Can I put my childs father on the birth certificate without him being there?

I live in ms and am 7 months pregnant. The father won’t be able to be at the hospital at the time of birth. Am I able to put him on the birth certificate without him being there? Or do I not put anyone as a father? Thank you, sincerely, confused mama.

11 Likes

He has to sign the birth certificate.

1 Like

In my state if you are not married you can’t just put the father on the birth certificate. It’s a much bigger process than that. At the very least he would have to be there and show certain documents. Also even if you are married I think he would have to sign it. I would call the hospital and verify how it works where you are.

In my state the father doesn’t have to be there at the time of birth, but has to be there when they come to fill out the paperwork because he has to agree to have his name placed on the certificate. When I had my son, they came right before I was released to do the paperwork, so as long as he is there before your release I think he is fine. I know it differs from state to state! Best thing to
Do would be to check with your local health dept

1 Like

In my state, you have to be married in order to not have him present to sign it, if you aren’t married then he has to sign it. I didn’t need my husband there to add him for each of our 4 children( even though he was present).

I put mt husband on our kids without him there…In Ohio.

In my state we can go back and have them added if they weren’t present time of birth. The paperwork gives you resources on how to do so.

I know laws vary based on state and your legal marital status. Here in MI, I put my husband on the certificate and signed it. He never had to sign anything. I’m not sure if that would have been different had we not been married though.

In wi we werent married but he signed the bc. I think he had to be the one signing because then anyone can put anyone down as the dad if they didnt need to sign

In Missouri, my sons father had to sign an affidavit of paternity saying he accepted all legal responsibilities of the child. He had to be there to sign that. They wouldnt have put anyone on the certificate if he didnt sign it and they told him if he had any doubts then he shouldnt sign it and apply for a paternity test to be completed through the court

Call the hospital records department and ask them how that works.

I was able to with all my kids the father never once signed

1 Like

Not unless you’re married. If unmarried, he has to sign an acknowledgment of paternity.

1 Like

If not married in my state (Iowa) An affidavit needs to be signed in front of a notary. So he has to be present. It doesn’t have to be done right away. A father can be added onto a birth certificate at any time for no charge. If you’re married he doesn’t have to be there.

If he picks u up at discharge he can sign the bc then

He has to sign it. U have a certain amount of time also to sign it. So ask how long do u have to sign it. I remember after my 1st one we signed like a week after baby was born

In Canada we fill it out on line. Just ask for fathers full name

1 Like

He has to sign it. My husband had to sign my sons paperwork.

Im in Aust. When my daughter was born he had to sign the birth cert. We took all paper work home and had a month to fill it out and send it all in :grin:

I’m in Ohio and my husband didn’t have to sign anything

Unless you’re legally married, no you can not. He’ll need to sign an affidavit stating that he is the father.

Best thing to do is contact the hospital and ask about what needs to happen since he wont be able to be there.

1 Like

In pa think he has to sign but you can put anyone on as long as they sign Married or not

It’s state specific best thing to do is look up your state laws about the birth certificate

Im in PA and my husband and I weren’t married when we had our boys. He had to sign for the oldest. The 2nd he didnt. We had them at different hospitals. Id definitely call amd ask

In Illinois, the father has to sign it. On my youngest’s birth certificate they typed his name in and just needed him to sign it. He was running late to pick me up and the lady that filled out the certificate didn’t want to leave it unsigned with her name on it and she was leaving for the day. She actually used Wite Out to take his name off! :roll_eyes: Then when he got there they retyped it so now it looks messed up. I try not to look at it because it makes my OCD go into overdrive. :see_no_evil:

If your married, yes you can he doesn’t have to be there…my ex husband wasn’t there for either birth and didn’t sign

I couldn’t and i live in Indiana

When I had mine I filled everything out,they didn’t even ask him anything

1 Like

U can give the baby his last name and then get him to sign it later… My friend did that with her .bF and now married him.so that way she didnt have to change the name later

1 Like

Look up state laws. In Delaware you can’t.

In Mississippi the father has to sign the birth certificate, and a paper called Acknowledgment Of Paternity if y’all are not married. It can be filed with the birth certificate.

1 Like

in oregon it’s a paper the father signs and you send it in married or not

I know you didn’t state why he won’t be there but if it is do to military, employment, or incarceration a lot of time the papers can be faxed and signed by dad then sent faxed back. Also you don’t have to file the birth certificate before you leave if dad is going to be around with in a few weeks you can opt to just take the forms with you and file them yourself

Fl father has to sign

In NM if your married he is put on father or not. My husband made me laugh because he keeps saying he never signed it, nope buddy your the daddy by marriage :joy::rofl::joy::rofl: ps. He is the bio daddy lol

2 Likes

I’m sorry but I think he has to be there with his ID and sign the birth certificate that’s what my son had to do with his son and an 1988 when I had my son he had to be there with his ID and sign but you can go back later and add them to it and I think you can give the baby his last name without him being there

I live in England and I was told yes you can… but that was due to covid, but he came with me anyway

What if the father is in the military and not able to be there? Married or not couldn’t they be listed on the birth certificate?

