Acknowledgment of Parentage

Voluntary Acknowledgment of Parentage is a simple administrative process through which unmarried couples and married couples who use assisted reproduction can establish legal parentage. Offering parents the opportunity to complete an Acknowledgment of Parentage Form in a hospital or birthing center means parents can begin to establish legal parentage even as soon as the day the child is born.

Filing an Acknowledgment of Parentage after child’s birth?

If you did not complete and sign the Acknowledgment of Parentage at the hospital when your child was born, you may file the original Acknowledgment of Parentage with the Local Registrar in person or by mail. Upon the registration of the Acknowledgment of Parentage, a certified copy, will be mailed to you.  The Registrar’s Office will forward a copy of the Acknowledgment of Parentage to the New York State Department of Health, as well as, the Putative Father Registry.

Can you get a new birth certificate after signing the form? 

Yes. If the Acknowledgment of Parentage was not signed at the time of birth, and subsequently filed with the Local Registrar, the New York State Department of Health will be responsible for issuing a new birth certificate with the child’s new name ( if applicable) and the parents names. The New York State Department of Health allows parents to submit an Acknowledgment of Parentage to the hospital for children under 3 months of age.

Tel: 1-855-322-1022