kinsfolk relation record, he/she shall entrust another person to apply with a letter of proxy.
When the applicant or legal proxy indicated in the preceding first Paragraph applies as regulated above, the Household Registration Office shall only provide the partial kinsfolk relation record that concerns the applicant.
The scope of the applicant, identification of interested persons, the format of data provided, required documents in the application, verification methods, verification procedures, and other matters to be complied with in the preceding Paragraph will be stipulated by the central competent authority.

Application for household certificate transcript can be made at any Household Registration Office. When applying for a review of the original household registration record or the Japanese Colonial Household Registration record before the record is online, the applicant shall apply at the original Household Registration Office where the place of domicile is registered.

A person, himself/herself, shall apply for a marriage certificate, divorce certificate, marriage record certificate, movement record certificate, or name alteration record certificate. If the applicant cannot make the application personally, he/she shall entrust another person to make a letter of proxy.
The central governing authority shall stipulate the format of the certificates in the preceding Paragraph.

Any household registration record and kinsfolk relation record required by any authority shall be based on the household registration.
The competent authority or Household Registration Office should provide the record mentioned. The central competent authority shall stipulate the application method, content, procedure, fees, and other items that should be followed.

To meet the need of the competent authority and Household Registration Office to verify the items of the household registration, relevant authorities, schools, organizations, or persons shall provide the required information accordingly.

Nationals who apply for their National ID Card, household certificate, household certificate transcript, marriage certificate, divorce certificate, marriage record certificate, movement record certificate or name alteration record certificate, copy of original household registration record, kinsfolk relation record, household statistics, reviewing of household registration record pursuant to the present Law shall pay fees, of which the criteria shall be stipulated by the central competent authority.

A census shall be made before making household registrations.

The Household Registration Office shall send personnel to check and correct items of household registration.

The Household Registration Office shall check and record the educational degree of citizens above 15.

Every high school and post-secondary school shall prepare the register of graduates for each year and furnish it to the central competent authority. The list of new students in junior high school can be ignored.

Municipal and city (county) competent authorities and their Household Registration Offices should prepare all kinds of household statistics separately and deliver them to their superior authority as scheduled. If necessary, other household surveys and censuses should be conducted.

Faking or illegally altering National ID Cards for providing fake identities to damage or cause benefit losses to the public or other innocent people shall face a penalty of less than 5 years in prison, detention, or fines of less than 500,000 NT dollars.
Those who fake and alter National ID Cards shall be punished the same.
Providing his or her own National ID Card to others to be used or faking others or using National ID Cards lost or delivered by others to damage or cause benefits losses to the public or other innocent people shall face a penalty of less than 3 years in prison, detention or fines of less than 300,000 NT dollars.

Any applicant who makes a false application intentionally or any relevant authority, school, organization, or national that provides the competent authorities or Household Registration Offices with false information shall be penalized by a fine of over 3,000 but less than 9,000 NT dollars.

Any person, without proper reasons, who refuses the census, or any relevant authority, school, organization, or national that refuses to provide the competent authorities with household registration information according to Article 68 shall be penalized with a fine of 3,000 NT dollars and no more than 9,000 NT dollars.

A civil servant who does not do as stipulated according to Paragraph 2 of Article 14 shall be punished by the organization he or she serves. If a medical institute does not do as regulated in the same Article, it shall be fined over 1,000 but at most 3,000 NT dollars.

If a person, without proper reasons, violates Paragraph 1 of Article 48 and does not apply for registration within the legal time shall be fined over 300 but no more than 900 NT dollars. If the person fails to do so after written notification, the person shall be fined 900 NT dollars.

If a head of household does not provide a household certificate as described in Paragraph 2 of Article 56, he or she shall be fined over 1,000 but no more than 3,000 NT dollars.

The levy of fines shall be executed at the discretion of the Household Registration Office.

The central competent authority shall enact rules for the enforcement of this Act.

Except for Articles 10, 26, 45, and 69, which are executed starting from May 23, 2008, Item 6 of Subparagraph 1 of Article 4, Article 12, Paragraph 2 of Article 35, Paragraph 4 of Article 48 about Assistance Registration shall come into force as stipulated by the Executive Yuan, the rest shall come into force from the date of promulgation.
The amended provisions of this Act come into force from the date of promulgation.