Add a parent to a birth certificate

You can apply to add a parent to a birth certificate, even if the birth was registered without them.

The mother, father or child (if over 18) may apply to add the parent.

We assess all corrections before making them.

Refer to the 'Evidence' tabs for the evidence you’ll need to provide.

When we add a parent to a child’s birth certificate, we will notify the affected parties. Refer to Notifying the parents below.

If you want to remove the name of a parent, visit remove a parent from a birth certificate.

Apply to add a parent (External link)

What we need from you

We'll ask you for the following:

1. Details of the person on the certificate

As a minimum, we ask for:

Given name
Family name
Date of birth
Place of birth.

2. The current legal birth certificate

We ask you to return the current certificate before we can issue a new, corrected version.

If you return the current legal certificate

Post the current legal certificate to our mailing address. Please include your order number.

Once we’ve corrected the record, we’ll send you a new certificate free of charge.

If you can't return the current legal birth certificate

You’ll need to provide a Statutory Declaration (External link) explaining why. Learn more about how to digitise and upload documents.

Once we've corrected the record, you'll need to apply for a new birth certificate. There is a fee for the new certificate.

We recommend that you don’t order a new certificate until we’ve corrected the record.

3. Evidence to support the correction

The evidence we ask for depends on the circumstances for adding the parent. Check the 'evidence' tabs.

For documents in a language other than English, provide an English translation by a qualified translator. Learn more about translated documents.

4. Proof of your identity

You may be able to prove your identity online. If not, you can still prove your identity by mailing certified copies to us.

Acceptable documents

One of the easiest ways to prove your identity is by presenting your driver licence (if it confirms your residential address) and your passport.

There are other ways to prove your identity.

If you send us documents, they must be certified copies.

Don’t send original identity documents by mail

Don’t send uncertified copies – we can’t accept them.

Learn more about how to prove your identity.

Documents must be current (not expired). If you can’t provide current photo identification, please contact us.

Protecting your safety

When accessing BDM services, our priority is protecting you and your family’s safety. Our processes take this into account.

We can support you if you have experienced family violence.

If you tell us that you have concerns for your safety, we can protect your information from the other parent.

For example, we don’t have to tell the other parent your address or contact details without your consent.

We may ask you to provide some documents to support your concerns.

Learn more about Protecting your safety at BDM.

Evidence: Add the father

Add the father's details

The birth parents or their child (if 18 or older) can apply to add the child's father. You must attach:

Certified proof of identity for the applicant; and
A certified copy of one of the following documents:
- Results of a DNA-based parentage test (paternity test). The test must be approved by National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) (External link)
- A court order directing BDM to add the father to the birth certificate. The court order may be from:
  - A Victorian state court
  - Another court (including a court of another State or the Commonwealth).

Learn more about how to digitise and upload hard copy documents.

When a paternity test or court order is not required

The father is named on the birth registration but did not complete his part

In this circumstance each parent and their child (if 18 or older) must attach:

Certified proof of identity; and
A statement declaring that the father is the child’s parent.

If you can’t get everyone’s proof of identity or everyone to sign the statement, provide what you can and a statutory declaration explaining why.

We assess all applications before adding a father to a birth certificate.

If you’re unable to apply online, you can apply to add a parent using a printable form. This process may be slower than applying online.

The child is adopted

In this circumstance read the ‘Add a natural parent to a pre-adoption birth certificate’ tab.

If you want to change the child's name to the birth father's name, you will need to apply to change your child's name.

Evidence: Add the birth parent's female partner

Add birth parent's female partner

If you're the birth parent’s female partner, the child's birth certificate can show you as a parent.

When registering a birth

For more information, go to Add birth parent's female partner when registering a birth.

Add birth parent’s female partner after the birth has been registered

For births on or after 1 January 2010

Requirements for adding birth parent's female partner, based on type of donor treatment
Type of donor treatment	Requirements for adding birth parent's female partner
Donor treatment provided by an Assisted Reproductive Treatment (ART) clinic	We can only register you as the child’s parent if you: Consented to the donor treatment at the ART clinic, or Attach a court order declaring you to be the child’s parent. The court order may be from the Supreme Court or the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. If you used a Victorian ART clinic, you don’t need to provide evidence of your consent. The Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority (VARTA) provides that to us.
Donor treatment not provided by an ART clinic (e.g self-insemination)	If the birth certificate names a father Attach a court order to amend the birth record to show the birth parent’s female partner as the parent. The court order may be from: Any Victorian state court Another court (including a court of another State or the Commonwealth). If the birth certificate doesn't name a father Attach evidence that you participated in the donor treatment together. For further information, go to Self-insemination.

For births before 1 January 2010

If the birth certificate names a father

You must attach a court order to amend the birth record to show the birth parent’s female partner as the parent.

We can accept a court order from:

Any Victorian state court
Another court (including a court of another State or the Commonwealth).

If the birth certificate doesn't name a father

You must attach one of the following:

A statutory declaration from each parent to add the birth parent’s female partner (see below)
A court order declaring you to be the child’s parent. The court order may be from the Supreme Court or the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.

