{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/32.1-257.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/32.1-257.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/32.1-257.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/32.1-257.html"}],"law_id":82311,"edition_id":1,"section_id":82311,"structure_id":14406,"section_number":"32.1-257","catch_line":"Filing birth certificates; from whom required; signatures of parents","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 32-353.15; 1960, c. 451; 1979, c. 711; 1983, c. 240; 1984, c. 189; 1991, c. 611; 1994, cc. 796, 919; 2020, c. 900.","full_text":"A\n\nA certificate of birth for each live birth that occurs in the Commonwealth shall be filed with the State Registrar within seven days after such birth. The certificate of birth shall be registered by the State Registrar if it has been completed and filed in accordance with this section.B\n\nWhen a birth occurs in an institution or en route thereto, the person in charge of such institution or an authorized designee shall obtain the personal data, and prepare the certificate either on forms furnished by the State Registrar or by an electronic process as approved by the Board. Such person or designee shall, if submitting a form, secure the signatures required by the certificate. The physician or other person in attendance shall provide the medical information required by the certificate within five days after the birth. The person in charge of the institution or an authorized designee shall certify to the authenticity of the birth registration either by affixing his signature to the certificate or by an electronic process approved by the Board, and shall file the certificate of birth with the State Registrar within seven days after such birth.C\n\nWhen a birth occurs outside an institution, the certificate shall be prepared on forms furnished by the State Registrar and filed by one of the following in the indicated order of priority, in accordance with the regulations of the Board:1\n\nThe physician in attendance at or immediately after the birth, or in the absence of such physician,2\n\nAny other person in attendance at or immediately after the birth, or in the absence of such a person,3\n\nThe mother, the other parent, or, in the absence of the other parent and the inability of the mother, the person in charge of the premises where the birth occurred.C1\n\nWhen a birth occurs on a moving conveyance within the United States of America and the child is first removed from the conveyance in this Commonwealth, the birth shall be registered in this Commonwealth and the place where the child is first removed from the conveyance shall be considered the place of birth. When a birth occurs on a moving conveyance while in international waters or air space or in a foreign country or its air space and the child is first removed from the conveyance in this Commonwealth, the birth shall be registered in this Commonwealth although the certificate shall indicate the actual place of birth insofar as can be determined.D\n\nIf the mother of a child is not married to the natural father of the child at the time of birth or was not married to the natural father at any time during the 10 months next preceding such birth, the name of the father shall not be entered on the certificate of birth without a sworn acknowledgment of paternity, executed subsequent to the birth of the child, of both the mother and of the person to be named as the father. In any case in which a final determination of the paternity of a child has been made by a court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to § 20-49.8, from which no appeal has been taken and for which the time allowed to perfect an appeal has expired, the name of the father and the surname of the child shall be entered on the certificate of birth in accordance with the finding and order of the court.\n\t\t\tChildren born of marriages prohibited by law, deemed null or void, or dissolved by a court shall nevertheless be legitimate and the birth certificate for such children shall contain full information concerning the other parent.\n\t\t\tFor the purpose of birth registration in the case of a child resulting from assisted conception, pursuant to Chapter 9 (§ 20-156 et seq.) of Title 20, the birth certificate of such child shall contain full information concerning the mother’s spouse as the other parent of the child and the gestational mother as the mother of the child. Donors of sperm or ova shall not have any parental rights or duties for any such child.\n\t\t\tIn the event that any person desires to have the name of the father entered on the certificate of birth based upon the judgment of paternity of a court of another state, such person shall apply to an appropriate court of the Commonwealth for an order reflecting that such court has reviewed such judgment of paternity and has determined that such judgment of paternity was amply supported in evidence and legitimate for the purposes of Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution of the United States.\n\t\t\tIf the order of paternity should be appealed, the registrar shall not enter the name of the alleged father on the certificate of birth during the pendency of such appeal. If the father is not named on the certificate of birth, no other information concerning the father shall be entered on the certificate.E\n\nEither of the parents of the child shall verify the accuracy of the personal data to be entered on the certificate of birth in time to permit the filing within the seven days prescribed above.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":294971,"text":"A certificate of birth for each live birth that occurs in the Commonwealth shall be filed with the State Registrar within seven days after such birth. The certificate of birth shall be registered by the State Registrar if it has been completed and filed in accordance with this section.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":294972,"text":"When a birth occurs in an institution or en route thereto, the person in charge of such institution or an authorized designee shall obtain the personal data, and prepare the certificate either on forms furnished by the State Registrar or by an electronic process as approved by the Board. Such person or designee shall, if submitting a form, secure the signatures required by the certificate. The physician or other person in attendance shall provide the medical information required by the certificate within five days after the birth. The person in charge of the institution or an authorized designee shall certify to the authenticity of the birth registration either by affixing his signature to the certificate or by an electronic process approved by the Board, and shall file the certificate of birth with the State Registrar within seven days after such birth.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":294973,"text":"When a birth occurs outside an institution, the certificate shall be prepared on forms furnished by the State Registrar and filed by one of the following in the indicated order of priority, in accordance with the regulations of the Board:","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"C1"},"3":{"id":294974,"text":"The physician in attendance at or immediately after the birth, or in the absence of such physician,","type":"section","prefixes":["C","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"C1","prefix_anchor":"C1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"C2"},"4":{"id":294975,"text":"Any other person in attendance at or immediately after the birth, or in the absence of such a person,","type":"section","prefixes":["C","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"C2","prefix_anchor":"C2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"C1","next_prefix":"C3"},"5":{"id":294976,"text":"The mother, the other parent, or, in the absence of the other parent and the inability of the mother, the person in charge of the premises where the birth occurred.","type":"section","prefixes":["C","3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"C3","prefix_anchor":"C3","level":2,"prior_prefix":"C2","next_prefix":"C1"},"6":{"id":294977,"text":"When a birth occurs on a moving conveyance within the United States of America and the child is first removed from the conveyance in this Commonwealth, the birth shall be registered in this Commonwealth and the place where the child is first removed from the conveyance shall be considered the place of birth. When a birth occurs on a moving conveyance while in international waters or air space or in a foreign country or its air space and the child is first removed from the conveyance in this Commonwealth, the birth shall be registered in this Commonwealth although the certificate shall indicate the actual place of birth insofar as can be determined.","type":"section","prefixes":["C1"],"prefix":"C1","entire_prefix":"C1","prefix_anchor":"C1","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C3","next_prefix":"D"},"7":{"id":294978,"text":"If the mother of a child is not married to the natural father of the child at the time of birth or was not married to the natural father at any time during the 10 months next preceding such birth, the name of the father shall not be entered on the certificate of birth without a sworn acknowledgment of paternity, executed subsequent to the birth of the child, of both the mother and of the person to be named as the father. In any case in which a final determination of the paternity of a child has been made by a court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to § 20-49.8, from which no appeal has been taken and for which the time allowed to perfect an appeal has expired, the name of the father and the surname of the child shall be entered on the certificate of birth in accordance with the finding and order of the court.\n\t\t\tChildren born of marriages prohibited by law, deemed null or void, or dissolved by a court shall nevertheless be legitimate and the birth certificate for such children shall contain full information concerning the other parent.\n\t\t\tFor the purpose of birth registration in the case of a child resulting from assisted conception, pursuant to Chapter 9 (§ 20-156 et seq.) of Title 20, the birth certificate of such child shall contain full information concerning the mother’s spouse as the other parent of the child and the gestational mother as the mother of the child. Donors of sperm or ova shall not have any parental rights or duties for any such child.\n\t\t\tIn the event that any person desires to have the name of the father entered on the certificate of birth based upon the judgment of paternity of a court of another state, such person shall apply to an appropriate court of the Commonwealth for an order reflecting that such court has reviewed such judgment of paternity and has determined that such judgment of paternity was amply supported in evidence and legitimate for the purposes of Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution of the United States.