Frequently Asked Questions

Below you will find information that might help you understand how to find things or learn about information you might need to know about your city or town.

Birth Certificate and Home Births

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    • 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.
    Birth Certificate and Home Births

    • 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.
    Birth Certificate and Home Births

    • 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.
    Birth Certificate and Home Births

    • 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.
    Birth Certificate and Home Births

    • 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.
    Birth Certificate and Home Births

    • 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.
    Birth Certificate and Home Births

    • If the parent does not sign the birth certificate they do not have the opportunity to make sure everything on the certificate is correct.
    • 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.
    Birth Certificate and Home Births