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Michigan Affidavit of Parentage

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APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFIED COPY MICHIGAN AFFIDAVIT OF PARENTAGE RECORD

NOTE: The Michigan Vital Records office has Affidavit of Parentage records that were filed in the Central Paternity Registry with the state since June 1, 1997. If you would like an Affidavit of Parentage record that was filed prior to June 1, 1997, please contact the Probate Court in the county where the mother resided at the time of signing or the Probate Court in the county where the child was born.

PART 1: APPLICANT’S INFORMATION     PHOTO IDENTIFICATION REQUIRED

Applicant’s Name:

State Driver’s License or Identification #

Mailing Address:

City:

State:

Zip:

Daytime Phone - Required:

Other Phone:

PHOTO IDENTIFICATION REQUIRED (See back for details)

Person named on the record

Parent named on the record

Note: If adopted, only adoptive parents are eligible

Legal guardian of the person named on the record

(Copy of court documented guardianship papers required)

Legally licensed attorney of subject of the record

(Letter on official letterhead required: Must provide state bar number and the name of the person you represent)

Heir of the deceased person named on the record, and

Relationship to decedent:

Decedent’s name at time of death:

State where death occurred:

Date of death (Year):

Court of competent jurisdiction (Court order & fee required)

PART 2: CERTIFICATION OF INFORMATION PROVIDED

By signing this application, I understand that I am agreeing to pay for a search of the State of Michigan Vital Records. This does not guarantee that a record will be found.

Statement of Entitlement: Misstating an identity or assuming the identity of another person is subject to criminal penalties, e.g., Michigan Compiled Laws 333.2894(b) and 333.2898 and federal laws relating to falsification in obtaining a birth record. By signing this application, I state that I am eligible to receive this birth record as indicated in the Eligibility Section of this application.

Applicant’s Signature:

Date:

IDENTITY THEFT PROTECTION ACT 445.65(1) and 445.69(1) prohibits anyone from obtaining a vital record by misrepresenting a person’s identity or attempting to use another person’s identifying information. A person who violates this law is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for up to 5 years or a fine of up to $25,000 or both.

PART 3: PURPOSE FOR REQUESTING THE RECORD

PART 4: ELIGIBILITY

Select the category that qualifies you to request and receive the requested Michigan Affidavit record per MCL 333.2882

Person named on the record

Parent named on the record

Note: If adopted, only adoptive parents are eligible

Legal guardian of the person named on the record

(Copy of court documented guardianship papers required)

Legally licensed attorney of subject of the record

(Letter on official letterhead required: Must provide state bar number and the name of the person you represent)

Heir of the deceased person named on the record, and

Relationship to decedent:

Decedent’s name at time of death:

State where death occurred:

Date of death (Year):

Court of competent jurisdiction (Court order & fee required)

PART 5: INFORMATION NEEDED TO FIND AFFIDAVIT OF PARENTAGE RECORD BEING REQUESTED

Child’s Full Name at Birth

Child’s Date of Birth

Child’s Place of Birth

Mother’s Name

Mother’s Date of Birth

Father’s Name

Father’s Date of Birth

PART 6: FEES - Includes one certified copy or no-find letter

Base Fee: Includes One Year Search $34.00
Additional Certified Copies (Each) x $16.00
Additional Years Search
(when exact year unknown)
Indicate years you want searched: x $12.00
EXPEDITED “RUSH” SERVICE (Additional) $12.00
PAYMENT TOTAL: $

For Accounting Use Only

Is your request complete? Don’t forget photo ID!

HAVE YOU ??

Listed your name/mailing address in Part 1

Cannot send to General Delivery addresses

Included a telephone number to reach you

Enclosed proper ID

Signed your name in Part 2

Do not print, must be signature

Indicated purpose for requesting the record in Part 3

Indicated your eligibility in Part 4

Provide all necessary documentation

Completed all items in Part 5

“Unknown” if information unavailable

“N/A” if not applicable

Completed Part 6 for fees

Total all fees that apply

Enclosed payment

PROCESSING TIMES FOR MAIL REQUESTS

REGULAR SEARCH – The processing time for a regular request will be approximately 5 weeks, depending on the volume of requests received.

EXPEDITED (RUSH) SEARCH – The processing time for a “rush” request will be approximately 2 weeks, depending on the volume of requests received.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION – If you find that the processing times listed do not meet your needs, we suggest that you call our Eligibility Unit at 517-335-8666 and speak with a customer service representative. They may be able to offer additional help to meet your individual situation.

IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLYING IN PERSON OR BY MAIL FOR A MICHIGAN AFFIDAVIT OF PARENTAGE RECORD

* Please Send Photocopies - Not Original Documents *

Under Michigan law, Affidavit of Parentage records are restricted documents. To request an Affidavit of Parentage record, a current valid, government issued identification is required in order to establish eligibility. To protect you and the community from identity theft, we require a copy of the applicant’s government issued identification to be presented along with the application.

