BIRTH RECORDS AMENDMENT INSTRUCTIONS AND REQUEST
PAGE 2 OF 7 OFFICE OF VITAL RECORDS 01/2024
Documents need to show at least two items from this list:
• subject’s last name
• subject’s date of birth
• subject’s place of birth
• a parent’s name
• a parent’s date of birth
• a parent’s place of birth
Documents must be What does this mean?
Legible We can make out the letters and words; document is sharp – not blurred or smeared
Unmodified No erasures: nothing crossed out; no correction tape or fluid
Original No copies – must provide, for instance, actual passport or certificate of naturalization
Certified
Birth, death, or marriage certificates; military discharge forms; and court orders must
be issued by a government office. Certified documents usually have a stamp or seal.
Authenticated
Authenticated means an employee from the place giving you the record declares in
writing that the document they are providing you is a true and exact copy of the
record on file. At minimum, an employee of the organization must list the name and
address of the organization on the document, and sign and date it.
In English
Documents must be in English or translated into English. A qualified translator must
translate the document and sign it in front of a notary public.
Depending on subject’s
age, created within a
certain number of years
from birth OR a certain
number of years before
your request
If the subject is younger than seven years old, the document must be from the subject’s
first year of life OR at least one year before you signed the amendment application.
If the subject is seven or more years old, the document must be from before the
subject’s third birthday OR at least seven years before the date you signed the
amendment application.
Acceptable supporting documents
The Office of Vital Records accepts the document listed below and may determine other documents are
acceptable. Documents must meet all the requirements above and support the requested amendment.
▪ Authenticated U.S. K-12 school record, or official college transcript
▪ Authenticated hospital, clinic, or social services record
▪ Valid (unexpired) passport – NOT a notarized photocopy
▪ Original or certified copy of U.S. military discharge papers (such as a DD214 form)
▪ Certified (government issued) copy of a marriage certificate
▪ Certified court orders from a U.S. court that:
▪ Show the subject’s name and date of birth as they currently appear on the birth record
▪ Clearly specify which items to amend on the birth record (if amending information other the
subject’s name)
▪ Certified copy of a birth certificate of a child
▪ Certified copy of a birth certificate of a parent or sibling (only to amend parent information)
▪ U.S. baptism certificate or other church record and the church’s phone number (to verify record)