Paternity Acknowledgment

An Acknowledgment of Paternity (AOP) Form is given to the birth mother at the New York City hospital when the baby is born. If the form is completed in the hospital at the time of birth, the father's name will appear on the baby's birth certificate.

If you are not married to the father of your baby, you did not complete the form at the hospital, and you want to legally establish who the father of your child is, you may submit an Acknowledgment of Paternity Form to the Office of Vital Records at the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

If you need to request a completed Acknowledgment of Paternity, you need to fill out an application either in-person or online

These applications are not processed on the same day. You will receive a copy of the AOP within two weeks.

There is no fee for this service.

Online

Download an Acknowledgment of Paternity Form.

By Mail

Forms may be mailed to:

Department of Health
Office of Vital Records
125 Worth Street, Room 133
New York, NY 10013

Adding the name of another parent to a birth certificate, typically the father, depends on the marital status of the mother. Married same-sex parents can also add their names to birth certificates.

Marriage records or other documents must be submitted with the application. In cases where the parent has been married more than once, divorce records must also be submitted.

Additional details about specific situations are provided in the form Correcting a Birth Certificate.

Learn about correcting a birth certificate.

Download a Birth Certificate Application.

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