What every parent
should know about
Establishing Paternity
866-540-0008
michigan.gov/childsupport
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Why is it important to
establish paternity?
Establishing a legal father is very important for a child who is
born to unmarried parents. It gives the child the same rights and
benets as those of a child whose parents are married.
These rights and benets include:
Identity
It’s good for children to know both of their parents. This gives the
child a sense of identity.
Family ties
Every child has the right to a relationship with both parents. The
child may come to know both sides of the family. This can give
the child a sense of belonging.
Financial support
The law requires both parents to support their children. Parents
can share the cost of raising their child, even if they don’t live
together. Children are more likely to have their needs met when
both parents give nancial support.
Benefits
A child has a right to benets from both parents. These
can include:
• Health and life insurance
• Social Security
• Pensions
• Inheritance rights
• Veterans’ benets
Benets are very important if a parent dies or becomes disabled.
Medical information
Knowing the medical histories of both biological parents can be
important if the family has any health problems.
What is
paternity?
Paternity means legal fatherhood.
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How is paternity established?
Married parents
If parents are married to each other when a child is born or when
the mother became pregnant, the mother’s husband is the child’s
legal father.
Unmarried parents
Parents who are not married to each other must do something
to establish paternity. There are two main ways parents can
establish paternity when they are not married:
• Unmarried parents can establish paternity voluntarily. This
means they agree to name the father of the child; or
• Unmarried parents can ask the local family court to help
establish paternity. This usually involves DNA paternity testing.
Both of these ways are explained below.
Establishing paternity voluntarily by signing
an affidavit
The parents of a child who is born to an unmarried mother can
voluntarily establish paternity. They can do this by signing a form
that says the man is the biological father. The man can sign the
form even if he’s married to someone else.
This form is called the Afdavit of Parentage, or “afdavit” for
short. (The form number is DCH-0682.)
When both unmarried parents sign the afdavit, and it’s also
signed by a qualied witness or notary, it means they are the legal
parents of their child. No one has to go to the local family court to
establish paternity.
DCH-0682 (Rev. 4-16) By authority of Act 305 of 1996 as amended. 1
AFFIDAVIT OF PARENTAGE
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
State File Number
Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics
AOP Number
We affirm under penalty of perjury that we are the natural parents of:
First
Middle
Last
Suffix
who was born in
on
Hospital Name, City, County, State
Date of Birth
and that we sign this affidavit to establish the paternity for this child. We hereby consent that the name of the natural father may be included on the certificate
of birth for the child. We wish the child’s name to be recorded as:
First
Middle
Last
Suffix
In signing this form, we understand that:
(a) This is a legal document.
(b) Completion of the affidavit is voluntary.
(c) The mother has initial custody of the child, without prejudice to the
determination of either parent’s custodial rights, until otherwise determined
by the court or agreed upon by the parties in writing and acknowledged by
the court. This grant of initial custody to the mother shall not, by itself, affect
the rights of either parent in a proceeding to seek a court order for custody
or parenting time.
(d) Either parent may assert a claim in court for parenting time or custody.
(e) Both parents have a right to notice and a hearing regarding the adoption of
the child.
(f) Both parents have the responsibility to support the child and to comply with
a court or administrative order for the child’s support.
(g) By signing this affidavit, we waive the following:
(i) The right to blood or genetic tests to determine if the man is the
biological father of the child.
(ii) Any right to a court-appointed attorney, including the Prosecuting
Attorney, to represent either party in a court action to determine if the
man is the biological father of the child.
(iii) The right to a trial to determine if the man is the biological father of
the child.
(h) In order to revoke the Affidavit of Parentage, an individual must file a
claim as provided under the Revocation of Paternity Act (Michigan
Compiled Law [MCL] 722.1437).
Further, the mother states that she was not married when this child was born or conceived; or that this child, though born or conceived during a marriage, is
not an issue of that marriage as determined by a court of law.
