{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/63.2-1913.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/63.2-1913.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/63.2-1913.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/63.2-1913.html"}],"law_id":59354,"edition_id":1,"section_id":59354,"structure_id":15559,"section_number":"63.2-1913","catch_line":"Administrative establishment of paternity","history":"1997, cc. 792, 896, \u00a7 63.1-250.1:2; 2002, c. 747; 2023, cc. 570, 571.","full_text":"The Department may establish the parent and child relationship between a child and a man upon request, verified by oath or affirmation, filed by a child, a parent, a person claiming parentage, a person standing in loco parentis to the child or having legal custody of the child, or a representative of the Department or the Department of Juvenile Justice. The request may be filed at any time before the child attains the age of eighteen years.\n\t\tPursuant to subsection F of \u00a7 63.2-1903, the Department may summons a parent or putative parent to appear in the office of the Division of Child Support Enforcement to provide such information as may be necessary to the proceeding.\n\t\tPaternity may be established by a written statement of the father and mother made under oath acknowledging paternity or scientifically reliable genetic tests, including blood tests, which affirm at least a ninety-eight percent probability of paternity. The Department may order genetic testing and shall pay the costs of such tests, subject to recoupment from the father, if paternity is established. Where an original test is contested and additional testing is requested, the Department may require advance payment by the contestant.\n\t\tBefore a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity is accepted by the Department as the basis for establishing paternity, the Department shall provide to both the mother and the putative father a written and oral description of the rights and responsibilities of acknowledging paternity and the consequences that arise from a signed acknowledgment, including the right to rescind the acknowledgment within the earlier of (i) sixty days from the date of signing or (ii) the date of entry of an order in an administrative or judicial proceeding relating to the child in which the signatory is a party.\n\t\tA genetic test result affirming at least a ninety-eight percent probability of paternity shall have the same legal effect as a judgment entered pursuant to \u00a7 20-49.8. When sixty days have elapsed from its signing, a voluntary statement acknowledging paternity shall have the same legal effect as a judgment entered pursuant to \u00a7 20-49.8 and shall be binding and conclusive unless, in a subsequent judicial proceeding, the person challenging the statement establishes that the statement resulted from fraud, duress or a material mistake of fact. In any subsequent proceeding in which a statement acknowledging paternity is subject to challenge, the legal responsibilities of any person signing it shall not be suspended during the pendency of the proceeding, except for good cause shown.\n\t\tThe order of the Department in proceedings pursuant to this section shall be served upon the putative father in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 8 (\u00a7 8.01-285 et seq.) or Chapter 9 (\u00a7 8.01-328 et seq.) of Title 8.01. The Department shall file a copy of its order determining paternity, including the information required by subsection D of \u00a7 20-49.8, with the State Registrar of Vital Records within thirty days after the acknowledgment becomes binding and conclusive or the order otherwise becomes final. No judicial or administrative proceeding shall be required to ratify an unchallenged acknowledgment of paternity nor shall the Department or the courts have any jurisdiction over proceedings to ratify an unchallenged acknowledgment.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":217538,"text":"The Department may establish the parent and child relationship between a child and a man upon request, verified by oath or affirmation, filed by a child, a parent, a person claiming parentage, a person standing in loco parentis to the child or having legal custody of the child, or a representative of the Department or the Department of Juvenile Justice. The request may be filed at any time before the child attains the age of eighteen years.\n\t\tPursuant to subsection F of \u00a7 63.2-1903, the Department may summons a parent or putative parent to appear in the office of the Division of Child Support Enforcement to provide such information as may be necessary to the proceeding.\n\t\tPaternity may be established by a written statement of the father and mother made under oath acknowledging paternity or scientifically reliable genetic tests, including blood tests, which affirm at least a ninety-eight percent probability of paternity. The Department may order genetic testing and shall pay the costs of such tests, subject to recoupment from the father, if paternity is established. Where an original test is contested and additional testing is requested, the Department may require advance payment by the contestant.\n\t\tBefore a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity is accepted by the Department as the basis for establishing paternity, the Department shall provide to both the mother and the putative father a written and oral description of the rights and responsibilities of acknowledging paternity and the consequences that arise from a signed acknowledgment, including the right to rescind the acknowledgment within the earlier of (i) sixty days from the date of signing or (ii) the date of entry of an order in an administrative or judicial proceeding relating to the child in which the signatory is a party.\n\t\tA genetic test result affirming at least a ninety-eight percent probability of paternity shall have the same legal effect as a judgment entered pursuant to \u00a7 20-49.8. When sixty days have elapsed from its signing, a voluntary statement acknowledging paternity shall have the same legal effect as a judgment entered pursuant to \u00a7 20-49.8 and shall be binding and conclusive unless, in a subsequent judicial proceeding, the person challenging the statement establishes that the statement resulted from fraud, duress or a material mistake of fact. In any subsequent proceeding in which a statement acknowledging paternity is subject to challenge, the legal responsibilities of any person signing it shall not be suspended during the pendency of the proceeding, except for good cause shown.\n\t\tThe order of the Department in proceedings pursuant to this section shall be served upon the putative father in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 8 (\u00a7 8.01-285 et seq.) or Chapter 9 (\u00a7 8.01-328 et seq.) of Title 8.01. The Department shall file a copy of its order determining paternity, including the information required by subsection D of \u00a7 20-49.8, with the State Registrar of Vital Records within thirty days after the acknowledgment becomes binding and conclusive or the order otherwise becomes final. No judicial or administrative proceeding shall be required to ratify an unchallenged acknowledgment of paternity nor shall the Department or the courts have any jurisdiction over proceedings to ratify an unchallenged acknowledgment.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":15559,"edition_id":1,"name":"Paternity","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12835,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:56:20","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:56:20","permalink":{"id":272541,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15559,"identifier":"3","token":"63.2\/V\/19\/3","url":"\/63.2\/V\/19\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12835,"edition_id":1,"name":"Child Support Enforcement","identifier":"19","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12834,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","permalink":{"id":272433,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12835,"identifier":"19","token":"63.2\/V\/19","url":"\/63.2\/V\/19\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12834,"edition_id":1,"name":"Administrative Child Support","identifier":"V","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12789,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","permalink":{"id":272431,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12834,"identifier":"V","token":"63.2\/V","url":"\/63.2\/V\/","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":59354,"structure_id":15559,"section_number":"63.2-1913","catch_line":"Administrative establishment of paternity","url":"\/63.2-1913\/","token":"63.2\/V\/19\/3\/63.2-1913","metadata":false},{"id":79014,"structure_id":15559,"section_number":"63.2-1914","catch_line":"Hospital paternity establishment programs","url":"\/63.2-1914\/","token":"63.2\/V\/19\/3\/63.2-1914","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":79014,"structure_id":15559,"section_number":"63.2-1914","catch_line":"Hospital paternity establishment programs","url":"\/63.2-1914\/","token":"63.2\/V\/19\/3\/63.2-1914","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/63.2-1913\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1997. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 792<\/a> and 896<\/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 2002, chapter 747<\/a>; in 2023, chapters 570<\/a> and 571<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":75922,"section_number":"20-49.8","catch_line":"Judgment or order; costs; birth record","order_by":null,"url":"\/20-49.8\/"},{"id":59512,"section_number":"63.2-1903","catch_line":"Authority to issue certain orders; civil penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/63.2-1903\/"},{"id":65534,"section_number":"8.01-285","catch_line":"Definition of certain terms used in this chapter; process, return, statutory agent","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-285\/"},{"id":73823,"section_number":"8.01-328","catch_line":"Person defined","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-328\/"}],"permalink":{"id":272543,"object_type":"law","relational_id":59354,"identifier":"63.2-1913","token":"63.2\/V\/19\/3\/63.2-1913","url":"\/63.2-1913\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/63.2-1913\/","token":"63.2\/V\/19\/3\/63.2-1913","dublin_core":{"Title":"Administrative establishment of paternity","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 63.2-1913","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The Department<\/span> may establish the parent and child<\/span> relationship between a child<\/span> and a man upon request, verified by oath<\/span> or affirmation, filed by a child<\/span>, a parent, a person claiming parentage, a person standing in loco parentis to the child<\/span> or having legal custody<\/span> of the child<\/span>, or a representative of the Department<\/span> or the Department<\/span> of Juvenile Justice. The request may be filed at any time before the child<\/span> attains the age of eighteen years.\n\t\tPursuant to subsection F of \u00a7 63.2-1903<\/a>, the Department<\/span> may summons<\/span> a parent or putative parent to appear in the office of the Division of Child<\/span> Support Enforcement to provide such information as may be necessary to the proceeding.\n\t\tPaternity may be established by a written statement of the father and mother made under oath<\/span> acknowledging paternity or scientifically reliable genetic tests, including blood tests, which affirm<\/span> at least a ninety-eight percent probability of paternity. The Department<\/span> may order<\/span> genetic testing and shall pay the costs of such tests, subject to recoupment from the father, if paternity is established. Where an original test is contested and additional testing is requested, the Department<\/span> may require advance payment by the contestant.\n\t\tBefore a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity is accepted by the Department<\/span> as the basis for establishing paternity, the Department<\/span> shall provide to both the mother and the putative father a written and oral description of the rights and responsibilities of acknowledging paternity and the consequences that arise from a signed acknowledgment, including the right to rescind the acknowledgment within the earlier of (i) sixty days from the date of signing or (ii) the date of entry of an order<\/span> in an administrative or judicial proceeding relating to the child<\/span> in which the signatory is a party<\/span>.\n\t\tA genetic test result affirming at least a ninety-eight percent probability of paternity shall have the same legal effect as a judgment<\/span> entered pursuant to \u00a7 20-49.8<\/a>. When sixty days have elapsed from its signing, a voluntary statement acknowledging paternity shall have the same legal effect as a judgment<\/span> entered pursuant to \u00a7 20-49.8<\/a> and shall be binding and conclusive unless, in a subsequent judicial proceeding, the person challenging the statement establishes that the statement resulted from fraud<\/span>, duress or a material<\/span> mistake of fact<\/span>. In any subsequent proceeding in which a statement acknowledging paternity is subject to challenge, the legal responsibilities of any person signing it shall not be suspended during the pendency of the proceeding, except for good cause shown.\n\t\tThe order<\/span> of the Department<\/span> in proceedings pursuant to this section shall be served upon the putative father in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 8 (\u00a7 8.01-285<\/a> et seq.) or Chapter 9 (\u00a7 8.01-328<\/a> et seq.) of Title 8.01. The Department<\/span> shall file a copy of its order<\/span> determining paternity, including the information required by subsection D of \u00a7 20-49.8<\/a>, with the State Registrar of Vital Records within thirty days after the acknowledgment becomes binding and conclusive or the order<\/span> otherwise becomes final. No judicial or administrative proceeding shall be required to ratify an unchallenged acknowledgment of paternity nor shall the Department<\/span> or the courts<\/span> have any jurisdiction<\/span> over proceedings to ratify an unchallenged acknowledgment.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nADMINISTRATIVE ESTABLISHMENT OF PATERNITY (\u00a7 63.2-1913)\n\nThe Department may establish the parent and child relationship between a child\nand a man upon request, verified by oath or affirmation, filed by a child, a\nparent, a person claiming parentage, a person standing in loco parentis to the\nchild or having legal custody of the child, or a representative of the\nDepartment or the Department of Juvenile Justice. The request may be filed at\nany time before the child attains the age of eighteen years.\n\t\tPursuant to subsection F of \u00a7 63.2-1903, the Department may summons a parent\nor putative parent to appear in the office of the Division of Child Support\nEnforcement to provide such information as may be necessary to the proceeding.\n\t\tPaternity may be established by a written statement of the father and mother\nmade under oath acknowledging paternity or scientifically reliable genetic\ntests, including blood tests, which affirm at least a ninety-eight percent\nprobability of paternity. The Department may order genetic testing and shall pay\nthe costs of such tests, subject to recoupment from the father, if paternity is\nestablished. Where an original test is contested and additional testing is\nrequested, the Department may require advance payment by the contestant.\n\t\tBefore a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity is accepted by the Department\nas the basis for establishing paternity, the Department shall provide to both\nthe mother and the putative father a written and oral description of the rights\nand responsibilities of acknowledging paternity and the consequences that arise\nfrom a signed acknowledgment, including the right to rescind the acknowledgment\nwithin the earlier of (i) sixty days from the date of signing or (ii) the date\nof entry of an order in an administrative or judicial proceeding relating to the\nchild in which the signatory is a party.\n\t\tA genetic test result affirming at least a ninety-eight percent probability of\npaternity shall have the same legal effect as a judgment entered pursuant to \u00a7\n20-49.8. When sixty days have elapsed from its signing, a voluntary statement\nacknowledging paternity shall have the same legal effect as a judgment entered\npursuant to \u00a7 20-49.8 and shall be binding and conclusive unless, in a\nsubsequent judicial proceeding, the person challenging the statement establishes\nthat the statement resulted from fraud, duress or a material mistake of fact. In\nany subsequent proceeding in which a statement acknowledging paternity is\nsubject to challenge, the legal responsibilities of any person signing it shall\nnot be suspended during the pendency of the proceeding, except for good cause\nshown.\n\t\tThe order of the Department in proceedings pursuant to this section shall be\nserved upon the putative father in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 8\n(\u00a7 8.01-285 et seq.) or Chapter 9 (\u00a7 8.01-328 et seq.) of Title 8.01. The\nDepartment shall file a copy of its order determining paternity, including the\ninformation required by subsection D of \u00a7 20-49.8, with the State Registrar of\nVital Records within thirty days after the acknowledgment becomes binding and\nconclusive or the order otherwise becomes final. No judicial or administrative\nproceeding shall be required to ratify an unchallenged acknowledgment of\npaternity nor shall the Department or the courts have any jurisdiction over\nproceedings to ratify an unchallenged acknowledgment.\n\nHISTORY: 1997, cc. 792, 896, \u00a7 63.1-250.1:2; 2002, c. 747; 2023, cc. 570, 571.","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}}