• Paternity means legal fatherhood. Paternity establishment is how a biological father becomes the legal father of his child if he and the mother are not married.
• Paternity must be established before the father’s name can appear on the birth certificate.
• Paternity can be established any time before the child turns 23 years old. Paternity can be established even if the other parent lives in another state or a foreign country.
• Please note that a biological mother and biological father who were married at the time of the child’s birth do not have to establish paternity. Paternity is already presumed since the parents are married.

In New Jersey, there are two ways unmarried parents can establish paternity:

1. Completing and signing a Certificate of Parentage (COP): If both parties agree they are the biological parents of the child, the COP can be completed. By signing the legal form, parents are establishing paternity for their child; meaning legally recognized fatherhood. Completing the form is voluntary, free and the quickest way to establish paternity.
   
   COPs can be completed in the hospital at the time of birth or afterwards in-person or by mail at the State Office of Vital Statistics and Registry (OVSR), in-person at the local registrar in the municipality in which your child was born, or in-person at your local county child support office. For more information about COPs, visit our COP Information page.
   
   
2. Court proceedings: You can file a complaint for paternity establishment with the Family Court.
   
   To file a complaint, please visit the New Jersey child support website to submit an application for child support services or call 1-877-NJKIDS1 with any questions. You can also contact a private attorney for assistance.

Paternity benefits everyone! Here are just a few of the many benefits of establishing paternity:

• The father gets his name added to the birth certificate and gains legal rights to his child. His child then has access to benefits such as Social Security, life insurance, military benefits, and inheritances.
• Your child will also have access to their father’s health insurance as well as both families’ medical histories and lineages.
• Both parents may have the opportunity to develop an emotional bond with their child and share in the responsibilities and rewards of parenting.

To learn about more benefits, visit About – Benefits to Establishing Paternity.

A COP is a legal form that can be completed by the unmarried biological parents of the child in order to establish paternity. Completing this form is voluntary, it’s free, and is the quickest way to establish paternity. Once completed, the Certificate of Parentage is used to add the biological father to the child’s birth certificate.

In New Jersey, when a woman is married at the time of the child’s birth or conception, or any time in between, the law considers her husband to be the “presumed father”, even if he is not the biological father. If all three parties (mother, husband/ex-husband, and child’s biological father) are willing, the husband/ex-husband and the mother can first complete the Affidavit of Denial of Paternity (AOD), which denies that the husband/ex-husband is the biological father of the child. Next, the mother and biological father would complete the Certificate of Parentage (COP) to establish paternity.

The COP and AOD can be completed at the birth facility, State Office of Vital Statistics and Registry in Trenton (in-person or by mail), a local registrar office, or a local child support office. If the COP and AOD are completed at the hospital, the biological father’s name will appear on the birth certificate. If they are done subsequently, the birth certificate must be amended as it would list the husband/ex-husband as the biological father. If you wish to amend the birth certificate, you MUST visit the registrar in the town where the child was born or the State Office of Vital Statistics and Registry in Trenton. There will be additional forms and fees for amending your child’s birth record.

Since there are many unique circumstances to amending records, you should contact the Record Modification Unit at 866-649-8726 (option 4) if you have any questions after reviewing the detailed information about correcting a vital record and Vital Statistics FAQs.

You can obtain a COP at the following locations:

• State Office of Vital Statistics and Registry in Trenton
• Local registrar (Vital Statistics)
• Local child support office

Establishing paternity is an important decision. Completing the COP is the quickest and easiest way for unmarried parents to establish legal fatherhood and have the father’s name placed on the birth certificate. Establishing paternity gives you and your child the rights and opportunities you need and deserve.

• The father gains legal rights to his child. His child then has access to benefits such as Social Security, life insurance, military benefits, and inheritances.
• Your child will also have access to their father’s health insurance as well as both families’ medical histories and lineages.
• Both parents may have the opportunity to develop an emotional bond with their child and share in the responsibilities and rewards of parenting.

If you have any doubts about who the father of the child is, do not sign the Certificate of Parentage. You may want to get genetic testing completed before you decide.

• Picture ID
• Social Security Number (if you have one)
• Parents' information: Full name, date of birth, place of birth, current address, employment and insurance information
• A legally licensed notary or approved witness. Both parents must sign this form in the presence of a licensed notary or approved witness. DO NOT SIGN THIS FORM BEFORE YOU HAVE IT NOTARIZED OR WITNESSED. Show the notary or witness your picture identification. Approved witnesses are only available at hospitals, Vital Statistics, and child support offices in New Jersey.

For more information, visit COP Information.

Each parent must show a valid, government-issued photo ID. Accepted forms of ID include:

• Driver’s license
• State ID card (available at Department of Motor Vehicles offices for a small fee)
• Passport or other government-issued, valid identification from country of origin (must be listed in the International ID Checking Guide to be accepted if it is from another country)

There is no charge to complete a Certificate of Parentage; however, there is a fee for obtaining an amended birth certificate.

No. Although both parents are required to sign the COP, it may be signed without being in each other’s presence. However, each parent must sign in the presence of a licensed notary or approved witness. Approved witnesses are only available at hospitals, Vital Statistics, and child support offices in New Jersey.

