Changing Birth Certificates

Effective January 1, 2023, the Center for Health Statistics Office adopted policy CHS-B8-2023 that describes the requirements for a complete application to change or correct a birth certificate using the Affidavit for Correction form. The policy follows the department rules in WAC 246-490 and the state law in chapter 70.58A RCW.

We can amend the record of birth that happened in Washington State from 1907 to present. You must complete the amendment application and send it to us. Please follow the directions on this webpage to avoid processing delays or application denial.

The process below does not include adoptions, parentage, gender change, court order legal name change, or surrogacy.

Applications

For each application, you must submit the following:

• A completed and signed Affidavit for Correction form
• Copy of your government issued photo identification card
• Proof of relationship, if required
• Any required supporting proof documents

Correcting a Birth Certificate for Children Under 18

A parent listed on the certificate or legal guardian with a certified court document of guardianship can request to change the birth certificate of a person under 18. We will not accept custodial paperwork.

An emancipated minor with certified court documents is treated as an adult. See the requirements for an adult (person 18 or over).

What I want to change	Requirements to make the change
Child's information on birth certificate
Child's last name(s): Correct spelling	•    At least one parent must sign the Affidavit for Correction form. •    Name must match spelling of a parent’s name on the birth certificate. •    No proof document required. •     A court order is required if the Acknowledgment of Parentage form was completed prior to 2019 and boxes 9, 10, or 11 were used to update the child’s legal name.
Child's first or middle name(s): Correct spelling	•    At least one parent must sign the Affidavit for Correction form. •    No proof document required. •    Cannot change if already changed by a court order (adoption, paternity, or legal name change). •     A court order is required if the Acknowledgment of Parentage form was completed prior to 2019 and boxes 9, 10, or 11 were used to update the child’s legal name.
Child's last name: Correct child's last name to either or a combination of parents' last names while the subject is under the age of one.	•    All parents listed on the birth certificate must sign the Affidavit for Correction. •    A last name can only be corrected once and must be requested before the subject reaches one year of age.  •    A court order is required if the Acknowledgment of Parentage form was completed prior to 2019 and boxes 9, 10, or 11 were used to update the child’s legal name. •    If one parent is deceased, submit a death certificate with the request. •    The correction must be to change the subject’s last name to any combination of the parents' first, middle, or last names as they appear on the birth record.
Child's last name: Add or delete a hyphen or space	•    At least one parent must sign the Affidavit for Correction form. •    No proof needed. •    A hyphen can be added to the last name. •    A hyphen cannot be added between a middle name and last name.
Child's first or middle names: Add, change, or correct	•    All parents listed on the birth certificate must sign the Affidavit for Correction form. •    A court order is required if any part of the child's name has already changed or been established due to a court order, adoption, paternity, or legal name change. •    If one parent is deceased, submit a death certificate with the request. •    No proof document is required.
Child's time of birth	•    At least one parent must sign the Affidavit for Correction form. •    Required proof document must be a copy of the hospital record.  •    For recent births, the hospital or midwife can submit the change with the birth filing form as a proof document. Contact the birth hospital or certified midwife.
Child's date of birth	•    At least one parent must sign the Affidavit for Correction form. •    Requestor may submit Affidavit for Correction form and 1 proof document from a copy of a hospital or medical records. •    Requestor may submit an affidavit form and 2 proof documents if the proof is not from the birth facility or licensed midwife. •    The Department will not change a date of birth to a date that is after the birth registration date. •    For recent births, the hospital or midwife can submit the correction with the birth filing form as a proof document. Contact the birth hospital or certified midwife.
Child's location of Birth or facility name	•    At least one parent must sign the Affidavit for Correction form. •    Requestor must submit an affidavit form and 1 proof document from a copy of a hospital or medical records from the time of birth.
Child's sex designation:  Correction of sex assigned at birth (Male, Female, Undetermined)	•    At least one parent must sign the Affidavit for Correction form. •    Required proof document must be a copy of a hospital or medical record. •    For recent births, the hospital or midwife can submit the correction with the birth filing form as a proof document. Contact the birth hospital or certified midwife.
Change subject’s sex designation  (M, F, X)	•    Must comply with WAC 246-490-075. •    Requestor cannot use Affidavit for Correction form. Must follow Sex Designation Change process and the requirements contained in WAC 246-490-075.
Parent's information on birth certificate
Parent labels	Does not require Affidavit for Correction form,  call (360) 236-4300.  Parent label options: •    Mother/Father •    Parent/Parent
Parent(s) first, middle or last names	•    At least one parent must sign the Affidavit for Correction with one (1) proof document. •    If parent is correcting their last name on subject's certificate and the subject's last name is also miss-spelled, the Affidavit for Correction must list all correction requests on separate lines.
Parent (s) place of birth	•    At least one parent must sign the Affidavit for Correction with one (1) proof document. •    Proof must be a copy of the subject or parent’s hospital or medical records from the time of the birth.
Parent(s) date of birth	At least one parent must sign the Affidavit for Correction form with one (1) proof document.
Social Security Card
Request a Social Security Card for child (if you did not request a Social Security card on the birth filing form at the hospital but want one)	•    At least one parent must sign the Affidavit for Correction form. •    Subject must be under the age of one (1) to request a social security card. •    If your child is over the age of one, contact the Social Security Administration. •    If you requested a social security card but don't want one, contact the Social Security Administration.

