Under the 1836 Act If the birth was not registered within forty-two days there was a fee of two Shillings and Sixpence entitlement for the Superintendent Registrar, and five shillings for the registrar, Section XXII. There was a penalty for non-registration in the 1874 Act, but not for late registration. So between 1837 and 1874 there was a financial incentive to make sure the birth was registered within forty two days, either by the registrar or another responsible person.
Stan
In the 1874 Act there was a financial penalty for registering a birth between 3 months and 12 months after the birth but it was not called a penalty.
After 3 moths the person registering the birth had to pay double to register.
They had to pay the registrar 2/6 and they had to pay the superintendant registrar 2/6 If the registration was under the authority of the Registrar General (i.e. after 12 months) double the fees to both the above.
See Births and Deaths Registration Act, 1874
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01l2i/"Second Schedule.
Fees to Registrars and Superintendent Registrars.
For registering a birth or death when required to do so at residence of person signing requistion, or at house child born or person died (not being a public institution), to registrar one shilling, to be paid by the informant.
Upon the registration of a birth when the child is more than three months old, if it is not more than twelve months old, to superintendent registrar two shillings and sixpence, and to the registrar (unless the delay is occasioned by his failure to issue requisition, or otherwise by his default) two shillings and six-pence, and if it is more than twelve months old, and is registered with the authority of the Registrar General, to superintendent registrar five shillings, and to registrar (unless the delay is occasioned by his failure to issue a requisition or otherwise by his it) default) five shillings, to be paid by the informant or declarant.
Cheers
Guy