Statutory declaration to add the birth parent’s female partner

Each parent must complete a statutory declaration to add the birth parent's female partner. The statutory declaration must declare that:

They each consented to the donor treatment that resulted in the birth of their child, and
They were married or living together on a genuine domestic basis at the time of the donor treatment.

If your child is 18 years or over

Your child must complete a statutory declaration of consent to add the birth parent’s female partner to their birth certificate.

Learn more about how to digitise and upload hard copy documents.

Evidence: Add donor

Add donor details

If you’re the donor, the child’s birth certificate can show you as a parent. You need to provide a court order directing BDM to include you as the parent on the child’s birth registration.

BDM can accept an order from an Australian court with family law jurisdiction. This may include:

Any Victorian state court
Another court (including a court of another State or the Commonwealth). The court that most commonly does this is the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.

If you don’t have a court order you will need to contact us. Email bdmbirths@justice.vic.gov.au. (External link)

Evidence: Add a natural parent to a pre-adoption birth certificate

Evidence: Add a parent to the original (pre-adoption) birth certificate

Add a natural parent’s details

Who can apply?

The natural parents or their child (if 18 or older) can apply to add a natural parent to an original birth certificate. An original birth certificate shows the details of a person’s birth before they were adopted.

You must provide a copy of at least one of the following documents:

A completed statement from each natural parent and their child consenting to the amendment. If you can’t get everyone to sign the statement, you will need to provide additional evidence of parentage or a statutory declaration explaining why; or
Documents supporting evidence of parentage. For example this might include:
- Certified copies of results of a DNA-based parentage test
- Certified copies of a court order for the natural parent to be added to the original birth certificate
- Statutory declarations from family members confirming natural parentage

We assess all applications before adding a natural parent to an original birth certificate. We will work with you to update the original birth certificate and related records. Any changes to the original birth certificate will be reflected on the integrated birth certificate.

Proof of identity

Each natural parent and their child (if 18 or older) must attach certified proof of identity. If you can’t get everyone’s proof of identity, provide what you can and a statutory declaration explaining why.

Learn more about how to digitise and upload hard copy documents.

Applying online to add a natural parent to an original birth certificate

If you do not know all the details of the natural parent to be added enter “unknown”.
If you do not know the date of birth of the natural parent to be added enter a date that you think best reflects their approximate birth date.

Request a hard copy form to apply

If you’re unable to apply online, you can apply to add a parent using a printable form. This process may be slower than applying online.

Fees and timeframes

The fees are non-refundable except as set out on our Refunds page.

Fees

Application fee: $84.60.

Certificate fees

Replacement certificate fees
Returning the certificate to be corrected	Comments	Price
If you return the birth certificate to be corrected	No fee for certificate. (There may be a postage and handling fee for the new certificate. Check Postage, below.)	$0.00
If you do not return the birth certificate to be corrected	The price of a legal birth certificate applies	$55.80

Postage fees are additional.

Postage fees

Postage within Australia

Postage methods and prices, within Australia
Type of certificate	Postage and handling method	Price
Legal certificate	Express post	$10.20

Postage outside Australia

Postage methods and prices, outside Australia
Type of certificate	Postage and handling method	Price
Legal certificate	International express	$55.50

See Australia Post (External link) for product details

Check the Payment methods we accept

How long will it take?

Check our certificate turnaround times.

If it's urgent, apply online then contact us.

Delivery of multiple certificates

We send legal certificates by express post, for security.

For commemorative certificates, you may only choose standard post. This is because they're not official identity documents. Legal and commemorative certificates will arrive separately.

Apply to add a parent (External link)

Notifying the parents
When we add a parent to a child’s birth certificate, we will notify the affected parties. This means any parent on the corrected birth certificate, including the parent added.
When accessing BDM services, our priority is protecting you and your family’s safety. Our processes take this into account. Please tell us if you have concerns for your safety so that we can support you.

What we need from you

1. Details of the person on the certificate

2. The current legal birth certificate

If you return the current legal certificate

If you can't return the current legal birth certificate

3. Evidence to support the correction

4. Proof of your identity

Acceptable documents

Protecting your safety

Evidence: Add the father

Add the father's details

When a paternity test or court order is not required

The father is named on the birth registration but did not complete his part

The child is adopted

Evidence: Add the birth parent's female partner

Add birth parent's female partner

When registering a birth

Add birth parent’s female partner after the birth has been registered

For births on or after 1 January 2010

If the birth certificate names a father

If the birth certificate doesn't name a father

For births before 1 January 2010

If the birth certificate names a father

If the birth certificate doesn't name a father

Statutory declaration to add the birth parent’s female partner

If your child is 18 years or over

Evidence: Add donor

Add donor details

Evidence: Add a natural parent to a pre-adoption birth certificate

Evidence: Add a parent to the original (pre-adoption) birth certificate

Add a natural parent’s details

Who can apply?

Proof of identity

Applying online to add a natural parent to an original birth certificate

Request a hard copy form to apply

Fees and timeframes

Fees

Certificate fees

Postage fees

Postage within Australia

Postage outside Australia

How long will it take?

Delivery of multiple certificates

Services and information

Legislation, policies and practices