In Tennessee, a person can request a change to their birth certificate by contacting the Office of Vital Records in Nashville. It costs $15 to amend a birth certificate if more than a year after the birth.
A birth certificate can also be amended to remove the father’s name based on a rescission of voluntary acknowledgment of paternity to undo the establishment of the father’s legal rights as a parent to the child. There is no fee for amending a birth certificate in the first year, except in the case of a rescission or mistake in a birth record, such as a rescission of a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity.
How to Correct Common Mistakes on a Birth Certificate
Type of Mistakes on Birth Certificate
Items Needed to Correct
Given name (first name) or middle name is spelled incorrectly.
Typically, a court order.
Name was legally changed.
1. An original, certified copy of the court order effecting the name change.
2. A check or money order for the required amendment fee.
3. An additional fee for a copy of the corrected certificate.
Date of birth is incorrect.
1. Signed and notarized affidavit showing the full name and date of birth as shown on the certificate and the date of birth as it should be correctly listed.
2. Documentary evidence supporting the correct date of birth.
3. A check or money order for the required amendment fee.
4. An additional fee for a copy of the corrected certificate.
Sex is incorrect.
1. Signed and notarized affidavit.
2. Documentary evidence showing the correct sex of the person.
3. A check or money order for the required amendment fee.
4. An additional fee for a copy of the corrected certificate.
Parent's name, date of birth or place of birth is incorrect.
Typically, a court order.
In many cases, a court order, notarized affidavit or other acceptable documentary evidence is required to correct a mistake on a birth certificate. A person should request a court order from the court clerk’s office in their county of residence.
A notarized affidavit is a written statement that a person makes under oath and signs in the presence of a notary public. The notary public places their seal on the legal document to verify that the signature is authentic. The affidavit submitted to the Tennessee Office of Vital Records must be signed by either the:
The affidavit should contain the name of the person making the request and the date; the incorrect information as listed on the certificate; and the data as it should be listed.
Acceptable documentary evidence submitted in support of an amendment should be the oldest document available. Such evidence must provide:
The documentary evidence must be at least five years old. Sometimes older documents are required. If the amendment is for a child under 5, the document must have been created as close to the date of birth as possible.
Examples of acceptable documentary evidence include:
The necessary items a person needs to get a copy of their birth certificate in Tennessee are:
The fee for amending a certificate more than one year after the date of the event is $15. The fee for preparing a new birth certificate due to adoption, legitimization (legalizing the status of a child born out of wedlock), or order of parentage is also $15.
If the Tennessee Office of Vital Records cannot locate a birth certificate, it will send the requesting party a letter certifying that no record was found. The fee for a “no record found” letter is $15, the same as for a certified copy.
These documents are acceptable forms of identification:
If a person requesting the birth certificate is not a qualified applicant, meaning the person themselves or the parent, child or spouse of the person named in the birth certificate, the requester must present documents that support their right to the certificate.
Entitlement documents include custody orders, insurance policies denoting the beneficiaries, and letters of testamentary, which are certified documents granted by the probate court authorizing the executor of a will to collect and distribute the assets of person who died. The fastest way for a person to get their birth certificate in the state of Tennessee is in person at their local county health department.
All county health departments are able to issue birth or death certificates registered statewide with Tennessee vital records. A county office may limit the time period for which it will issue birth certificates. For example, the Shelby County Office of Vital Records issues birth certificates only for births dated after 1924.
A certificate of birth for a newborn child may not be available from a county health department for approximately 45 days after the department receives the original certificate from the hospital or birthing facility.
Other ways to get a birth certificate in Tennessee include:
birth certificate application form
to the Office of Vital Records in Nashville.
* Order online through VitalChek, the company contracted to provide this service for the state of Tennessee.
VitalChek charges an additional fee of between $11 and $26.50 for its service. This fee does not include the cost of shipping the record to the requesting party.
With an online order through VitalChek: