{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/63.2-1252.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/63.2-1252.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/63.2-1252.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/63.2-1252.html"}],"law_id":74427,"edition_id":1,"section_id":74427,"structure_id":14584,"section_number":"63.2-1252","catch_line":"Search of registry","history":"2006, c. 825; 2015, c. 531; 2017, c. 200.","full_text":"A\n\nIf no father-child relationship has been established pursuant to § 20-49.1, a petitioner for adoption shall obtain from the Department a certificate that a search of the Virginia Birth Father Registry was performed. If the conception or birth of the child occurred in another state, a petitioner for adoption shall obtain a certificate from that state indicating that a search of the putative father registry was performed, if that state has a putative father registry.B\n\nThe Department shall furnish to the requester a certificate of search of the registry upon the request of an individual, court, or agency listed in § 63.2-1251. Any such certificate shall be signed on behalf of the Department and state that a search has been made of the registry and a registration containing the information required to identify the registrant has been found and is attached to the certificate of search or has not been found. Within four business days from the receipt of the request, the Department shall mail the certificate to the requestor by United States mail. Upon request of the requestor and payment of any additional costs, the Department shall have the certificate delivered to the requestor by overnight mail, in person, by messenger, by facsimile or other electronic communication. The Department’s certificate or an appropriate certificate from another state shall be sufficient proof the registry was searched.C\n\nA petitioner shall file the certificate of search with the court before a proceeding for adoption of, or termination of parental rights regarding, a child may be concluded.D\n\nA certificate of search of the Virginia Birth Father Registry is admissible in a proceeding for adoption of, or termination of parental rights regarding, a child and, if relevant, in other legal proceedings.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":267462,"text":"If no father-child relationship has been established pursuant to § 20-49.1, a petitioner for adoption shall obtain from the Department a certificate that a search of the Virginia Birth Father Registry was performed. If the conception or birth of the child occurred in another state, a petitioner for adoption shall obtain a certificate from that state indicating that a search of the putative father registry was performed, if that state has a putative father registry.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":267463,"text":"The Department shall furnish to the requester a certificate of search of the registry upon the request of an individual, court, or agency listed in § 63.2-1251. Any such certificate shall be signed on behalf of the Department and state that a search has been made of the registry and a registration containing the information required to identify the registrant has been found and is attached to the certificate of search or has not been found. Within four business days from the receipt of the request, the Department shall mail the certificate to the requestor by United States mail. Upon request of the requestor and payment of any additional costs, the Department shall have the certificate delivered to the requestor by overnight mail, in person, by messenger, by facsimile or other electronic communication. The Department’s certificate or an appropriate certificate from another state shall be sufficient proof the registry was searched.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":267464,"text":"A petitioner shall file the certificate of search with the court before a proceeding for adoption of, or termination of parental rights regarding, a child may be concluded.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":267465,"text":"A certificate of search of the Virginia Birth Father Registry is admissible in a proceeding for adoption of, or termination of parental rights regarding, a child and, if relevant, in other legal proceedings.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14584,"edition_id":1,"name":"Virginia Birth Father Registry","identifier":"7","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14096,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:48:46","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:48:46","permalink":{"id":271631,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14584,"identifier":"7","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/7","url":"\/63.2\/III\/12\/7\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14096,"edition_id":1,"name":"Adoption","identifier":"12","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13897,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:52","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:52","permalink":{"id":271365,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14096,"identifier":"12","token":"63.2\/III\/12","url":"\/63.2\/III\/12\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13897,"edition_id":1,"name":"Social Services Programs","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12789,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:14","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:14","permalink":{"id":271331,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13897,"identifier":"III","token":"63.2\/III","url":"\/63.2\/III\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12789,"edition_id":1,"name":"Welfare (Social Services)","identifier":"63.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","permalink":{"id":270661,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12789,"identifier":"63.2","token":"63.2","url":"\/63.