Parentage

We currently have a three (3) to four (4) month processing turnaround time.
  • 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 are working diligently to reduce the turnaround times. If your request has not been processed after four (4) months, please call us at (360) 236-4300. We appreciate your patience, thank you.

Adding or changing parents on a birth certificate

There are only two ways to add or change who is listed as a parent on a birth certificate: Acknowledgment of Parentage or Court Order.

  1. Acknowledgment of Parentage
    The Acknowledgment of Parentage is an administrative process used to:
  • Establish a parent-child relationship
  • Add a second parent to the birth certificate
  1. Court Order

You need a court order if:

  • There are questions about who is a parent of the child
  • The parties do not agree on who is a parent of the child
  • The parties want to add or remove parent(s) on the child's birth certificate.

To order a Parentage Verification Letter, submit the 422-163 Parentage Verification Order form (PDF) to the Department of Health.

Note: This information does not apply to adoption or surrogacy situations. Visit the Adoption page or Surrogacy page for information.

  1. Submit the documents to the Department of Health

Mail    In-Person

By Mail

Mailing Address  

Center for Health Statistics
Department of Health
PO Box 47814
Olympia, WA 98504-7814

Questions

For more information, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Contact us by email parentage@doh.wa.gov.

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.