People request a name change on a birth certificate for many reasons, including adoption, typographical errors, adding parental information, gender changes, or just wanting to change their name to something new. Each state has its own laws and guidelines that must be followed to change names on a birth certificate, and the process may involve filing papers with local courts for a legal name change before requesting an amendment to an original birth certificate.
Instructions
Change Names on a Birth Certificate
1. Call your local district court, probate court or department of vital records to find out acceptable and legal reasons to change a name on a birth certificate in your state or the state where the original birth certificate was issued. Be aware that most states won't allow a name to be changed to anything that they deem ridiculous or hateful or that violates trademarks.
2. Get a complete name change on a birth certificate by filing a petition for a legal name change at your local courthouse. Note that a name change for a minor requires notarized parental consent from both legal parents. A name change must be court ordered, and the name is changed only if the ruling judge decides that it's in the best interest of the child.
3. Contact the department of vital records in the state where the original birth certificate was issued and request that a birth certificate amendment form be sent to you. Alternatively, many states now offer the option of filling out a request online via their websites. When filling out an amendment request for a legal name change, be sure to have a certified copy of the original judgment as the department of vital records will need this as proof.
4. Make simple amendments to a birth certificate, such as misspellings, by submitting original identification documents with the correct spelling to the department of vital records in your state. Identification documents may include a driver's license, a government ID, baptism records, hospital records or immunization and medical records.
5. Add a father's name if it was left blank on the original copy by getting an affidavit of paternity at the department of vital statistics or your local county courthouse. Both parents must sign the document, and it must be notarized.
Tags: name change, birth certificate, department vital, department vital records, vital records
