The Affidavit of Parentage (Form DCH-0682) is the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) form that a child's parents use to voluntarily establish parentage after the child is born. The Macomb County Clerk/Register of Deeds lists it on its birth records page, alongside Macomb County birth certificate information, because a filed affidavit can add the parent's information to the child's birth record. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the form is then filed with the State Division of Vital Records as described below.
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What is DCH-0682?
Affidavit of Parentage (Form DCH-0682) is the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) form that two people sign to voluntarily establish a child's parentage after the child's birth. It is filed with the State Division of Vital Records.
According to the form's instructions, citing MCL 722.1004, the rights and duties of the acknowledging parent are fully established when the form is filed. Once filed, it is the same as a court order of parentage and may be the basis for child support, custody or parenting time. The form states that it becomes fully effective upon filing. It is issued by the MDHHS Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics under Act 305 of 1996 as amended; the edition printed is Rev. 03/2025, and the previous edition is obsolete.
The form has two affirmations, and you check only one:
- the man will be considered the natural father of the child, for a child not born under a surrogacy agreement or by assisted reproduction; or
- the child was conceived by assisted reproduction, not involving surrogacy, and the acknowledging parent will be considered the natural parent.
By signing, both parents state that completing the form is voluntary, that either parent may ask a court for parenting time or custody, and that they waive genetic tests, any right to an attorney in a court action on biological parentage, and a trial on that question.
The form does not order a birth certificate. The Macomb County Clerk/Register of Deeds handles certified copies of Macomb County birth records through a separate Vital Records Request Form, and adding a second parent's name to an existing birth certificate takes a separate State of Michigan Add a Parent Application.
Who needs to file DCH-0682?
Two groups may use the Affidavit of Parentage, according to the form's instructions:
- A child born out of wedlock, not conceived by assisted reproduction or under a surrogacy agreement: the mother and a man.
- A child conceived by assisted reproduction not involving surrogacy: an unmarried individual who gave birth and an individual who intends to be a parent of the child, or a married individual who gave birth and that individual's spouse who intends to be a parent.
The first affirmation on the form applies when the mother was not married when the child was born or conceived, or was married but a court of law determined that the child is not an issue of the marriage.
Completing the form is voluntary. Both parents must sign it, each in front of a Notary Public or a qualified witness. The form does not describe anyone signing on a parent's behalf. It is not for a child born subject to a surrogacy agreement, and it does not by itself change a birth certificate after you leave the hospital.
When to file DCH-0682
The form may be completed at the time of the child's birth or at any other time after the birth, and no later deadline is printed on it. Its rights and duties take effect when it is filed with the State Division of Vital Records.
If you complete it at the hospital when the child is born, hospital staff prepare and file it, and the birth certificate then includes both parents' names with no separate application or fee. If you complete it after leaving the hospital, both parents must sign in the presence of a qualified witness or Notary Public, and you file it by mailing the original to the State Division of Vital Records. The parents may sign at different times and places, as long as each signature is notarized or witnessed and both are on the same form.
Documents you need
- Identification for each parent, such as a driver's license, passport or state-issued identification, shown to the Notary Public or qualified witness, who must verify both parents' identity.
- State of Michigan Add a Parent Application, only if you want to add a second parent's name to the original birth certificate; mail it with this form, a copy of your identification and the required fee to the address on that application.
How to fill out DCH-0682
Enter the child's current birth record information
Under CHILD'S NAME AND INFORMATION AS IT CURRENTLY APPEARS ON THE BIRTH RECORD, enter the first, middle and last name and suffix, the hospital name or street address, city, county and state, and the date of birth in MM/DD/YYYY format.
Enter the child's name as it should appear
Under CHILD'S NAME AS IT IS TO APPEAR ON THE BIRTH RECORD, enter the first, middle and last name and suffix.
Complete the acknowledging parent's information
In the ACKNOWLEDGING PARENT'S/FATHER'S INFORMATION column, enter the name and suffix, date of birth (MM/DD/YYYY), state of birth (country if not U.S.), Social Security Number and current address with street, apartment number, city, state and ZIP.
Complete the birth parent's information
In the BIRTH PARENT'S/MOTHER'S INFORMATION column, enter the same items: name and suffix, date of birth, state or country of birth, Social Security Number and current address.
Check one affirmation box
Check only one of the two boxes. Choose the natural father affirmation or the assisted reproduction affirmation; if you choose the second, also check married or unmarried for the time of conception or birth.
