- If you submitted a product or processing fee, the date your check or money order is cashed is the date we received your request, which helps you estimate the time left for processing.
- We can only correct certificates for births that took place in Washington State.
- An emancipated minor with certified court documents is treated as an adult. Go to our web page for making corrections to a birth certificate for people 18 and over.
Who can request a correction?
- A parent listed on the certificate. Note: In most cases only one parent signature is required. For some changes, signatures from all parents listed on the birth certificate are required.
- A legal guardian with a certified court document of guardianship. We will not accept custodial paperwork.
- A birth facility or midwife. Note: If your child was born within the last 6-12 months, the midwife or birth facility may be able to request the correction. Contact them to determine if you can contact the midwife or birth facility. The facility or midwife may be able to submit a correction.
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Corrections, required documents and important notes |
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What I want to correct |
What I must send |
Important Notes |
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Child Information |
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Child's last name: Correct spelling |
422-034-Affidavit for Correction (PDF) |
Must match spelling of parent name. If a Paternity Acknowledgement has been filed and the name portion completed (Boxes 9, 10, 11), then a court order is required to correct. |
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Child's first or middle name(s): Correct spelling |
422-034-Affidavit for Correction (PDF) |
Cannot change if already changed by a court order (adoption, paternity or legal name change) |
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Child's last name: Correct child's last name to either parents' names under age 1
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422-034-Affidavit for Correction (PDF) |
A last name can only be corrected once under the age of one. Court order is required if a paternity acknowledgement with the name change portion completed (boxes 9, 10, 11), adoption, or legal name change have been filed. If one parent is deceased, submit a death certificate with the request. To use an Affidavit for Correction, the correction must be to any combination of the parents' first, middle or last names listed on the birth record. |
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Child's last name: Add or delete a hyphen or space |
422-034-Affidavit for Correction (PDF) |
A hyphen can be added to the last name. A hyphen cannot be added between a middle name and last name. |
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Child's last name: Change to new name under the age of 1 or change to the last name over 1 |
Visit our court ordered name change page for more information. |
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Child's first or middle names: Add, change or correct |
422-034-Affidavit for Correction (PDF) |
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. |
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Child's time of birth |
422-034-Affidavit for Correction (PDF) |
The hospital can send the correction. Contact the hospital the child was born in. |
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Child's gender: Correction of gender |
422-034-Affidavit for Correction (PDF) or 422-034-Declaración Jurada de Corrección (PDF) AND Hospital record or medical record |
The hospital can send the correction. Contact the hospital the child was born in. |
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Child's gender: Change of gender |
Visit our gender change webpage for more information. |
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Child's date of birth |
422-034-Affidavit for Correction (PDF) or 422-034-Declaración Jurada de Corrección (PDF) AND 1 proof document if hospital record or birth filing form OR 2 proof documents if other proofs |
Proof documents must be from independent sources.
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Child's location of Birth or facility name |
422-034-Affidavit for Correction (PDF) AND 1 proof document |
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Parent Information |
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Parent labels: correcting mother/father to parent/parent |
Parent request Does not require 422-034-Affidavit for Correction (PDF) |
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Parent(s) first, middle or last names |
422-034-Affidavit for Correction (PDF) 1 proof document |
If parent is correcting his or her last name on child's certificate and the child's last name is spelled the same, the Affidavit for Correction must list the correction to the child's last name for us to change the spelling on both. |
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Parent(s) first, middle or last name: Change as a result of a legal name change after the child is born |
422-126-Legal Name Change Request (PDF) AND Certified copy of court order |
If the child is over one, and you want your child's last name to be the same as your last name, we must receive a court order changing the last name of the child. |
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Parent (s) place of birth |
422-034-Affidavit for Correction (PDF) 1 proof document |
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Parent(s) date of birth |
422-034-Affidavit for Correction (PDF) 1 proof document |
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Social Security Card |
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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) |
422-034-Affidavit for Correction (PDF)
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We can only request a social security card for your child under the age of one. If your child is over the age of one and you want a social security card, contact the Social Security Administration. If you requested a social security card but don't want one, you need to contact the Social Security Administration. |
Ordering a certificate with a correction request
- Send completed certificate order form with your correction request. Include all required documents referenced on the certificate application instruction page.
- Certificate will be issued after the correction has been processed.
Birth Certificate Application (en español)
Death Certificate Application (en español)
Marriage & Divorce Application (en español)
Exchanging a certificate with a correction request
If you currently have a certified copy of a certificate that was issued less than one year ago, send in the certified copy of the certificate with your correction request; we will exchange the certificate at no charge.
Contact us
Email us at VitalRecordsCorrections@doh.wa.gov.
Helpful links
Changing or correcting birth certificates for adults over 18
Court ordered name change
Proof documents
Gender change
Ordering certificates
Correcting a death certificate
Correcting a marriage or divorce certificate