The Official Website of
Florida Vital
Records
To protect, promote & improve the health of all people in Florida
through integrated state, county, & community efforts.
Florida Putative Father
Registry
How to Register With, Update or Search the Florida Putative Father Registry
All of the applications can be completed online
using your computer. After completing your application please print,
sign, and mail it to the address on the form.
Filing a Claim of Paternity
Sections
63.053 and 63.054, Florida
Statutes,
provides an "unmarried biological father" the
opportunity to assert
his claim of paternity by filing the Florida Putative Father Registry
Claim of Paternity form.
DH
1965
(English 123k pdf)
;
DH
1965S
(Spanish 123k pdf ); DH 1965H
(Creole 116kb
pdf)
A $9.00 filing and indexing fee for filing a claim of paternity
is required and must be submitted with the
Florida Putative Father Registry
- Claim of Paternity.
A Claim of Paternity may be filed at any time prior to the child's birth
BUT a claim of paternity may
not be filed after
the date a petition is filed for termination of parental rights.
The child's birth
record is not impacted by such a claim and if the father wishes to be listed on
the birth record as
father, he must have the mother's agreement or seek an order from a court of
competent jurisdiction.
Sections 382.013 and 382.016, Florida Statutes, provide for voluntary paternity acknowledgment by
both parents.
A man is presumed to be the biological father if:
-
The minor was conceived or born while the father was married to the mother;
-
The minor is his child by adoption;
-
The minor had been established by court proceeding to
be his child;
-
He has filed an affidavit of paternity by acknowledging
paternity in conjunction with the child's mother at the hospital at the time
of child's birth or by subsequently filing an acknowledgement of paternity
in conjunction with the child's mother with the State Office of Vital Statistics
both of which constitutes the establishment of paternity as provided for in
section 742.10, Florida
Statutes.
Updating Information in Registry or Filing a Revocation
A Revocation of Claim of Paternity may be made at any time prior to the birth
by filing a Florida Putative
Father Registry
- Update to Registration form .
DH 1964 (English 460kb pdf)
;
DH 1964S (Spanish 630kb pdf);
DH 1964H (Creole 450kb pdf).
This form is also used for updating
previously provided information in the claim of paternity or naming
a representative or agent. There is
no fee required for updating a previously filed claim of paternity.
Searching the Registry
1) In each termination of parental rights or each adoption proceeding filed
under Chapter 63,
Florida
Statutes,
a search of the Florida Putative Father Registry shall be requested by the
petitioner
using the Florida Putative Father Registry - Application for Search form.
DH 1963
(English 460kb pdf),
DH
1963S
(Spanish 860b pdf),
DH
1963H
(Creole 750kb pdf).
2) A petitioner eligible to request such a search is defined in s 63.541, Florida
Statutes
as:
-
An adoption entity; upon filing of a request for a diligent search
of the Florida Putative Father Registry in connection with
the planned adoption of a child.
-
The registrant unmarried
biological father, upon receipt of notarized request for a copy of his registry entry only.
-
The court, upon issuance of a
court order concerning a petitioner acting pro se in an action under this chapter.
-
A $9.00 Search fee is required for searching the registry. A certified certificate shall be
issued by this Office of Vital Statistics as to the results
of the search.
The Office of
Vital Statistics has no legislative requirement for following up with an
applicant after the initial
search and advising of any claim that has been received subsequent to the initial
search. Depending on where you are in the legal proceedings process, this
may mean that you must
again search the registry for filing with the court. Florida law requires
that the registry be
searched at the time a Petition for Termination of Parental Rights or adoption proceedings are
filed.
The following link may be used by an attorney wishing
to expedite their request with a credit card, bar number will be required.
Results of the search will be sent within 1-2 business days of the order with
shipping method selected.
Putative Father Registry Search
Putative Father Registry Informational Brochures
Putative Father Registry (English 360kb pdf)
If you have any questions regarding the registry, please
contact us at:
(904) 359-6900, ext 1086, 1068 or 1081
Contact the Office of Vital Statistics
