How to Fill Out and File the Michigan Affidavit of Parentage

Michigan’s Affidavit of Parentage, Form DCH-0682, lets unmarried parents establish legal parentage without going to court. Both parents complete the form, sign it in front of a notary public or a qualified witness, and file the original with Michigan’s State Division of Vital Records. Once filed, it carries the same legal weight as a court order and gives the acknowledging parent full parental rights and responsibilities, including the ability to seek custody, parenting time, and child support.¹ The form is governed by Michigan’s Acknowledgment of Parentage Act, MCL 722.1001 through 722.1013.²

Who Can Use the Form

The straightforward case: the mother was not married at any point between the child’s conception and birth. She and the biological father can sign the affidavit together.³ If the mother was married during that window, the form cannot be used unless a court has already entered a written order determining that the child is not a product of the marriage. Without that order, Michigan’s marital presumption treats the husband as the legal father regardless of biology.

A revision effective April 2, 2025 under the Michigan Family Protection Act expanded the form to cover two additional situations involving assisted reproduction: when an unmarried person who gave birth and another individual both wish to acknowledge parentage of a child conceived through assisted reproduction, and when a married person who gave birth and their spouse wish to acknowledge parentage of a child conceived through assisted reproduction.⁴ The revised form uses “acknowledging parent” rather than “father” to reflect these broader circumstances.

Age is not a barrier. Michigan law allows a minor parent to sign, and the signature has the same legal effect as if the minor were an adult. A court may appoint a next friend or guardian ad litem to represent the minor during the process, but the minor’s signature is valid on its own.⁵

What Information You Need Before You Start

Gather everything first so you can complete the form in one pass. The form asks for:

The child’s full legal name, date of birth, and place of birth (city and county).
The birth parent’s current legal name, name at birth (maiden name), date of birth, address, and Social Security number.
The acknowledging parent’s full legal name, date of birth, state or country of birth, address, and Social Security number.

Enter every name exactly as it appears on government-issued identification. The form must be completed with the full names of the child and both parents, dates and place of the child’s birth, each parent’s date of birth, and each parent’s address.³ Don’t abbreviate. A mismatch between the form and existing vital records can delay processing or require an amendment.

If the child has not been named yet, wait until you’ve decided on the name. The form can be completed later. There is no deadline requiring it to be done at the hospital.

How to Sign the Form

Both parents must sign, but not at the same time or in the same place. Each signature must appear on the same physical form, and each must be either notarized or witnessed before the form can be filed.³

Signing Before a Notary Public

A commissioned notary public can witness either or both signatures. The notary verifies each signer’s identity using photo ID such as a driver’s license, passport, or state-issued ID, then watches the parent sign. The notary records the date of signing, the county where it took place, and their commission expiration date before applying their official seal.³

Signing Before a Qualified Witness

Michigan law provides an alternative most parents encounter at the hospital. A qualified witness must be an employee of one of the following: a hospital, publicly funded or licensed health clinic, pediatric office, Friend of the Court office, prosecuting attorney’s office, court, MDHHS, county health agency, county records department, Head Start program, local social services provider, county jail, or state prison.³ The qualified witness checks the parents’ identification just as a notary would, then signs and dates the form with their printed name, address, and place of employment.⁵

If you complete the form at the hospital right after birth, hospital staff typically serve as the qualified witness and handle the paperwork for you. If you sign later outside a hospital, a notary public is usually the most accessible option.

Where to File the Completed Form

The original signed form must be filed with Michigan’s State Division of Vital Records. Once filed, the state registrar stores it permanently in the parentage registry.⁵ There is no fee to file the affidavit itself.

If you sign at the hospital when the child is born, hospital staff will prepare and file it for you.³ Ask for a copy before the original leaves the hospital. Once it’s filed with the state, getting a copy back costs money.

If you complete the form after discharge, mail the original to the State Division of Vital Records at the address printed on the form.³ The general mailing address for Michigan vital records is P.O. Box 30721, Lansing, MI 48909.⁶ Confirm the current filing address on the form or the MDHHS website before mailing, and keep a photocopy for your records.

What Happens Once It’s Filed

Once the state registrar receives and reviews the form for proper completion and notarization or witnessing, the legal parent-child relationship is established. The acknowledging parent gains all the rights and duties of a parent from the date the form is filed, including the right to seek custody and parenting time and the obligation to provide financial support.¹ The child is treated identically to a child born during a marriage for all legal purposes, effective from birth.

The acknowledging parent’s name is added to the child’s birth certificate. If you want an updated certified copy showing both names, request one from the MDHHS Division of Vital Records. The current fee is $34.00 for one search and one copy.⁷

Filing also unlocks federal benefits. The child can be claimed as a dependent on the acknowledging parent’s federal tax return if the IRS residency and support requirements are met, opening the door to the Child Tax Credit.⁸ The child may also qualify for Social Security survivor or disability benefits through the acknowledging parent and for inheritance rights under Michigan law.

Changing Your Mind: Rescission and Challenges

Signing this form is not something to do casually. It creates a legal parent-child relationship that is difficult to undo. Michigan law gives you a narrow window up front and a high bar after that.

Within 60 days after the last signature is notarized or witnessed, either parent can rescind the acknowledgment by filing a written rescission request with the state registrar. The rescission must include proof that the other parent was served with a copy. If filed within the 60-day window, the state registrar removes the acknowledging parent’s name from the birth certificate at no charge.⁹

After the 60 days expire, the only way to challenge the affidavit is by proving fraud, duress, or a material mistake of fact, and the burden is clear and convincing evidence. Once a court has entered an order of filiation or a judgment of paternity based on the affidavit, it cannot be challenged at all.⁹ If there’s any doubt about biological parentage, get genetic testing done before signing.

Where to Get the Current Form

Birthing hospitals in Michigan routinely offer the form to unmarried parents as part of the discharge process. Outside a hospital setting, the MDHHS Office of Child Support publishes the current version on its website, with links on its Forms and Applications, Hospital Resources, and Establish Paternity pages.⁴ You can also request it from a Friend of the Court office, a county prosecuting attorney’s office, or any of the other agencies whose employees can serve as qualified witnesses.

Use the revised version published on or after April 2, 2025. Earlier versions may not be accepted, since the form was updated to comply with the Michigan Family Protection Act.⁴

1
Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 722.1004
2
Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 722.1001 – Acknowledgment of Parentage Act
3
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Michigan Affidavit of Parentage Form DCH-0682
4
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. IV-D Memorandum 2025-005 – The Michigan Family Protection Act and Revisions to the Affidavit of Parentage DCH-0682
5
Michigan Courts. Parentage Under the Acknowledgment of Parentage Act – Appellate Assigned Judges Benchbook
6
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Where to Write for Vital Records – Michigan
7
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Fees – State of Michigan
8
Internal Revenue Service. Child Tax Credit
9
Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 722.1007 – Acknowledgment of Parentage Act