How to Fill Out and Submit a PA Birth Certificate Correction Form

To correct a Pennsylvania birth certificate, you file the age-specific amendment form that matches the subject’s current age with the Department of Health’s Bureau of Health Statistics and Registries in Harrisburg, along with signatures, supporting evidence, and the fee. There is no single universal PA birth certificate correction form. Pennsylvania uses five age-bracketed amendment forms plus a separate form for parentage changes, and picking the wrong one is the fastest way to have your packet returned. Current processing runs about 20 weeks.¹

Pick the Form That Matches the Subject’s Current Age

Match the form to how old the person on the certificate is now, not how old they were when the error happened. The Department of Health offers:

Request to Modify an Infant’s Birth Record (under 1 year)
Request to Modify a Child’s Birth Record, age 1 to under 7
Request to Modify a Child’s Birth Record, age 7 to under 14
Request to Modify a Child’s Birth Record, age 14 to under 18
Request to Modify an Adult’s Birth Record (18 and older)

None of these forms handle adding, removing, or replacing a parent. That change uses the separate Request to Modify Parentage on a Birth Record, covered below. Adoption-related changes cannot be processed through any of these forms and follow a different procedure.²

Who Signs the Form

Under 28 Pa. Code § 1.34, the right to request a correction depends on age. If the subject is under one year old, both parents sign the correction statement. Once the subject is over one year old, a parent, or the subject themselves if of legal age, submits a sworn affidavit requesting the change.³

Each form spells out its exact signature requirement in Part 6. Notarization is required where Part 6 calls for it. Read that section carefully before signing; a missing notary stamp or the wrong signer is one of the most common reasons packets get bounced back.²

Filling In the Rest of the Form

Each amendment form is broken into numbered parts. You enter the information currently on the certificate exactly as it appears now, including the subject’s full name, date of birth, and place of birth. You then describe the specific error and write in the corrected information. Common corrections cover misspelled names, incorrect dates, and wrong birthplace details.

Part 7 is where you list the documentary evidence backing your request. The list of acceptable documents varies by age bracket, so use the list on your specific form.

Evidence You Need to Include

For simple spelling corrections, the regulation draws its line at age one. Below one, both parents’ signatures on the correction statement are enough. Above one, you need a sworn affidavit from the parents or the adult subject.³

If your change looks more like a name change than a fix (changing “Smith” to “Johnson” rather than correcting “Smth” to “Smith”), the Department can require additional recorded evidence or a court order.³

Supporting documents generally include items created close in time to the birth: early school records, hospital records, baptismal certificates, census records, or other government-issued documents that show the correct information. Send originals or certified copies, not photocopies. Include a legible copy of your valid government-issued photo ID with the packet.²

Where to Send It and What to Pay

Amendment packets go to Harrisburg, not the New Castle address used for ordering certified copies. Mail everything to:

PA Department of Health
Bureau of Health Statistics and Registries
ATTN: Birth Registry
555 Walnut Street, 6th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17101-1934²

A Pennsylvania birth certificate copy costs $20. Pay by personal check or money order made out to “Vital Records.”⁴

Military and Veteran Fee Waiver

Act 137 of 2024 expanded Pennsylvania’s fee waiver. Veterans discharged under conditions other than dishonorable, including those with a general discharge, can receive up to ten free birth certificate copies. The waiver also covers spouses, surviving spouses, and dependent children of eligible service members. Include documentation of military status with your application.⁵

Processing Time and Why Packets Get Rejected

Complete, accurate amendment requests currently take about 20 weeks. The timeline is roughly the same across infant, child, and adult forms.¹

Incomplete packets take longer. The frequent problems are using the wrong age-bracket form, missing signatures, failing to notarize when the form requires it, and sending photocopies instead of originals or certified copies. If the Department finds your evidence insufficient, it sends a written notice explaining what is missing. Getting it right on the first submission is worth the time it takes to double-check Parts 6 and 7.

Once the amendment is approved, the state registry is updated and you can order a new certified copy through the normal channels: online, by mail to the New Castle processing unit, or in person at a Vital Records public office.⁶

If You Need to Change a Parent on the Record

Parentage changes use the Request to Modify Parentage on a Birth Record, not any of the age-bracket forms. A birth record can list at most two parents. Swapping one parent for another means filing two parentage forms: one to remove the existing parent and one to add the new parent.

Removing a parent requires either a court order or an approved cancellation of an Acknowledgment of Paternity. Adding a parent follows the evidence rules on the parentage form itself. Adoption-related parentage changes cannot go through this form.⁷

Parentage modifications also take about 20 weeks.¹

After You Get the Corrected Certificate

Most people need to update other records once the corrected certificate is in hand. For a new Social Security card, complete Form SS-5 and present the corrected birth certificate along with proof of identity to the Social Security Administration. If you cannot apply online, take your original documents to a local SSA office.⁸

With the corrected birth certificate and an updated Social Security card, you can then request changes to your driver’s license, passport, and other government-issued identification. Updating Social Security first usually smooths the rest, since other agencies check that their records match SSA’s before making changes.

Using the Corrected Certificate Overseas

If you plan to use the corrected certificate in a country that belongs to the Hague Apostille Convention, request an apostille from the Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth. The fee is $15 per document, and you must submit an original certified copy; photocopies are not accepted. Requests can be filed in person or by mail through the Bureau of Notaries, Commissions and Legislation in Harrisburg. Some countries want both the original and amended certificates apostilled, or a translated copy, so confirm what the destination country requires before you send anything.⁹

1
Pennsylvania Department of Health. Processing Times – Vital Records
2
Pennsylvania Department of Health. Amending Birth Record
3
Cornell Law Institute. Pennsylvania Code 28 Pa. Code 1.34 – Correction of Spelling of Names
4
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Where to Write for Vital Records – Pennsylvania
5
Pennsylvania Department of Health. More Veterans Now Eligible for Free Birth and Death Certificates
6
Pennsylvania Department of Health. Birth Certificates
7
Pennsylvania Department of Health. Request to Modify Parentage on a Birth Record
8
Social Security Administration. How Do I Change or Correct My Name on My Social Security Number Card?
9
Pennsylvania Department of State. Get Document Certifications and Apostilles