At least one of the following ID’s is required:

Current driver’s license with photo if unexpired, or expired less than one year and issued within the last five years

Current state issued photo identification card unexpired, or expired less than one year and issued within the last five years

Unexpired U.S. or foreign passport

U.S. military photo identification or military dependent photo identification with current expiration date

Employment identification with photo, accompanied by a current pay stub or W-2 form

Department of Corrections photo identification card, accompanied by probation or discharge papers dated within last year

If a currently incarcerated prisoner, a Department of Corrections photo identification card, accompanied by a verification of incarceration by the facility on letterhead

For persons age 15-20, current student photo ID with either a report card or transcript

Alternative documents can be submitted and reviewed by a supervisor if a current, valid government issued ID is not available.

If you do not have one of the above, you will need to submit at least three of the following, and one MUST be dated within the last year. Please note we cannot use a Social Security Card or junk mail.

Examples might be: expired state or federal photo ID, marriage or divorce certificate, child’s birth record, W-2, paycheck stub, bank statement, voter or car registration, health insurance/Medicaid card, state benefit card, utility bill, doctor/dentist/hospital bill, baptismal certificate, letter from a government agency such as Social Security or the IRS, benefit statement from Social Security, school records, tax records, incarceration records or land/rental agreement.

If you are unable to provide any of the above-mentioned forms of identification, please contact the Michigan Vital Records Office at 517-335-8666 and speak with a customer service representative.

APPLYING IN PERSON

If you wish to apply in person to order a Michigan vital record, you may do so at the office located at 201 Townsend St, Capitol View Building, 3rd Floor, Lansing MI 48913 (across from the State Capitol). Lobby hours are 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. Directions are available by logging onto our website at: www.michigan.gov/mdch or by calling 517-335-8666.

Orders at our counter must be placed by 3:00 pm in order to receive same-day service. An additional “rush” fee of $12.00 is required for same-day service and you must allow up to a 2 hour waiting period for the order to be processed.

A money order, credit card or cash can be used at our front counter if same-day service is requested. A personal check can also be used if the request is NOT same-day service.

PAYMENT INFORMATION

SEARCH FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE: Fees are established by state statute. A basic one year search fee includes either one certified copy of the record or an official statement that the record is not filed with the state. A basic statewide search includes the files for the year specified as the birth year.

REFUNDABLE FEES: Payment for additional copies will be refunded if the search indicated that the record is not filed with the state. A refund check would be mailed to you by the Michigan Department of Treasury, usually within 3-4 weeks.

MAIL APPLICATION TO

REGULAR MAIL TO:
Vital Records Requests
PO Box 30721
Lansing MI 48909

RUSH MAIL TO:
Vital Records RUSH
PO Box 30721
Lansing MI 48909

www.michigan.gov/mdch     517-335-8666

DCH-0569-AOP Rev 10-2013

By Authority of MCL 333.2882(1)(a)(b) and MCL 333.2891(1-4)(8)

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What the Michigan Affidavit of Parentage Is

The Michigan Affidavit of Parentage is a sworn document used to establish legal paternity for a child when parents are unmarried at the time of birth. It records both parents' identifying information, affirms parentage under penalty of perjury, and is used to add a father's name to a birth certificate, create parental rights and responsibilities, and support child support or custody actions.

Why this form matters for families and agencies

Completing the Michigan Affidavit of Parentage creates an official record of parentage without a courtroom proceeding, helps secure benefits and parental rights, and provides a basis for birth-certificate changes, child support establishment, and access to medical and educational records.

Why this form matters for families and agencies

Who commonly completes the Michigan Affidavit of Parentage

Typical filers include unmarried parents, hospital staff assisting newborn registration, family law attorneys, and local vital records or child support agency personnel.

  • Unmarried mothers and fathers completing parentage acknowledgement immediately after birth or later.
  • County vital records staff and hospital birth registrars processing birth-certificate amendments.
  • Family law attorneys and child support agencies using the affidavit as evidence to establish rights and obligations.

The affidavit is also used by third parties (schools, medical providers, insurers) to verify parental authority once the record is accepted by the issuing agency.

Step-by-step: completing the affidavit

A clear sequence reduces errors and ensures the affidavit links to the correct vital record.

  • 01
    Gather documents: Collect photo ID and the child's birth information.
  • 02
    Complete form: Fill all fields using MM/DD/YYYY and full legal names.
  • 03
    Sign and notarize: Sign in presence of notary or as state rules require.
  • 04
    Submit: Send to the appropriate vital records or court office.

Configuring an online completion workflow

If you use an electronic form or eSignature platform, configure fields and authentication to match legal and agency expectations.

Field Configuration
Authentication level Email plus SMS code or ID verification for identity assurance
Conditional fields Show notary block only when state requires in-person acknowledgement
Audit and delivery Enable automatic audit trail and signed PDF delivery to parties
Storage location Set secure storage with export to PDF/A and long-term retention

Where to send the completed affidavit

Filing destinations depend on why you filed: birth-certificate update, child support case, or court record.

