To get a copy of an Affidavit of Parentage in NC, submit the paternity-specific application to NC Vital Records with a $24 search fee and a photocopy of your photo ID. You can send it by mail, order online through VitalChek, or appear in person by appointment at the state office in Raleigh. The request is handled by the paternity section of Vital Records, not the standard birth certificate ordering process, and it takes longer than a regular certificate order.1NC Vital Records. NCDHHS: DPH: NC Vital Records: Paternity Establishment
Who Can Request a Copy
North Carolina restricts access to vital records, and the Affidavit of Parentage attaches to the birth certificate. Under N.C.G.S. 130A-93, you are eligible if you are the person named on the record; that person’s spouse, sibling, stepparent, stepchild, or any direct ancestor or descendant (parent, grandparent, child, grandchild); someone who needs the record for a legal determination of personal or property rights; or an authorized agent, attorney, or legal representative acting for someone in those categories.2North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina General Statutes 130A-93 – Access to Vital Records; Copies Every requester must prove identity and eligibility. If you are ordering on someone else’s behalf, bring documentation of your authority to act for that person.
Use the Right Application
Most people trip on this step. Do not use the standard birth certificate application. NC Vital Records has a separate form called the “Application for a Copy of a North Carolina Birth Certificate with Affidavit of Paternity,” available on the Vital Records paternity page.1NC Vital Records. NCDHHS: DPH: NC Vital Records: Paternity Establishment If you start on the regular birth certificate order page, it will redirect you to the paternity page.
On the form, give the child’s full name, date of birth, and county of birth, along with the full names of both parents. Make sure every detail matches what is on file. Discrepancies can delay processing or cause the search to fail, and the fee is nonrefundable.
Identification
Include a legible photocopy of your ID if you are mailing or ordering online, or bring the originals if you appear in person. Acceptable primary identification includes a current driver’s license, state-issued photo ID, passport, or U.S. military ID. If you do not have a primary photo ID, contact NC Vital Records about acceptable secondary identification.
Fees
NC Vital Records charges a $24 nonrefundable search fee that covers a three-year search and includes one certified copy if the record is found. Additional copies of the same record ordered at the same time are $15 each.3NC Vital Records. Fees and Payment – Section: Fee Schedule The fee is not refunded if the record cannot be located based on the information you provided, so accuracy on the application matters.
Payment methods depend on how you submit the request. By mail, pay by money order, certified check, or business check made payable to “NC Vital Records”; personal checks are not accepted by mail.4NC Vital Records. Fees and Payment Online through VitalChek, you can use major credit cards or personal checks, with a $13.95 VitalChek processing fee added to the state’s $24, bringing the total to $37.95 with standard shipping. Optional UPS overnight shipping adds another $20, and someone must be available at the delivery address to sign for the package.5NC Vital Records. Order a Certificate For in-person orders, check the Vital Records fees page for current payment options.
How to Submit
By Mail
Send your completed application, a photocopy of your ID, and your payment to:
NC Vital Records
1903 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-19006NC Vital Records. NC Vital Records – Contact Us
Online Through VitalChek
VitalChek is the only vendor authorized by NC Vital Records for online certificate orders, and you can reach it through the Vital Records website. Expect the $13.95 processing surcharge on top of the state fee.5NC Vital Records. Order a Certificate
In Person by Appointment
The NC Vital Records office in Raleigh takes walk-up service by appointment only, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with the last appointment at 2:30 p.m. Bring original identification.7NC Vital Records. NC Vital Records Home You can also try the Register of Deeds office in the county where the birth occurred, though its ability to help with paternity-related records may be more limited than the state office.
How Long It Takes
Paternity records sit outside the normal processing timeline, and this is easy to miss. The NC Vital Records processing dates page lists an estimated turnaround for standard birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates (currently around 60 business days) but states that those estimates do not apply to “paternities (including affidavits of parentage / AOPs).”8NC Vital Records. General Issuance Certificates Processing Dates In practice, your request can take longer than 60 business days, and no estimate is published. If you have a hard deadline, contact NC Vital Records directly to ask about current turnaround for paternity records before ordering. Do not assume the standard certificate timeframe applies.
What the Copy Is and What It Isn’t
An Affidavit of Parentage is the sworn document, signed by both parents in front of a notary, that establishes paternity when the parents are not married. When signed at the time of birth, it is filed with the birth certificate; when signed later, the agency handling the signing files it directly with NC Vital Records.9North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. Affidavit of Parentage for Child Born Out of Wedlock A certified copy from Vital Records is what you present for child support proceedings, custody matters, passport applications, or updating government records.
Ordering a copy is a records request, not a legal challenge. If your goal is to rescind or contest the affidavit rather than retrieve it, that is a separate court process with a 60-day rescission window and a much higher bar after that window closes.10Justia Law. North Carolina General Statutes 110-132 – Affidavit of Parentage and Agreement to Support A family law attorney can advise on that path.