Adjudication of Facts of Parentage
Changes to parentage on a birth certificate, including adding, removing, or replacing a parent, require an Adjudication of Facts of Parentage VS 21 (PDF) form and a court order when either of the following are true:
- There is only one parent listed on the current birth certificate but the parents are unavailable (or unable) to complete the Acknowledgement of Paternity/Parentage process.
- There are existing names listed for both parents on the current birth certificate.
In each of the above instances, an adjudication of facts of parentage is necessary to amend the certificate. The adjudication order is issued by the court and must:
- Instruct CDPH-VR to remove an existing parent on the birth certificate
- Identify the parent that should be listed on the certificate
- Include the childās full name, date, and place of birth as stated on the original birth certificate
- List the full new name of the child, (if being changed)
An Acknowledgement of Paternity/Parentage is utilized when adding a parent to a blank space on the birth certificate. Both parents must be available to sign the VS 22 (PDF) form.
For additional information please see the informational pamphlet:
Supporting Documents
Supporting documents are used to support the information being amended. Acceptable documents include copies of the following:
- Certified copy of court orders
- Vital Records (birth, death, marriage)
- All other documents that support the request for the amendment
A certified court order is required when submitting an Adjudication of Facts of Parentage.
Sworn Statement
A notarized Sworn Statement, completed by an authorized person, is required to receive a certified authorized copy of the amended certificate. Please visit the Authorized Copy vs. Informational Copy webpage for a list of authorized persons.
Certified Court Order
A ācertifiedā copy of the court order must be a copy of the order that was originally prepared by the court. It cannot be an original printout. The photocopy you receive from the court must have all of the following:
- An original court seal
- A signature (or signature stamp) of the judge
- A signature (or signature stamp) of the court clerk
Certificate Fees
- Adjudication of Facts of Parentage requires a twenty-three dollar ($23) processing fee, which includes one certified copy of the new birth certificate
- Additional certified copies are twenty-five dollars ($25) each
- *EFFECTIVE January 01, 2022* The amendment registration fee will increase to $26, which includes one certified copy of the new birth certificate. The fee for each additional copy will increase to $29 per copy.
Processing Times
Please refer to the Processing Times webpage for current processing times.
Helpful Tips
- Complete all documents in black ink
- No erasures, alterations or whiteouts are allowed on the VS 21 form
- This form will assist in creating the new birth certificate
Helpful Links
Adjudication of Facts of Parentage VS 21 (PDF) form
Amendment Sworn Statements (English) (PDF) (Spanish) (PDF)
Add Remove or Replace a Parent on a Birth Certificate (PDF) pamphlet
(EspaƱol) Agregar, Eliminar, Reemplazar Padre en Acta de Nacimiento (PDF)
Directory of County Vital Record Offices
Other Amendment Types
General Birth Amendment
Court Order Name Change
Correcting a Sex Field Error
Sex Change/Reassignment
Adoption
Acknowledgement of Paternity/Parentage
Supplemental Name Report
Death/Fetal Death
Marriage