Declaration of Paternity

What Is Establishing Paternity?

Paternity is when you legally establish who is the biological father of a child. If the mother is married when the child is born, her husband is seen as the legal father of the child. If the mother is not married when the child is born, you must establish paternity.

There are two basic ways that unmarried couples with a baby can establish paternity:

  1. Both parents can sign a Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity (VAP) at the hospital or OCHD when your baby is delivered agreeing that they are the legal biological parents of the child.
  2. Someone files a paternity lawsuit in district court and the judge decides paternity.

 

When the father signs the VAP, he agrees that he may become responsible for paying child support and medical insurance. This could also include prenatal medical and birth expenses. He also understands that he does not get custody or visitation rights just because he signed the VAP.  However, by signing the VAP, the father does earn the chance to go to court and ask a judge for custody and visitation rights.

Reasons To Establish Paternity

  • The parents can work together to make decisions that are best for the child
  • If the mother unexpectedly dies, the father can take steps to get custody of the child
  • The child’s birth certificate has both parents’ names
  • The child can access medical histories from both sides of the family
  • A child with a legal father can qualify for benefits like social security, medical and dental insurance and state and federal inheritance benefits through the father
  • If paternity is established, both parents may have responsibilities to pay child support, keep up with health insurance for the child and pay medical expenses and educational costs for the child.

Obtain a Paternity Affidavit at OCHD

OCHD can assist parents with obtaining a paternity affidavit by calling 502-222-3516 to schedule an appointment. Walk-in services are not available. Both parents need to be present and have an ID to complete the affidavit. Their signatures must be notarized.  OCHD has a notary service we can provide at your appointment.  

Another option to obtain a paternity affidavit is for parents to print the online Paternity Affidavit form, have it notarized themselves, then mail to the KY Office of Vital Statistics, 275 East Main St., 1 E-A, Frankfort, KY 4621.