Yes. Regardless of a parent’s citizenship, they can establish paternity for their child, who is a U.S. citizen, as long as all required documentation and proper identification is provided.

Yes. Minor parents, under the age of 18, have the right to establish paternity for their child and can sign the Certificate of Parentage form to acknowledge paternity. A minor’s parent or guardian signature is not required in lieu of, or in addition to, the minor’s signature.

Signatures of both the father and the mother are required for a COP to be completed. If one party is unavailable to sign or will not cooperate, a COP cannot be completed. Paternity will have to be established judicially through the Family Court. Please visit the New Jersey child support website to submit an application for paternity to be established through the Family Court or call 1-877-NJKIDS1 with any questions. You can also contact a private attorney for assistance.

Parents should think carefully before completing a Certificate of Parentage. If they do change their minds, they have 60 days to rescind (cancel) the acknowledgment. For more information, visit Rescission Information.

You may request a copy of the Certificate of Parentage by calling the Paternity Opportunity Program (POP) at 800-767-6607. Parents will be required to provide specific information regarding their identity and the child’s name and birth information as recorded on the COP to obtain a copy of the form.

If you are unsure who the father of the child is, you should not complete the Certificate of Parentage and consider genetic testing.

A genetic test, also called a DNA test, can determine if the alleged father is the biological father. The test is 99.9% accurate in determining the probability that a man is the biological father.

The genetic, or DNA test, is administered by collecting samples, which are sent to a laboratory to compare the details from the child’s sample with similar traits in the alleged father’s and mother’s sample. In most cases, a buccal swab of the cheek is taken from the mother, child, and alleged father.

The test will show with 99.9% certainty that a man is or is not the biological father of the child.

Not at all. In most cases, a buccal swab of the cheek is taken from the mother, child, and alleged father. The test consists of a gentle swab of the inside of each cheek and takes less than a minute.

Genetic testing can be performed on children as young as newborns by utilizing a buccal swab test. The test consists of a gentle swab of the inside of each cheek and takes less than a minute.

• You can visit the child support website to apply for paternity establishment, including genetic testing. After getting the results of the genetic tests, child support will issue an order of establishment or non-establishment of paternity. Parents are responsible for getting their child’s birth record amended. For more information, call 1-877-NJKIDS1.
• Parents can also make private arrangements with the hospital or a paternity testing laboratory.

If you complete an application with the child support program for paternity establishment, the initial cost of the genetic test is covered by the program. Please note that a judge may order you or the biological father to pay for the cost of the test based on case conditions. If parents make private arrangements for genetic testing, the parents will be responsible for the cost.

You can visit the child support website to apply for paternity establishment, including genetic testing. The local child support office will assist in obtaining genetic testing for the out of state parent.

You can visit the child support website to apply for paternity establishment, including genetic testing. The Child Support program can assist an applicant in establishing paternity when the alleged father is deceased so that the child will have inheritance rights and/or the right to receive Social Security or veterans’ benefits.

Yes, the parent who is not incarcerated can mail a blank COP to the parent who is incarcerated. The incarcerated parent can work directly with the correctional facility’s social worker to complete the COP. The social worker will notarize and mail the form back to the other parent. The parent who is not incarcerated can then complete their portion of the COP, have it notarized and submit the form at their local county registrar, or mail directly to State Office of Vital Statistics and Registry or New Jersey Paternity Opportunity Program Office.

If genetic testing is desired to establish paternity, either person can submit an application on the child support website. Genetic testing will be completed by a contracted lab for the person who is incarcerated.

Paternity establishment and custody are two separate issues. The New Jersey Paternity Opportunity Program and Child Support Program have no authority in custody and visitation issues. After the alleged father signs a Certificate of Parentage, he has the right to pursue visitation with the child and the right to petition the court for custody.

In most cases, it’s up to the parent who has physical custody of the child to file a complaint with the Family Court for support. However, if the child or parent is receiving benefits provided for the medical or financial care of the child, the father may be required to pay child support. To learn more, contact Child Support at 1-877-NJKIDS1.

If both parents are not willing to complete a Certificate of Parentage (COP) to establish paternity, paternity will have to be established judicially through the Family Court.

Please visit the New Jersey child support website to submit an application for paternity to be established through the Family Court or call 1-877-NJKIDS1 with any questions. You can also contact a private attorney for assistance.

COPs that are completed in the hospital at the time of birth are submitted to the Department of Health, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry with your child’s birth record. The child’s birth certificate will reflect the name and paternity information that was given by both parents on the form. Parents can obtain their child’s birth certificate three (3) weeks after their child’s birth.
Vital Statistics offers the following options for obtaining a birth record:

• Vital Statistics Online Request
• By mail - Office of Vital Statistics in Trenton (Contact Information | Instructions)
• Visit a local registrar in the town where your child was born (some offices may require an appointment)
• VitalChek: online or call 877-622-7549

COPs that are completed after the parents have left the hospital may require additional steps. Since there are many unique circumstances to amending records, it is suggested you contact the Record Modification Unit at 866-649-8726 (option 4) if you have any questions after reviewing the detailed information about correcting a vital record and Vital Statistics-FAQs.

The process to make changes to a birth certificate varies depending on the type of legal change needed and how recently the record was filed. For more information, visit Vital Statistics-FAQs.