\n\t\t\tIf the order of paternity should be appealed, the registrar shall not enter the name of the alleged father on the certificate of birth during the pendency of such appeal. If the father is not named on the certificate of birth, no other information concerning the father shall be entered on the certificate.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C1","next_prefix":"E"},"8":{"id":294979,"text":"Either of the parents of the child shall verify the accuracy of the personal data to be entered on the certificate of birth in time to permit the filing within the seven days prescribed above.","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14406,"edition_id":1,"name":"Birth Certificates","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14405,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:48:01","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:48:01","permalink":{"id":204199,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14406,"identifier":"2","token":"32.1\/7\/2","url":"\/32.1\/7\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14405,"edition_id":1,"name":"Vital Records","identifier":"7","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12727,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:48:01","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:48:01","permalink":{"id":204163,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14405,"identifier":"7","token":"32.1\/7","url":"\/32.1\/7\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12727,"edition_id":1,"name":"Health","identifier":"32.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","permalink":{"id":201099,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12727,"identifier":"32.1","token":"32.1","url":"\/32.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":82311,"structure_id":14406,"section_number":"32.1-257","catch_line":"Filing birth certificates; from whom required; signatures of parents","url":"\/32.1-257\/","token":"32.1\/7\/2\/32.1-257","metadata":false},{"id":82744,"structure_id":14406,"section_number":"32.1-257.1","catch_line":"Parents to report social security account number at time of child's birth","url":"\/32.1-257.1\/","token":"32.1\/7\/2\/32.1-257.1","metadata":false},{"id":68341,"structure_id":14406,"section_number":"32.1-258","catch_line":"Report of foundling; constitutes birth certificate","url":"\/32.1-258\/","token":"32.1\/7\/2\/32.1-258","metadata":false},{"id":68527,"structure_id":14406,"section_number":"32.1-258.1","catch_line":"Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth; requirements","url":"\/32.1-258.1\/","token":"32.1\/7\/2\/32.1-258.1","metadata":false},{"id":84481,"structure_id":14406,"section_number":"32.1-259","catch_line":"Filing and registration of delayed birth certificates; refusal of registration; notice of right of appeal","url":"\/32.1-259\/","token":"32.1\/7\/2\/32.1-259","metadata":false},{"id":67380,"structure_id":14406,"section_number":"32.1-260","catch_line":"Petition for court order establishing record of birth when delayed certificate rejected; hearing; notice; findings; registration of court order","url":"\/32.1-260\/","token":"32.1\/7\/2\/32.1-260","metadata":false},{"id":79948,"structure_id":14406,"section_number":"32.1-261","catch_line":"New certificate of birth established on proof of adoption, legitimation, or determination of paternity, or change of sex","url":"\/32.1-261\/","token":"32.1\/7\/2\/32.1-261","metadata":false},{"id":55749,"structure_id":14406,"section_number":"32.1-261.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/32.1-261.1\/","token":"32.1\/7\/2\/32.1-261.1","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":82744,"structure_id":14406,"section_number":"32.1-257.1","catch_line":"Parents to report social security account number at time of child's birth","url":"\/32.1-257.1\/","token":"32.1\/7\/2\/32.1-257.1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/32.1-257\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 7 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1960, chapter 451; in 1979, chapter 711; in 1983, chapter 240; in 1984, chapter 189; in 1991, chapter 611; in 1994, chapters 796<\/a> and 919<\/a>; in 2020, chapter 900<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":79014,"section_number":"63.2-1914","catch_line":"Hospital paternity establishment programs","order_by":null,"url":"\/63.2-1914\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":82276,"section_number":"20-156","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/20-156\/"},{"id":75922,"section_number":"20-49.8","catch_line":"Judgment or order; costs; birth record","order_by":null,"url":"\/20-49.8\/"}],"permalink":{"id":204201,"object_type":"law","relational_id":82311,"identifier":"32.1-257","token":"32.1\/7\/2\/32.1-257","url":"\/32.1-257\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/32.1-257\/","token":"32.1\/7\/2\/32.1-257","dublin_core":{"Title":"Filing birth certificates; from whom required; signatures of parents","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 32.1-257","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> A certificate of birth for each live birth<\/span> that occurs in the Commonwealth shall be filed with the State Registrar within seven days after such birth. The certificate of birth shall be registered by the State Registrar if it has been completed and filed in accordance with this section. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> When a birth occurs in an institution<\/span> or en route thereto, the person<\/span> in charge of such institution<\/span> or an authorized designee shall obtain the personal data, and prepare the certificate either on forms furnished by the State Registrar or by an electronic process as approved by the Board<\/span>. Such person<\/span> or designee shall, if submitting a form, secure the signatures required by the certificate. The physician<\/span> or other person<\/span> in attendance shall provide the medical information required by the certificate within five days after the birth. The person<\/span> in charge of the institution<\/span> or an authorized designee shall certify to the authenticity of the birth registration<\/span> either by affixing his signature to the certificate or by an electronic process approved by the Board<\/span>, and shall file<\/span> the certificate of birth with the State Registrar within seven days after such birth. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> When a birth occurs outside an institution<\/span>, the certificate shall be prepared on forms furnished by the State Registrar and filed by one of the following in the indicated order<\/span> of priority, in accordance with the regulations of the Board<\/span>: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> The physician<\/span> in attendance at or immediately after the birth, or in the absence of such physician<\/span>, <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> Any other person<\/span> in attendance at or immediately after the birth, or in the absence of such a person<\/span>, <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> The mother, the other parent, or, in the absence of the other parent and the inability of the mother, the person<\/span> in charge of the premises where the birth occurred. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C1.<\/span> When a birth occurs on a moving conveyance within the United States of America and the child is first removed from the conveyance in this Commonwealth, the birth shall be registered in this Commonwealth and the place where the child is first removed from the conveyance shall be considered the place of birth. When a birth occurs on a moving conveyance while in international waters or air space or in a foreign country or its air space and the child is first removed from the conveyance in this Commonwealth, the birth shall be registered in this Commonwealth although the certificate shall indicate the actual place of birth insofar as can be determined. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> If the mother of a child is not married to the natural father of the child at the time of birth or was not married to the natural father at any time during the 10 months next preceding such birth, the name of the father shall not be entered on the certificate of birth without a sworn acknowledgment of paternity, executed subsequent to the birth of the child, of both the mother and of the person<\/span> to be named as the father. In any case in which a final determination of the paternity of a child has been made by a court<\/span> of competent jurisdiction<\/span> pursuant to § 20-49.8<\/a>, from which no appeal<\/span> has been taken and for which the time allowed to perfect an appeal<\/span> has expired, the name of the father and the surname of the child shall be entered on the certificate of birth in accordance with the finding<\/span> and order<\/span> of the court<\/span>.\n\t\t\tChildren born of marriages prohibited by law<\/span>, deemed null or void, or dissolved by a court<\/span> shall nevertheless be legitimate and the birth certificate for such children shall contain full information concerning the other parent.\n\t\t\tFor the purpose of birth registration<\/span> in the case of a child resulting from assisted conception, pursuant to Chapter 9 (§ 20-156<\/a> et seq.) of Title 20, the birth certificate of such child shall contain full information concerning the mother’s spouse as the other parent of the child and the gestational mother as the mother of the child. Donors of sperm or ova shall not have any parental rights or duties for any such child.\n\t\t\tIn the event that any person<\/span> desires to have the name of the father entered on the certificate of birth based upon the judgment<\/span> of paternity of a court<\/span> of another state, such person<\/span> shall apply to an appropriate court<\/span> of the Commonwealth for an order<\/span> reflecting that such court<\/span> has reviewed such judgment<\/span> of paternity and has determined that such judgment<\/span> of paternity was amply supported in evidence<\/span> and legitimate for the purposes of Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution of the United States.\n\t\t\tIf the order<\/span> of paternity should be appealed, the registrar shall not enter the name of the alleged father on the certificate of birth during the pendency of such appeal<\/span>. If the father is not named on the certificate of birth, no other information concerning the father shall be entered on the certificate. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> Either of the parents of the child shall verify the accuracy of the personal data to be entered on the certificate of birth in time to permit the filing within the seven days prescribed above. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nFILING BIRTH CERTIFICATES; FROM WHOM REQUIRED; SIGNATURES OF PARENTS (\u00a7\n32.1-257)\n\nA. A certificate of birth for each live birth that occurs in the Commonwealth\nshall be filed with the State Registrar within seven days after such birth. The\ncertificate of birth shall be registered by the State Registrar if it has been\ncompleted and filed in accordance with this section.\n\nB. When a birth occurs in an institution or en route thereto, the person in\ncharge of such institution or an authorized designee shall obtain the personal\ndata, and prepare the certificate either on forms furnished by the State\nRegistrar or by an electronic process as approved by the Board. Such person or\ndesignee shall, if submitting a form, secure the signatures required by the\ncertificate. The physician or other person in attendance shall provide the\nmedical information required by the certificate within five days after the\nbirth. The person in charge of the institution or an authorized designee shall\ncertify to the authenticity of the birth registration either by affixing his\nsignature to the certificate or by an electronic process approved by the Board,\nand shall file the certificate of birth with the State Registrar within seven\ndays after such birth.\n\nC. When a birth occurs outside an institution, the certificate shall be prepared\non forms furnished by the State Registrar and filed by one of the following in\nthe indicated order of priority, in accordance with the regulations of the\nBoard:\n\n 1. The physician in attendance at or immediately after the birth, or in the\n absence of such physician,\n\n 2. Any other person in attendance at or immediately after the birth, or in the\n absence of such a person,\n\n 3. The mother, the other parent, or, in the absence of the other parent and\n the inability of the mother, the person in charge of the premises where the\n birth occurred.\n\nC1. When a birth occurs on a moving conveyance within the United States of\nAmerica and the child is first removed from the conveyance in this Commonwealth,\nthe birth shall be registered in this Commonwealth and the place where the child\nis first removed from the conveyance shall be considered the place of birth.\nWhen a birth occurs on a moving conveyance while in international waters or air\nspace or in a foreign country or its air space and the child is first removed\nfrom the conveyance in this Commonwealth, the birth shall be registered in this\nCommonwealth although the certificate shall indicate the actual place of birth\ninsofar as can be determined.\n\nD. If the mother of a child is not married to the natural father of the child at\nthe time of birth or was not married to the natural father at any time during\nthe 10 months next preceding such birth, the name of the father shall not be\nentered on the certificate of birth without a sworn acknowledgment of paternity,\nexecuted subsequent to the birth of the child, of both the mother and of the\nperson to be named as the father. In any case in which a final determination of\nthe paternity of a child has been made by a court of competent jurisdiction\npursuant to § 20-49.8, from which no appeal has been taken and for which\nthe time allowed to perfect an appeal has expired, the name of the father and\nthe surname of the child shall be entered on the certificate of birth in\naccordance with the finding and order of the court.\n\t\t\tChildren born of marriages prohibited by law, deemed null or void, or\ndissolved by a court shall nevertheless be legitimate and the birth certificate\nfor such children shall contain full information concerning the other parent.\n\t\t\tFor the purpose of birth registration in the case of a child resulting from\nassisted conception, pursuant to Chapter 9 (§ 20-156 et seq.) of Title 20,\nthe birth certificate of such child shall contain full information concerning\nthe mother’s spouse as the other parent of the child and the gestational\nmother as the mother of the child. Donors of sperm or ova shall not have any\nparental rights or duties for any such child.\n\t\t\tIn the event that any person desires to have the name of the father entered\non the certificate of birth based upon the judgment of paternity of a court of\nanother state, such person shall apply to an appropriate court of the\nCommonwealth for an order reflecting that such court has reviewed such judgment\nof paternity and has determined that such judgment of paternity was amply\nsupported in evidence and legitimate for the purposes of Article IV, Section 1\nof the Constitution of the United States.\n\t\t\tIf the order of paternity should be appealed, the registrar shall not enter\nthe name of the alleged father on the certificate of birth during the pendency\nof such appeal. If the father is not named on the certificate of birth, no other\ninformation concerning the father shall be entered on the certificate.\n\nE. Either of the parents of the child shall verify the accuracy of the personal\ndata to be entered on the certificate of birth in time to permit the filing\nwithin the seven days prescribed above.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 32-353.15; 1960, c. 451; 1979, c. 711; 1983, c. 240;\n1984, c. 189; 1991, c. 611; 1994, cc. 796, 919; 2020, c. 900.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}