1 Like

Now my daughter in 1991 when she was born I was not married and her father denied her so he wasn’t put on there and she was giving my last name two days before her first birthday the blood test came back and he was proving to be the father they him to fill out the paper to add him to the birth certificate and he never did do it so she kept my last name she said she likes it better anyway

In Texas no it’s a legal document they have to be there to sign

1 Like

In Indiana you cant. My youngest son doesnt have his dad on the birth certificate because he wasnt there.

If he won’t be able to be there do to military, employment, incarceration, or such more than likely the papers can be faxed and signed by dad then sent faxed back. I know people who have done this.

Where we are my hubs had to sign the acknowledgment of paternity and he signed the bc. With my second he couldn’t be there for the signing and he was left off. We are going to try to get that fixed

In California he has to be there to sign. But if unable to sign due to incarceration or what ever you can amend up to 6 months without creating a second document. That is what I was told as I had gotten flown out to a different town 4 hours away and hospital was closed because of covid. Would have been able to have a support person if able but they weren’t aloud to leave the building.

You can put anyone on the birth certificate but if not married they might make him do an affidavit of paternity and he has to be there to sign.

2 Likes

State of New York Father has to be present to sign the BC before leaving the hospital. If he’s unable for whatever reason the proof has to be shown why they were unable to be present and then a judge will allow it or not and reissue a new BC

In CA i could put whoever’s name you wanted on the birth certificate but it was a separate paper he signed claiming “paternity” if anything goes to court or anything they would probably just do paternity tests anyway

In pa, there is an AOP (acknowledgement of paternity) that the father has to sign if the couple is not married. You can give the child the fathers last name, but you can’t put the fathers name on the BC without the AOP.

Here nobody signs anything. The BC is applied for online after you go home. They give Mom the paperwork she needs and she applies a few days later. And she can name anybody she wants as the father. You can also do mail in paperwork, but that takes longer.

Father has to sign. But you can hold off on doing it at the hospital and get them to give you the paperwork from vital records, and you can fill them out when he’s around and mail them in!

I live in Canada & I did all paperwork myself in September. Even in the hospital it was all myself the father only signed at the hospital agreeing that everything is correct on the paper.
The birth certificate I had to apply for 3 weeks later at the registration office & pay $40. I was able to choose if I wanted the Father on there or not. They only ask for full name & place of birth. Seems to vary a lot depending were you live.

I’m in Ga and birth certificate signing stopped at the hospital. We had to go to vital records days after

I’m in NC and if you are married, your husband is automatically the legal father unless proven otherwise by a paternity test.

I’m in Ohio and the father has to be there with his ID to sign the birth certificate.

Ky. Father has to be there to sign

In SD and AZ if your not married you have to have him sign an AOP (acknowledgment of paternity) if you are married it’s assumed your husband is the father and you don’t need to have him there to sign anything.

Father has to acknowledge paternity with a notary present if the parents aren’t married. But I’m sure it can be done later just easier to do it while there.

If you plan on receiving any monies from state federal entities you will have to give up his name. Where I live it isn’t necessary for the donor to sign the certificate.

I’d call the hospital you are having the baby at and check with them to see what there protocols are

If you’re aren’t married keep his name off. By putting his name on it you’re giving him control of you for 18yos.

No you can’t put his name on it without him signing AOP.

1 Like

When I had my oldest daughter, her dad wasnt put on the birth certificate or allowed to have his last name because father wasnt there to sign. I live in PA

MT father has to sign the paper work also

In md and me the father has to sign an affidavit, if he doesn’t it says father not stated. But you can give the baby his last name and don’t need his permission.

Maybe look into it and see if he could be added after the fact?

Call the hospital and ask, explain to them your situation

Not in Mississippi. He has to be there to sign. He has a month to be able to go to the hospital and fill out the form to add his name. You can always later do a petition in court. I live in Mississippi also and I’m 9 months with my second💕

I live in FL and my daughter’s father didn’t have to be there when I went to the health department to receive the birth certificate. I filled out the application and put his name down and they put him right on. I was a little confused because it seemed like I literally could’ve written down anyone as the father

No not unless ur Married they have to sign a affidavit

I would think he has to sign