INSTRUCTIONS FOR CORRECTION OF BIRTH RECORD

 

 

An Application for Correction of Birth Record can only be filed for someone born in Ohio.

The procedure to correct a birth record requires an application to be filed in the Probate Court.

 

The Application for Correction of Birth Record must be filled out completely and properly notarized before filing.

 

You must bring a copy of the birth certificate worksheet completed at the hospital with you to Court since it may be useful (if available).

 

A father’s name cannot be added or deleted from a birth certificate through the Probate Court.

 

To add a father or delete a father from a Birth Certificate when the parents are not married, you must contact the Child Support Enforcement Agency.

 

To add a father to a Birth Certificate when the natural parents are married, take a certified copy of the marriage license to the Department of Health to obtain an Ohio Department of Health Vital Statistics Declaration of Paternity form.  Fill it out completely, have it notarized, and send it along with the certified copy of the marriage license to the Ohio Department of Health to have a corrected birth certificate issued.

 

If you are attempting to correct a date of birth, you must have proof of the date the attending physician signed the birth record, delivery room records or the date the local registrar filed the record of the birth.

 

You may obtain 2 witnesses to testify on your behalf who have personal knowledge of the facts stated within the application.

If the witnesses cannot appear, the witness may execute an affidavit (H.C. Form 623.03) which is acceptable as evidence.

 

The following are examples of documentary evidence which may be presented to Court in support of the Application for Correction of Birth Record:  baptismal record, insurance policies or photocopies of same, school records, lodge records, marriage records, family Bible, federal census records, family genealogy, child’s birth record.

 

A copy of the minor's birth certificate, which was certified and shown to the court, is required at the initial filing.

 

A corrected Birth Certificate will be available from the Department of Health usually within 8 to 10 months of the date of the Probate Court Order.

 

When a Birth Certificate is corrected, the incorrect birth certificate is then sealed.

 

 

 

 

 

A certified copy of the birth certificate may be obtained from:

Births within Cincinnati City Limits

Cincinnati Department of Health

Division of Vital Statistics

1525 E. Elm Street

Cincinnati, Ohio 45210

(513) 352-3120

 

Births within Norwood City Limits

Norwood Health Center

2059 Sherman Avenue

Norwood, Ohio 45212

(513) 458-4600

 

Births within Reading City Limits

City of Reading Health Department

1000 Market Street

Reading, Ohio 45215

(513) 733-3725

 

Births within St. Bernard City Limits

St. Bernard City Hall

110 Washington Street

St. Bernard, Ohio 45217

(513) 242-7772

 

Births within Hamilton County but outside City Limits of Cincinnati, Norwood, Reading, and St. Bernard

Hamilton County Department of Health

Division of Vital Statistics

250 William Howard Taft Road, 2nd Floor

Cincinnati, Ohio 45219

(513) 946-7800

 

State of Ohio

Vital Statistics

Ohio Department of Health

246 North High Street

P.O. Box 15098

Columbus, Ohio 43215-0098

(614) 466-2531

 

All forms should be typewritten or legibly printed.

 

A fee of $30.00 is required at the time of filing.  Please confirm the amount with the Cashier since filing fees may have changed subsequent to the publication of this instruction sheet.  This fee must be paid in cash, money order, certified check (made payable to PROBATE COURT), MasterCard, Discover, or American Express.  No personal checks will be accepted.

Additional court cost of $7.00 will be charged for each deposition taken, if needed.

The forms may be obtained from the Issue Desk on the 9th floor of the Probate Court, 230 East 9th Street, Cincinnati, Ohio or by downloading the forms from the web site.

 

A.  Filing of Application where hearing is waived:

When all forms have been completed, present them to the Magistrates’ Assistant at the information desk on the 9th Floor of Probate Court.  A magistrate will be assigned and the clerk will notarize the application.  If you have two witnesses and/or documentary evidence at this time, the magistrate may waive setting a hearing date and take testimony.

The magistrate will render a decision.

The magistrate will send you to the cashier to pay the filing fee and file the paperwork.

The cashier will keep the papers and deliver them to the docket clerk who will process the paperwork.

Usually you will receive a certified copy of the Order Correcting Birth Record within a day or two after your hearing notifying you that the paperwork has been completed.

The Clerk will also send a certified copy of the Order Correcting Birth Record to the Ohio Department of Health which will seal the old Birth Certificate and create a corrected Birth Certificate within 4 months.

To obtain a certified copy of the corrected Birth Certificate you must write to the Ohio Department of Health to request a copy of the amended birth certificate.  You must also submit an application fee of $21.50.  The State of Ohio will send the corrected birth record to the local registrar within approximately 6 months after the date of filing.  At that time, you can obtain copies of the corrected birth certificate from the local registrar.  Please refer to that office for the amount of the application fee.

B.  Filing Application where a evidentiary hearing is set:

If you do not have two witnesses and/or documentary evidence at this time, the magistrate will set a hearing date.

After the magistrate sets a hearing; he/she will send you to the cashier to pay the filing fee and file the paperwork that has been completed.

The cashier will keep the papers and deliver them to a docket clerk who will process the paperwork that has been filed.

On the hearing date, you must appear before the assigned magistrate where he/she will take the testimony of your witness(es) or review the evidence you are presenting.

After the hearing has been completed, the magistrate will deliver the file to a docket clerk to complete the paperwork process.

Usually you will receive a certified copy of the Order Correcting Birth Record within a day or two after your hearing notifying you that the paperwork has been completed.

The clerk will also send a certified copy of the Order Correcting Birth Record to the Ohio Department of Health which will seal the old Birth Certificate and create a corrected Birth Certificate within 4 months.

To obtain a certified copy of the corrected Birth Certificate you must write to the Ohio Department of Health to request a copy of the amended birth certificate.  You must submit an application fee of $21.50.  The State of Ohio will send the corrected birth record to the local registrar within approximately 6 months after the date of filing.  At that time, you can obtain copies of the corrected birth certificate from the local registrar.  Please refer to that office for the amount of the application fee.