Birth Certificate
In some states, an acknowledgment of paternity is not required if the father is listed on the child’s birth certificate.
By State
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California (Sample)
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio (Order)
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington D.C.
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Where do I file?
An acknowledgment of paternity can be filed with the local Vital Records office.
What happens if I am not the father?
It is decided by the State laws or a local court to determine the outcome.
In most States, if the father was recognized in the first 2 years of the child’s life, it cannot be reversed even with a blood test or the mother’s admission.
Furthermore, some States require that if a person has lived in the same household as a child and acted as their father for a specific number (#) of years, it doesn’t matter if there is any blood relation. The court may consider being a “father figure” as enough to claim the person as the father of the child.
What are the requirements for paternity?
There are no requirements for paternity, it is a voluntary act by the father. An unmarried single mother can request court-ordered paternity if the alleged father is unwilling.An individual does not need to be a genetic father to claim to be the legal father of a child.