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Birth Certificate Corrections/Changes

Corrections or changes to a birth certificate may be made in several ways. Since the birth certificate is a legal document, appropriate legal requirements must be met to make the correction or change. General information is given below, but it is best to call the Center for Health Statistics at (334) 206-2637 for additional information.

Identification Requirements

Effective May 1, 2017, identification will be required to obtain a restricted birth certificate. View ID Requirements for more information.

Correcting Erroneous Information on the Birth Certificate

Information on a birth certificate that was entered in error when the birth certificate was originally prepared by the certifier (doctor, hospital, midwife, etc.) may be corrected through an Amendment Process as specified by law. Legal documentation or a court action may be required to process the corrections requested. The birth certificate will be marked "Amended" and the information corrected will be documented on the certificate.

You may request corrections by completing a request form and indicating the changes to be made to the birth certificate. This form is also available in Spanish.

Mail the completed request form with the required amendment fee of $20.00, which includes one certified copy of the certificate. Include $6.00 for each additional copy requested at the same time. Send to:

Alabama Vital Records
Birth Amendments
P.O. Box 5625
Montgomery, Alabama 36103-5625

If you have any questions, call the Birth Amendment Clerk at (334) 206-2637.

Changes After a Legitimation or Paternity Determination

Legitimation and paternity determination are processes that establish the legal father of a child. When no father's name is listed on a birth certificate of a child, Alabama law has special procedures for adding the father's name to the birth certificate. There are four ways by which a father's name can be added to the birth certificate:

1. Court Ordered Legitimation - Processed through a Probate Court

2. Legitimation through Marriage - Processed by Center for Health Statistics when parents marry after the birth of their child.

3. Acknowledgment of Paternity - Processed by the County Department of Human Resources or the Center for Health Statistics if mother was not married at time of conception through birth.

4. Uniform Parentage Act - Processed by a Circuit Court (Juvenile Division) to determine (or establish) paternity of a child. Note: In some cases, a court determination can remove a father from a child's birth certificate.

All of these procedures have specific legal requirements that must be met before they can be used.

Add Father's Name to Birth Certificate of Child

You may request a change to a birth certificate to add the father of a child by completing a request form indicating the changes to be made. Note: The child's name may also be changed when the father's name is added to the birth certificate.

Mail the completed request form with the required fee of $25.00, which includes one certified copy of the certificate. Include $6.00 for each additional copy requested at the same time. There is an additional fee of $15.00 to expedite a request. Send to:

Alabama Vital Records
Parentage Clerk
P.O. Box 5625
Montgomery, Alabama 36103-5625

Any questions concerning any method of legitimation, please contact the Parentage Clerk at (334) 206-2637.

Changes After a Recent Adoption

Adopting parents or their legal representatives may request a certified copy of their child's new birth certificate following a recent adoption. To find out more information, view the Recent Adoptions page.





Page last updated: May 13, 2021