Acknowledgment of a Marital Child

If the mother and the father get married after their child is born, the parents may sign an Acknowledgment of Marital Child form (Legitimation) to establish paternity.

Parents can get this form at their local child support agency and from the state Vital Records Office. Both the father and the mother should sign this form in front of a notary and mail it to the state Office of Vital Records. (The mailing address for Vital Records is on the form.)

The Acknowledgment of Marital Child form gives the child and the parents the same rights as if the parents had been married before their child was born. When parents marry after their child is born, this form needs to be filed so that the dad is named the father on his child’s birth certificate.

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