How to Add a Parent's Name to a Virginia Birth Certificate

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A birth certificate is an official document giving details of a person's birth and most often includes the name of the parents. In Virginia, when vital information is incorrect or not included on the birth certificate, there are procedures in place to make a correction or addition. If both parents are not listed on a Virginia birth certificate, you can add this vital information.

Sign an Acknowledgment of Paternity (AOP) form under oath. The hospital is the best place to sign the AOP before the mother and child are discharged. This free service is provided by the birth registrar at the hospital and requires the father to have a photo ID.

Present a written request and a sworn AOP form soon after the birth of the child to add a parent's name to the birth certificate. This request must be signed by both parents of a child born out of wedlock. The last name of the child can be changed to the father's last name at the parents request. These forms are available at the Office of Vital Records in Richmond, local health department clinics, local departments of social services and local child support offices.

Establish the identity of the mother and the father. Establishing motherhood is the act of giving birth to the child. Establishing fatherhood can be done through genetic testing. This can be voluntary or through a court order. The court will schedule the child, mother and supposed father for testing. Under Virginia law, test results that show matching genes of 98 percent or higher will show proof of paternity.

Determine paternity in a court of law. This is required if the mother has been married to a different man for 10 months or more before the birth of the child. If the father of the child is not her husband, an AOP form may not be used.