Birth Certificate FAQ
Fact sheet for completing birth certificates before your package arrives!
Important Fact Sheet On Completing Birth Certificates
- What if the parents do not name the child at the time of birth?
- Parents may have problems receiving benefits, obtaining a passport, social security number, welfare, and/or may have citizenship problems.
- The child may have problems with school admission.
- The birth certificate will become a two-page document to add the child’s name.
- It may take up to one year to apply an amendment adding the name.
- What if the parents change their mind on their child’s name after the birth certificate is registered?
- Once a birth certificate is registered with a child’s name, the name (s) may only be changed with a court order.
- The Court Order Change of Name will be attached to the child’s birth certificate making it a two-page document.
- It may take up to one year to apply the Court Order Change of Name.
- What if the parent uses an alias or AKA (also known as) name on their child’s birth certificate?
- California law requires that the parents use their full birth names.
- Parents may have problems obtaining a passport for the child and/or leaving the country.
- If an alias or also known as (AKA) is used the parents must petition the court for an Adjudication of Facts of Parentage for a determination of parentage.
- It may take up to one year to process the Adjudication of Facts of Parentage.
- What if the parent signs the birth certificate certifying that it is true and correct, but later realizes there is an error?
- Depending on the error, the parent may be required to go to court to make the change.
- Name changes require a court order. See number 2.
- Gender errors may be corrected. See number 5.
- Other errors may be amended; however, a fee is required after one year of the date of birth.
- The processing time for an amendment is approximately one year.
- What if the child’s gender is reported incorrectly on the birth certificate?
- An Affidavit to Amend a Record may be applied to the birth certificate.
- The affidavit should be signed by one of the following: the birthing hospital indicating that it is a hospital error; the local registrar indicating it was an administrative error; or the physician in attendance of the birth indicating the gender was reported incorrectly.
- Upon receipt of the affidavit and fee, a new birth certificate will be prepared for the child correcting the gender.
- The processing time for the creation of a new birth certificate takes approximately one year.
- What if the father’s name is not added at the time of birth?
- Upon payment of the required fee, the father’s name may be added after the birth certificate is registered.
- If the parents are unmarried the parents must sigh the Acknowledgement of Paternity (VS 22) and Declaration of Paternity (CS 909).
- If the parents are married, they must sign the VS 22 and provide a copy of their marriage certificate.
- If both parents are not available to sign the paperwork, an Adjudication of Facts of Parentage (VS 21) will be necessary to add the father’s name.
- The processing time for the creation of a new birth certificate takes approximately one year.
- What if parents do not sign the birth certificate?
- If the parent does not sign the birth certificate they do not have the opportunity to make sure everything on the certificate is correct.
- If the name is wrong? See number 2.
- If the gender is incorrect? See number 5.
- It may take up to one year to amend a birth certificate.
- The birth certificate will become a two-page document if an amended needs to be done.
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Jill Blake
Public Health Director
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Vital Records Office
Physical Address
500 Crown Point Circle
Suite 110
Grass Valley, CA 95945
Phone: 530-265-7264Fax: 530-271-0829
- Vital Records - Informational Only Birth or Death Record Application (PDF)
- Vital Records - Mail in Certified Birth Certificate Application (PDF)
- Vital Records - Mail In Certified Death Certificate Application (PDF)
- Vital Records - In Person Certified Birth Certificate Application (PDF)
- Vital Records - In Person Certified Death Certificate Application (PDF)
- State Office of Vital Records
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