  • Vital Records: Submit for birth-certificate amendment or to add a father's name.
  • County Clerk: File a notarized affidavit when local clerk acceptance is required.
  • Child Support Agency: Provide copies to establish enforcement or support services.
  • Family Court: File when entering the affidavit into a case record or contested proceeding.

Digital signing and file-format requirements

Use PDF or DOCX formats and an eSignature workflow that preserves an audit trail and the final signed PDF.

  • File formats: PDF, PDF/A, DOCX supported
  • Integrations: Works with major cloud storage and CRMs
  • Authentication: Email, SMS, or advanced verification

Ensure the platform can produce a tamper-evident signed PDF, retain the audit log, and provide export options for submission to vital records or courts.

Timing and deadlines to watch for

Complete and file the affidavit promptly to avoid service gaps for benefits, support, or legal rights.

At birth:

Many hospitals offer parentage affidavits before discharge

Before enrolling child:

File in time to provide documentation for schools or insurers

When seeking support:

Submit to child support agency when initiating enforcement

Before out-of-state move:

Confirm acceptance by destination state vital records

When correcting records:

File promptly to minimize administrative delays

Common mistakes that delay acceptance

  • Incomplete or missing parent signatures requiring re-execution before filing.
  • Name mismatches between IDs and the form causing identity verification failures.
  • Failure to notarize or provide required witness signatures per state rules.
  • Submitting to the wrong office (county clerk vs. state vital records) and triggering re-routing.

Legal risks and penalties for incorrect affidavits

Perjury risk: False statements can lead to criminal charges
Support obligations: Acknowledging parentage may create child support duties
Record disputes: Incorrect entries can require court proceedings to correct
Contested paternity: May prompt DNA testing and legal challenge
Benefit impacts: Wrong parentage affects inheritance and benefit claims
Administrative fees: Corrections can incur additional filing costs

Data and security considerations for handling the affidavit

Encryption: TLS in transit; AES-256 at rest
Audit Trail: Timestamps, IP address, and user actions recorded
HIPAA BAA: Available when handling protected health information
ESIGN / UETA: Compliant with electronic signature laws
Access Controls: Role-based permissions and SSO
Retention Policy: Configurable secure storage and export

Key elements to include in a professional affidavit

A complete affidavit contains identity details, factual statements, and authentication elements to ensure enforceability and accurate record linkage.

Identifying Information

Full legal names, dates of birth, addresses, and relationships for the child and each parent to uniquely identify parties.

Factual Statement

A clear sworn declaration that the affiant (parent) acknowledges or asserts parentage, including circumstances of birth when relevant.

Signatures

Handwritten or electronically captured signatures for each required party, dated to show when acknowledgment occurred.

Notary Acknowledgement

Notary or witness section completed per state rules to authenticate the signatures and deter fraud.

Agency Routing

Fields identifying where the form should be filed (vital records, child support agency, or court) for correct processing.

Supporting IDs

Reference to required ID documents (driver's license, passport) or attached proofs to expedite verification.

Practical tips for accurate, efficient completion

Follow these recommended practices to minimize processing delays and legal complications when preparing an affidavit of parentage.

Use full legal names consistently
Always enter the same legal name used on government IDs. Inconsistencies between the affidavit and identification are a leading cause of rejections and additional verification requests.
Verify notary and witness requirements
Confirm whether your county or state requires a notary or witness and, if filing electronically, whether RON or in-person notarization is acceptable under local law.
Retain certified copies
Obtain and keep certified copies of the filed affidavit for schools, insurers, and agencies that may require official proof of parentage.
Document identity proofs
Attach or be ready to show matching government-issued IDs and birth records to prevent identity disputes and to speed processing.

Comparing eSignature vendor pricing and key features

Selected vendor starting prices and feature availability for eSignature plans commonly used to manage legal affidavits and vital-record workflows.

signNow DocuSign Adobe Sign PandaDoc HelloSign
Starting Price $8/user/mo $15/user/mo $14/user/mo $19/user/mo $15/user/mo
Free Trial 7-day free trial No free trial No free trial Yes, limited Yes, limited
Bulk Send Yes (premium) Yes Yes Yes No
Audit Trail Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
HIPAA Compliant Yes Yes Yes No No
Envelope Cap No cap 100 envelopes/user/year Varies by plan Varies by plan Varies by plan

Real scenarios where the affidavit is used

Two concise examples show typical uses and downstream effects of filing the affidavit.

Birth Certificate Addition

A mother and unmarried father complete the affidavit at the hospital

  • The father's signature and ID are recorded
  • The father is added to the birth certificate, enabling parental access to benefits and medical records without a court order.

Child Support Intake

A custodial parent files the affidavit with a child support agency

  • Agency uses the affidavit to establish paternity for support enforcement
  • The affidavit speeds initiation of support calculations and enforcement actions without immediate litigation.

Frequently asked questions about the Michigan Affidavit of Parentage

Answers to common questions about enforceability, notarization, electronic signatures, corrections, and filing locations.


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