How to Change Your Name on a Birth Certificate in California

iEditorial Note: These blog posts represent the opinion of DoNotPay’s Writers, but each person’s situation and circumstances vary greatly. As a result, you should make sure to do your own independent research. Because everyone is unique, our self-help tools are never guaranteed to help with any specific situation. DoNotPay is not a law firm and is not licensed to practice law. DoNotPay provides a platform for legal information and self-help.

How to Change Your Name on Your Birth Certificate in California

There are many reasons why you might want to . Maybe the name was printed wrong on the original birth certificate. Or maybe you'd like to add a middle name. Whatever the reason, it is possible to change the name on your California birth certificate.

However, keep in mind that the process of getting your name changed on your California birth certificate is far from easy. You'll need to send in supporting documents, a sworn statement, and amendment fees. If you get any of these items wrong, you may not receive the birth certificate you were expecting in the mail. And this might affect your plans to get a passport with your birth certificate or apply for a driver's license or social security number.

Fortunately, there is a simple solution. You can use DoNotPay's Birth Certificates product to get a new birth certificate with the correct name. In fact, you can also use this product to get a new birth certificate if you have misplaced the old one.

The process of getting your CA birth certificate is easy and just involves answering a few questions and making a payment. DoNotPay will do the rest of the work.

Why Change the Name on a California Birth Certificate?

There are many reasons why someone might want to .

  1. Wrong Name: It's possible that they got the name wrong the first time the birth certificate was issued, in which case you might want to have it changed.
  2. Missing Names: If the birth certificate is missing your or your child's first, middle, or last name, you might want to amend it so that it includes that name.
  3. Wrong Parents' Names: It's possible that they got the parents' names wrong the first time around, in which case you might want to get the birth certificate amended so that these names are spelled correctly.
  4. Adding AKA: Sometimes, when there's a court-ordered name change or the person's name is changed during the process of naturalization, it's necessary to add an AKA (also known as) to a parent's name.

What Supporting Documents Are Needed to Amend a California Birth Certificate?

The following supporting documents need to be sent when you want to :

Parent's Birth CertificateIf a parent's name, date of birth, or place of birth contains an error, then you need to send a copy of the parent's birth certificate (with an English translation if the original is not in English.)
SS Card or PassportIf the child's name, date of birth, or place of birth contains an error, then it is preferred (not required) that you send the child's social security card (with the number blacked out), passport, or some other form of ID belonging to the child.
Court OrderIf the parent's name needs to be changed due to a court order, then you need to send a copy of the court order or the Petition for Name Change form submitted to get the name changed.
NaturalizationIf the name is changed due to naturalization, then you need to send a copy of the naturalization certificate.
Current Birth CertificateYou can also include a copy of the child's current birth certificate.

What Forms/Statements Do You Need to Change the Name on a California Birth Certificate?

In order to change the name on a California birth certificate, you'll need to complete form VS 24.

  • Locating Record: In the first part of the form, you'll need to enter the information the way it currently is on the birth certificate. This will help them to locate the record.
  • Correcting Record: In the second part of the form, you'll need to indicate the field (or fields) which is incorrect and the correct way in which the content of that field needs to be spelled.
  • Signature: The third part of the form needs to be signed by two people and their relationship to the person on the birth certificate should be noted.
  • Contact Info: In the fourth part of the form, you need to enter your contact information.

You'll also need to send in a notarized amendment sworn statement to change the name on the California birth certificate. The sworn statement states that you swear that you are an authorized person to receive the birth certificate of the person whose birth certificate you are requesting.

How Much Does It Cost to Change the Name on a California Birth Certificate?

  • Within a Year: If you're amending the birth certificate within a year of the child's birth, there is no cost to do so.
  • Getting a Copy: If you are amending the birth certificate within a year and you want a copy of it, it will cost $29 per copy.
  • After a Year: If you are amending the birth certificate after a year, the cost to do so is $26 which includes one copy of it. Further copies will be$29 per copy.

Why Should You Use DoNotPay to Change the Name on a California Birth Certificate?

Getting a new, is a difficult process that involves forms, statements, affidavits, etc. Plus, you'll also need to provide supporting documents and be sure that you are authorized to request that individual's birth certificate. If you get any part of this process wrong, your request might be denied or at least delayed.

This is why it makes sense to use DoNotPay to get your California birth certificate. The DoNotPay Birth Certificates product provides a simple, user-friendly interface to get your birth certificate. All you have to do is enter some general information about the birth certificate you are trying to get and make a payment. DoNotPay will do the rest.

How to Get a Copy of a Birth Certificate in California Using DoNotPay:

If you want to order/get a birth certificate copy in California but don't know where to start, DoNotPay has you covered in 8 easy steps:

  1. Go to the Birth Certificates product on DoNotPay.

  2. Select who the certificate is for (you or a loved one). If you are requesting a copy of someone else's certificate, enter their personal details, and upload evidence that proves your relationship.

  3. Enter the location you or your loved one was born in, so we can complete the form specific to your state.

  4. Enter the name(s) of the parent(s) as displayed on the certificate.

  5. Indicate what you will be using this certificate for, and choose whether you need an authorized or certified copy.

  6. Enter your contact information and shipping address. Upload copies of your government-issued identification, such as a driver's license.

  7. Choose whether you would like to electronically sign this form or not. Once we generate the form, verify that all of the information is correct.

  8. If you need the document to be notarized, schedule a notarization appointment using our Notary product. Otherwise, proceed to our Mail Checks product and let DoNotPay mail-in your request form with a check on your behalf.

Get More Information About Birth Certificates With DoNotPay

Whether you need to get a birth certificate, amend a birth certificate, get an informational copy of a birth certificate or get a certified copy, DoNotPay can give you more information about the process.

Getting your California birth certificate amended is a complex process. There are several steps to this process, and if you get any one of these steps wrong, then getting your birth certificate might be delayed. Fortunately, DoNotPay has a simple way of applying for California birth certificates and paying for them.

When you use DoNotPay, you don't have to worry about forgetting anything because DoNotPay will make sure that you don't. So you can relax and wait for your California birth certificate to be mailed to you.

Want your issue solved now?