Form

How to apply for a correction to remove the wrong father’s details

Updated 28 May 2024

Applies to England and Wales

1. General Information

A paternity correction can be made on the production of sufficient information to show that the man named on the certificate is not the natural father of the child.

Examples of sufficient information include, but are not limited to:

• a DNA test report from an approved tester
• a court order

A correction is made in the register held at the register office responsible for the area where the birth took place. However, all corrections involving paternity always need to be authorised by the General Register Office (GRO).

2. How do I apply for a correction?

You will need to complete an application form and take it or send it to the local register office for the area where the birth was registered. The application will then be referred to the GRO.

You can ring the GRO on 0300 123 1837 who can advise which register office you should contact.

3. Fees

There is a statutory fee for each application. The fee is £99 for any application requiring referral to the GRO.

This is a consideration fee and, as such, is not refundable. The fee must be paid at the point of application. You should contact the register office before sending your application to ask them how they will take the fee.

4. Get an application form

You can get an application form by:

• downloading it from GOV.UK
• going to your local register office
• calling the GRO at 0300 123 1837

5. Who can apply for a correction?

• the mother
• the natural father
• the man named on the birth certificate
• a person with legal responsibility for the child

You will need to supply a contact address for the mother, the man named on the certificate and the natural father (if he forms part of the application). The form will need to be signed by all person(s) making the application.

6. Do I need to prove that the birth certificate is wrong?

You will need to prove that the man currently named on the certificate is not the natural father of the child.

To do this you will need to provide sufficient information (for example a DNA test report from an approved tester, a court order, or some other form of conclusive evidence which either excludes the man named on the certificate from paternity or confirms the name of the true biological father.

7. Using DNA test results as evidence

Only certain types of DNA tests are acceptable. For a DNA test in England or Wales to be accepted as irrefutable proof of paternity, the testing laboratory must meet ISO17025 (International Organization for Standardization) accreditation standards. Further information is available on GOV.UK, including a list of accredited laboratories.

There must also be evidence to show that the DNA samples have been collected in a secure way.

This means:

• they must be witnessed by an independent individual (such as a representative of the testing laboratory)
• the testing laboratory as well as the independent individual will need to confirm the identity of the participant(s) who have chosen to provide their DNA sample

8. Do I need to send in original documents?

If sending the application in the post and paying for the service over the phone do not send original documents with your application form. You should only send photocopies of documents which have been certified by a professional person or reputable person as true copies of the original.

We are not able to accept photographs of documents. GOV.UK have a list giving examples of the type of person that would be suitable.

The person certifying the photocopies must not be related by birth or marriage/civil partnership to the applicant(s), be in a personal relationship with them or live at the same address.

The certifier should:

• include the words - “Certified to be a true copy of the original seen by me”
• sign the photocopy
• print their name
• confirm their occupation
• add their address and telephone number

The GRO or the local registration service reserves the right to ask you to submit the original document if needed.

The GRO will confidentially destroy all certified copies submitted here unless specifically asked to return them.

9. What does a correction look like?

The original information will always be shown as it was first given at the time of the registration, but a note will be written in the margin of the register explaining the details of the named man should not have been recorded and the date on which the correction was made.

The correction will not put the true father’s details into the birth entry, for this to take place the birth will need to be re-registered (see Section 13).

All certificates issued after the correction will include this note. This is because birth certificates must show the same information as the birth entry.

10. Can I change the child’s surname as part of the correction?

No. Only information found to be wrong can be corrected in a birth entry. For this reason, the child’s surname cannot be changed as this was the surname in which it was intended to bring the child up.

11. Do I have to be there when the registration is corrected?

No. A correction can only be made if statutory declarations about the error are made by two people with knowledge of the facts. A statutory declaration is a legal statement made before a solicitor or some other person who is legally able to witness an oath.

The people who would be considered acceptable to make a statutory declaration would be:

• the mother
• the named man
• the natural father, if he took part in the DNA tests and was proven to be the father
• the DNA tester (for cases where a DNA test report was submitted as evidence - it is likely the DNA tester will charge a fee for this service)

GRO will provide statutory declaration forms and instructions for making them after acceptable evidence has been provided and once it is clear who will make them.

12. How long does a correction take?

If there are no problems with your application, you can expect to be contacted within 25 working days. If we ask you for more information or you need to send in more paperwork, each further reply may to take up to 25 working days.

However, in exceptional circumstances, it may not always be possible to meet these targets.

13. Can the natural father be put in the birth entry?

After the correction has been made, the mother and the true father can apply together to register the birth again. This re-registration will then show the true father’s details.

More information on re-registrations

14. Where can I find out more?

You can contact the register office in the area where the person was born. They will be happy to explain what you need to do.

Alternatively, you can telephone GRO who will advise you on your individual circumstances and how to apply for a correction.

Our contact details are:

• Address: GRO Casework Team, PO Box 476, Southport, PR8 2WJ

• Phone: 0300 123 1837

• E-mail: grocasework@gro.gov.uk

• Internet: visit the correct a birth registration page to find forms to apply

The information contained in this leaflet is based on the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 but is not a full statement of the law.

For the purpose of detecting and preventing crime, information relating to an application may be shared and verified with other government departments or law enforcement agencies