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":72171,"structure_id":14584,"section_number":"63.2-1249","catch_line":"Establishment of Registry","url":"\/63.2-1249\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/7\/63.2-1249","metadata":false},{"id":56081,"structure_id":14584,"section_number":"63.2-1250","catch_line":"Registration; notice; form","url":"\/63.2-1250\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/7\/63.2-1250","metadata":false},{"id":80917,"structure_id":14584,"section_number":"63.2-1251","catch_line":"Furnishing information; confidentiality; penalty","url":"\/63.2-1251\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/7\/63.2-1251","metadata":false},{"id":74427,"structure_id":14584,"section_number":"63.2-1252","catch_line":"Search of registry","url":"\/63.2-1252\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/7\/63.2-1252","metadata":false},{"id":80618,"structure_id":14584,"section_number":"63.2-1253","catch_line":"Duty to publicize registry","url":"\/63.2-1253\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/7\/63.2-1253","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":80917,"structure_id":14584,"section_number":"63.2-1251","catch_line":"Furnishing information; confidentiality; penalty","url":"\/63.2-1251\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/7\/63.2-1251","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":80618,"structure_id":14584,"section_number":"63.2-1253","catch_line":"Duty to publicize registry","url":"\/63.2-1253\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/7\/63.2-1253","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/63.2-1252\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2006. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 825<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 2 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 2015, chapter 531<\/a>; in 2017, chapter 200<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":79167,"section_number":"20-49.1","catch_line":"How parent and child relationship established","order_by":null,"url":"\/20-49.1\/"},{"id":80917,"section_number":"63.2-1251","catch_line":"Furnishing information; confidentiality; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/63.2-1251\/"}],"permalink":{"id":271645,"object_type":"law","relational_id":74427,"identifier":"63.2-1252","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/7\/63.2-1252","url":"\/63.2-1252\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/63.2-1252\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/7\/63.2-1252","dublin_core":{"Title":"Search of registry","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 63.2-1252","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> If no father-child<\/span> relationship has been established pursuant to § 20-49.1<\/a>, a petitioner for adoption shall obtain from the Department<\/span> a certificate that a search of the Virginia Birth Father Registry was performed. If the conception or birth of the child<\/span> occurred in another state, a petitioner for adoption shall obtain a certificate from that state indicating that a search of the putative father registry was performed, if that state has a putative father registry. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The Department<\/span> shall furnish to the requester a certificate of search of the registry upon the request of an individual, court<\/span>, or agency listed in § 63.2-1251<\/a>. Any such certificate shall be signed on behalf of the Department<\/span> and state that a search has been made of the registry and a registration containing the information required to identify the registrant has been found and is attached to the certificate of search or has not been found. Within four business days from the receipt of the request, the Department<\/span> shall mail the certificate to the requestor by United States mail. Upon request of the requestor and payment of any additional costs, the Department<\/span> shall have the certificate delivered to the requestor by overnight mail, in person, by messenger, by facsimile or other electronic communication. The Department<\/span>’s certificate or an appropriate certificate from another state shall be sufficient proof the registry was searched. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> A petitioner shall file the certificate of search with the court<\/span> before a proceeding for adoption of, or termination of parental rights regarding, a child<\/span> may be concluded. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> A certificate of search of the Virginia Birth Father Registry is admissible<\/span> in a proceeding for adoption of, or termination of parental rights regarding, a child<\/span> and, if relevant, in other legal proceedings. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nSEARCH OF REGISTRY (\u00a7 63.2-1252)\n\nA. If no father-child relationship has been established pursuant to §\n20-49.1, a petitioner for adoption shall obtain from the Department a\ncertificate that a search of the Virginia Birth Father Registry was performed.\nIf the conception or birth of the child occurred in another state, a petitioner\nfor adoption shall obtain a certificate from that state indicating that a search\nof the putative father registry was performed, if that state has a putative\nfather registry.\n\nB. The Department shall furnish to the requester a certificate of search of the\nregistry upon the request of an individual, court, or agency listed in §\n63.2-1251. Any such certificate shall be signed on behalf of the Department and\nstate that a search has been made of the registry and a registration containing\nthe information required to identify the registrant has been found and is\nattached to the certificate of search or has not been found. Within four\nbusiness days from the receipt of the request, the Department shall mail the\ncertificate to the requestor by United States mail. Upon request of the\nrequestor and payment of any additional costs, the Department shall have the\ncertificate delivered to the requestor by overnight mail, in person, by\nmessenger, by facsimile or other electronic communication. The\nDepartment’s certificate or an appropriate certificate from another state\nshall be sufficient proof the registry was searched.\n\nC. A petitioner shall file the certificate of search with the court before a\nproceeding for adoption of, or termination of parental rights regarding, a child\nmay be concluded.\n\nD. A certificate of search of the Virginia Birth Father Registry is admissible\nin a proceeding for adoption of, or termination of parental rights regarding, a\nchild and, if relevant, in other legal proceedings.\n\nHISTORY: 2006, c. 825; 2015, c. 531; 2017, c. 200.","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}}