How to Amend a Georgia Birth Certificate

You might want to change a name on a birth certificate in Georgia or make some other kind of amendment, such as correcting a misspelled name or adding a father to the birth certificate and changing the last name of the child. Small changes can be made to Georgia birth records without getting a court order. However, you do need a court order before changing your own name on your birth certificate.

If you don't have the current birth certificate, you can request a copy from the Georgia Department of Public Health. You can only get a copy if you are the person named on the birth certificate, an immediate family member or a legal representative. You can request a copy online from Georgia’s online service, ROVER; from a third-party vendor, like GO Certificates or VitalChek; in person from any county Vital Records Office; or by mailing a completed request form to: State Office of Vital Records, 1680 Phoenix Blvd. Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. As of August 2018, the fee for one certified copy of a birth certificate is $25 and each additional copy costs $5.

You can only apply to amend a birth certificate if you are over 18 and you want to make a change on your own birth certificate, or if you are bringing the petition on behalf of a minor child and you are one of the child’s parents listed on the certificate or you are the minor child’s legal guardian. Before you change your name on your own birth certificate, you must submit a petition to your local superior court detailing the reasons you'd like to change your name and then wait for the court to approve your request.

If you want to change the name or correct an error on a birth certificate, you can ask the Office of Vital Records to make the change. On the original birth certificate, circle all the changes you wish to make and submit a written request for any further instructions or procedures. Enclose a $10 money order or certified check payable to Vital Records, and mail everything to: Legal Unit, Vital Records, 2600 Skyland Drive, Atlanta, GA 30319.

If you are the natural parents of a child born out of wedlock in Georgia, and you are now married and want to change the child’s birth certificate to show the father and change the child’s name, complete and submit an Application for an Amended Certificate of Birth by Legitimation form. Provide the information on the original birth certificate as well as the information you want entered on the amended birth certificate. The application must be witnessed and signed by a notary public. Include photo ID and the fee of $100 with your application and send it to the State Office of Vital Records.

Read More: How to Replace a Birth Certificate