Correcting a Birth Certificate

Important!!
The the following general guidelines only describe how to correct birth certificates administratively (that is, through the Vital Registration Office) in the most common cases, and may not address your specific situation.  If your situation is not specifically addressed below, please contact Vital Registration's Correction Unit for specific advice on how to make the correction.

• Correction to a Birth Certificate for a child less than one year of age
  Vital Registration will make corrections to a child's birth certificate within one year of birth without requiring proof and/or records.  Vital Registration cannot change the child's last name or add a father through the correction process.
  Examples of Records:
  • Immunization (shot) records
  • Pediatrician's record
  • Insurance policy
  • baptismal certificate

• Correction to a Minor Child's Birth Certificate (one year to 17 years of age)
  The Parents will need to complete the minor affidavit and supply a record established close to the child's birth that shows the child's name, date of birth and/or item to be corrected (see the above list for examples); or if it's a correction of the parents information we will need the parent's birth certificate.

• Correction to an Adult's Birth Certificate
  The following list explains what information is needed to correct different parts of a birth certificate.
  • To Correct the first, or middle names, or the month or day of birth:
    Submit an affidavit to correct birth certificate and at least one record at least five years old that shows the correct name and the date of birth or age of the applicant. When correcting the month and/or the day of birth, the records you submit MUST show the date of birth,as age alone is not sufficient.
    Examples of Records:
    • Marriage License
    • School Record
    • Voter's Registration
    • Military Discharge (DD-214)
    • Child's Birth Certificate
  • To Correct a misspelled Last Name
    Submit an affidavit to correct birth certificate and a copy of your father's birth, death, or marriage certificate (if your surname is the same as your father's. If it is the same as your mother's last name, you will need her record)
  • To Correct an Incorrect Last Name
    Please Contact us for detailed instructions.
  • To Correct the Year of Birth
    Submit an affidavit to correct birth certificate, your school record of enrollment into elementary school, and a census record.
  • To Correct the Mother's or Father's Name
    Submit an affidavit to correct birth certificate, and the birth, death, or marriage certificate of the parent whose name is incorrect.
  • To Correct the Gender
    Please call our corrections unit for more information.

Page was last updated on Thursday, May 28, 2009 2:00:32 PM