FATHER’S INFORMATION
MOTHER’S INFORMATION
First Name
First Name
Middle Name
Middle Name
Last Name
Last Name
Date of Birth:
(MM/DD/YYYY)
Place of Birth: (State or
Country)
Social Security Number
Date of Birth:
(MM/DD/YYYY)
Place of Birth: (State or
Country)
Social Security Number
Current Address (Street, Apt. No., City, State, Zip)
Current Address (Street, Apt. No., City, State, Zip)
To the best of my knowledge, the above information is true:
To the best of my knowledge, the above information is true:
Father’s Signature
Date
Mother’s Signature
Date
NOTARY SECTION
Notary Public in and for County, Michigan Notary Public in and for County, Michigan
Acting in the county of Acting in the county of
Signature Printed Name Signature Printed Name
Signature and sworn to before me this day of 20 Signature and sworn to before me this day of 20
Commission expiration date Commission expiration date
QUALIFIED WITNESS SECTION – Facility Use Only (if not notarized, complete as defined on reverse of form)
Signature of Father’s Witness
Printed Name of Witness
Signature of Mother’s Witness
Printed Name of Witness
Witness Place of Employment
Witness Place of Employment
Witness Work Address (Street, City, State, Zip)
Witness Work Address (Street, City, State, Zip)
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What does it mean to sign the affidavit?
The afdavit is a legal document. When parents sign the afdavit,
they agree to the following:
• The mother has custody of the child unless the local family
court or parents agree on something else in writing. When
a parent has custody, this means the child will live with
that parent.
• Either parent may le a claim at their local family court for
parenting time or custody.
• Both parents will be notied if one parent wants the child to be
adopted by someone else.
• Both parents must support their child. If child support is
ordered by the court, parents must follow the order.
• The parents give up their right to:
- Get a DNA paternity test.
- Have a court-appointed lawyer represent either of them
regarding paternity.
- Go to trial to determine the biological father.
Where and when do parents sign the affidavit?
The parents can sign the afdavit at the hospital after the child
is born, or parents can sign it anywhere at a later time. When
signing the afdavit, parents must have a valid photo ID. The
afdavit must also be signed by someone who is a qualied
witness or notary. This person will check the parents’ signatures
and photo IDs.
• If the afdavit is signed at the hospital right after the child
is born:
- Both parents will be listed on the birth certicate.
- Most hospital staff can witness or notarize the
parents’ signatures.
- It’s free. The parents don’t pay anything.
• If the afdavit is signed at a later time:
- Parents must nd a qualied witness or notary to sign
the afdavit.
- The birth certicate was already created at the hospital.
So, the parents will need to ask the state vital records ofce
to add the father’s name to the birth certicate.
- Parents will have to pay a fee to make this change to the
birth certicate.
Establishing paternity by going to the local
family court
Paternity can also be established by a judge in court. Parents
who choose to go to their local family court without hiring a
lawyer may contact the Ofce of Child Support for help.
Parents who receive public assistance may be required to go to
their local family court to establish paternity if they do not sign
the afdavit.
The birth certificate
The birth certicate is the record of the child’s birth and is usually
created at the hospital when the baby is born. It is not used to
establish paternity.
• If the mother is married when she becomes pregnant or when
the baby is born, her husband’s name will be put on the birth
certicate as the child’s father.
• If the mother is not married when she becomes pregnant or
when the baby is born, or if the mother was never married, the
mother and father must establish paternity before the father’s
name can be put on the birth certicate.
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Questions about paternity establishment
Why is now the right time to establish paternity?
Children need care and support from their parents, right from
birth. If parents don’t establish paternity early, their child may
grow up without the advantages and benets that come from
having both parents share in their care. Give a child the best
possible chance in life by establishing paternity as early
as possible.
What if the mother or the father does not want to
establish paternity?