Correcting a Birth Certificate for an Adult

Emancipated minors may request amendments to their own birth record in the same manner as an adult may request changes to their own birth record. For the State Registrar to make changes requested by an emancipated minor, the emancipated minor must provide a certified copy of the court order indicating their status as an emancipated minor.

Requested change	Requirements to make the change
Adult's information on birth certificate
Correct spelling of their own first, middle, or last name(s)	•    Requestor must submit the Affidavit for Correction form and two (2) proof documents.
Add a given name (first and middle) when no given name was registered at the time of birth (ex. Baby boy)	•    Requestor must submit the Affidavit for Correction form and three (3) proof documents.
Correcting their last name by moving the last given middle name to the first part of the surname	•    Requestor must have been born on or before June 30, 1998. •     Requestor must submit the Affidavit for Correction form and two (2) proof documents.
Change their first, middle, or last name.	•    Requestor cannot use Affidavit for Correction form. Must follow legal name change process.
Add or delete a hyphen or space from their last name	•    Requestor must submit an Affidavit for Correction form. •    The Affidavit for Correction form must show exactly how you want the last name to appear – add a hyphen, remove a hyphen, add a space, or remove a space from the subject’s last name.  •    A hyphen can be added only to the subject’s last name. •    A hyphen cannot be added between the subject’s middle name and last name. •    No proof document required.
Correct or change their time of birth	•    Requestor must submit the Affidavit for Correction form.  •    The required proof document must be a copy of the hospital record. Not available for births from 1949 to 1967 because time of birth was not collected for these years.
Correct their sex assigned at birth (M, F, Undetermined)	•    Requestor must submit the Affidavit for Correction and one (1) proof document. •     Proof must be a copy of the subject’s hospital or medical records.
Correct or change their date of birth	•    Requestor must submit an Affidavit for Correction form and two (2) proof documents. The Department will not change the date of live birth to a date that is after the date the live birth record was registered.
Correct or change their location of birth or facility name	•   Requestor may submit the Affidavit for Correction form and one (1) proof document from the birth facility or licensed midwife if the birth occurred at a birth facility or with the assistance of a licensed midwife.  •    Requestor may submit the Affidavit for Correction form and two (2) proof documents if the birth occurred in the home without medical attendance.
Parent's information on birth certificate
Correct parent labels	Does not require Affidavit for Correction form, call (360) 236-4300. Parent label options: •    Mother/Father •    Parent/Parent
Correct parent(s) first, middle or last names	•    Requestor must submit the Affidavit for Correction form and one (1) proof document.
Correct or change parent (s) place of birth	•    Requestor must submit the Affidavit for Correction form and one (1) proof document.
Correct or change parent (s) date of birth	•    Requestor must submit the Affidavit for Correction form and one (1) proof document.

Proof Documents

Acceptable proof documents include:

• Hospital/medical record
• Full Numident Report (Social Security)
• Social Security Abstract
• Birth, marriage, or divorce record
• Copy of passport or enhanced identity document
• Certificate of Naturalization
• Permanent resident card (I-551)
• Health or life insurance policy
• Military record (DD-214)
• Official school transcripts
• Government agency records for establishment of benefits (such as social services or Medicaid

We do not accept a Driver’s License, Social Security Card, family bible, or hospital decorative birth certificate as proof documents.

Proof documents must:

• Show the true facts that are being requested to be changed
• Include full name and date of birth
• Match exactly the correction requested on the Affidavit for Correction. Example, if you are requesting a correction from “Mary Doe” to “Mary Ann Doe”, the proof must show the name to be Mary Ann Doe. Proof cannot show “Mary A. Doe” or “M. Ann Doe”.
• Be from independent sources, when more than one proof document is required
• Have been established over five years ago (it could have been printed more recently) OR have been established within five years of birth, if correcting the child's information and child is under five.

Only documents listed below are exempt from the five-year rule and will be accepted from any period of time:

• Passport
• Permanent resident card (I-551)

Forms

You must use the Affidavit for Correction form.

• 422-034-Affidavit for Correction (English) (PDF)
• 422-034-Declaración Jurada de Corrección (Español) (PDF)

The form is also printed on the back of every certificate. Print the most recent form if the revision date is before March 2020.

Ordering a new certificate or exchanging a certificate with your application

You can exchange or order a certificate when you change a vital record.

• If you have a certified copy of a certificate issued less than one year ago, send in the certified copy of the certificate with your correction application. We will exchange the certificate at no charge. A copy of your photo ID and, if necessary, documentation verifying proof of relationship are required.
• To order a certified copy of a certificate, fill out the birth certificate order form and send it in with your correction application. Follow the instructions on the order form to avoid delays.
• Certificate will be issued after the correction has been processed.

Submitting the Affidavit for Correction Application

You can submit your completed application to the Department of Health by mail or in-person.

1) By Mail

Center for Health Statistics
Attn: Amendments
P.O. Box 47814
Olympia, WA 98504-7814

2) In Person by appointment

Schedule An Appointment | Washington State Department of Health

Questions

Contact us at 360-236-4300 or VitalRecordsCorrections@doh.wa.gov.