Then the parents should not sign the afdavit. Either parent
can contact the Ofce of Child Support for help with getting
paternity established.
What if the mother or the father is not sure who the
biological father is?
Then the parents should not sign the afdavit. Instead, either
parent can ask for a DNA paternity test to nd out for sure if the
man is the biological father of the child. Either parent can contact
the Ofce of Child Support for help with DNA paternity testing.
At-home paternity tests, or results from an unapproved lab,
cannot be used to determine the legal father.
IMPORTANT: Once legal paternity is established, it can be
difcult, or impossible, to undo—even if a DNA paternity test later
shows the man is not the biological father of the child.
What if the mother doesn’t know where the
father is?
If the mother doesn’t know where the father is, she can contact
the Ofce of Child Support for help nding him.
What if the father lives outside of Michigan?
The Michigan Ofce of Child Support can work with the other
state to help with paternity establishment. Also, the father can
sign the afdavit to say he is the child’s father, even if he lives in
another state.
What if the mother or father is under the age of 18?
Parents of any age can establish paternity for their child. A parent
under the age of 18, without anyone’s consent, can:
• Get a DNA paternity test.
• Sign the afdavit.
• Go to the local family court to establish paternity.
When is DNA paternity testing done?
DNA paternity testing is done after the baby is born. When
parents are not sure who the biological father is, they should not
sign the afdavit. Instead, parents should contact the Ofce of
Child Support to ask for help with DNA paternity testing.
How is DNA paternity testing done?
Either parent can contact the Ofce of Child Support to ask for
DNA paternity testing. A child support worker will arrange for a
lab to do the testing and give the nal report. This may happen
through a court order.
The test is simple and painless. DNA samples are taken by
rubbing a cotton-tipped swab on the inside of the cheek of the
mother, father and child. All three DNA samples are sent to a lab.
The lab compares the samples for a match.
What does DNA paternity testing show?
DNA paternity testing shows whether or not a man is the
biological father of a child.
If the test shows the man is the biological father, another step is
needed to make him the legal father:
• The parents can sign the afdavit to make him the legal
father; or
• The parents can go to the local family court, where a judge will
order that the man is the legal father of the child.
Who pays for DNA paternity testing?
The Ofce of Child Support can help parents set up DNA
paternity testing at little or no cost. The local family court will
decide who pays for the testing.
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Questions about custody, parenting time
and child support
Who has custody of the child?
When the mother and father sign the afdavit, custody is rst
given to the mother. Either parent can ask the local family court to
help make a different custody decision.
Does the father have the right to parenting time?
Yes. The father has the right to spend time with his child. The time
that parents spend with their children is called “parenting time.”
Parents can make an agreement on their own about parenting
time for each parent. Or, the local family court can help them set
up parenting time.
How is child support determined?
Child support is set by a formula in the state law. The formula
uses the father’s and mother’s income and the number of nights a
child spends in each parent’s home. Other factors may also
be considered.
A child support calculator is available on the michigan.gov/
childsupport website. Either parent can use it to calculate the
possible child support amount.
Where do I get help in starting a child
support case?
The Ofce of Child Support can provide free help with starting a
child support case. You do not have to be on public assistance.
Private attorneys can also help with a child support case.
Give your baby the best possible chance in
life by getting paternity established NOW.
Don’t wait. Do it for your child.
To get help:
• Starting a child support case, establishing paternity by signing
the afdavit or getting a family court order, contact the Michigan
Ofce of Child Support:
866-540-0008
michigan.gov/childsupport
• Making changes to a birth certicate (birth record), contact the
Vital Records Changes Unit within the Michigan Department of
Health and Human Services:
517-335-8660
michigan.gov/vitalrecords
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The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) does not discriminate against any
individual or group because of race, religion, age, national origin, color, height, weight, marital status,
genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, political beliefs or disability.
DHS-Pub-780 (Rev. 2-17) Previous edition may be used.
Ofce of Child Support