Read the acknowledgments before signing
The list headed "In signing this form, we understand that" (items a through g) covers custody, support, adoption notice, the waivers of genetic tests, attorney and trial, and how to revoke under MCL 722.1437.
Sign and date in front of a witness
Each parent signs and dates under the signature block, in the presence of a Notary Public or qualified witness who checks identification. Do not sign until you are with the notary or witness.
Have the notary or witness complete their section
Under each parent's signature, the Notary Public or qualified witness enters state, county, commission expiration, signing date, signature and printed name. A qualified witness also gives the place and address of employment.
Review, download and print the PDF
Check names, dates, the single checked box and all required information, and leave the State File Number, AOP Number and Date of Filing blank. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF, have it signed and witnessed, and file the original as described under How to submit.
How to submit DCH-0682
You file Form DCH-0682 at the hospital or by mail to the State Division of Vital Records.
- At the hospital: if you complete the form when the child is born, hospital staff prepare and file it.
- By mail: after you leave the hospital, mail the original form, not a photocopy, to MDHHS – Vital Records CPR, PO Box 30691, Lansing, MI 48909. Photocopies are not accepted for filing.
There is no fee for using this form or filing it with the State Division of Vital Records. A fee may apply if you want to change the birth certificate, and certified copies of the filed form have their own application process and fee. To add a second parent's name to the original birth certificate, complete a State of Michigan Add a Parent Application and mail it with this form, a copy of your identification and the required fee to the address on that application.
For details on certified copies, birth certificate changes and fees, visit www.michigan.gov/Vitalrecords or call Vital Records Customer Service at 517-335-8666. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Mailing a photocopy: the State Division of Vital Records accepts only the original form for filing.
- Checking both affirmation boxes; the form says to check one of the two and not more than one.
- Crossing out information, using white-out, or completing the form in ink that is not blue or black; the instructions require legible type or print in blue or black ink.
- Leaving out minimum information: full names of the child and both parents, the date and place of birth, both parents' dates of birth and each parent's address.
- Signing without a Notary Public or qualified witness; each parent's signature must be notarized or witnessed, and both signatures must be on the same form.
- Using a witness who is not on the qualified witness list, such as someone outside a hospital, health clinic, court or the other listed offices.
- Assuming the filed affidavit alone changes the birth certificate after you leave the hospital; adding a second parent's name takes an Add a Parent Application.
- Entering information you know is untrue; willfully and knowingly making a false statement on this form is a crime.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Affidavit of Parentage, Form DCH-0682?
It is the MDHHS form that two people sign to voluntarily establish a child's parentage after birth. When filed with the State Division of Vital Records, it is the same as a court order of parentage and may be the basis for child support, custody or parenting time.
Who can sign an Affidavit of Parentage in Michigan?
The mother and a man, for a child born out of wedlock and not conceived by assisted reproduction or surrogacy. For assisted reproduction without surrogacy, the individual who gave birth (married or unmarried) and the spouse or other individual who intends to be a parent may sign.
Does the Affidavit of Parentage have to be notarized?
Both signatures must be made in front of a Notary Public or a qualified witness. The parents may sign at different times and places, but each signature must be notarized or witnessed and both must be on the same form.
Who counts as a qualified witness?
An employee of a hospital, publicly funded or licensed health clinic, pediatric office, Friend of the Court office, Prosecuting Attorney office, court, MDHHS, county health agency, county records department, Head Start program, local social services provider, county jail or state prison.
Where do I mail the Affidavit of Parentage?
Mail the original, not a photocopy, to MDHHS – Vital Records CPR, PO Box 30691, Lansing, MI 48909. If you complete the form at the hospital at the child's birth, hospital staff prepare and file it for you.
Is there a fee to file the Affidavit of Parentage?
No fee applies to using the form or filing it with the State Division of Vital Records. A fee may apply to change the birth certificate, and certified copies of the filed form have an application process and a fee. Ask Vital Records at 517-335-8666 for amounts.
Will the Affidavit of Parentage add a parent to the birth certificate?
If completed at the hospital, the birth certificate includes both parents' names with no separate application or fee. After you leave the hospital, add a second parent's name by mailing a State of Michigan Add a Parent Application with this form, a copy of your ID and the required fee.
How do I cancel or revoke an Affidavit of Parentage?
For a child not conceived through assisted reproduction, an individual must file a claim under the Revocation of Parentage Act, MCL 722.1437. The form does not describe any other way to revoke it.
How do I get a Macomb County birth certificate?
This affidavit does not order one. The Macomb County Clerk's page says certified copies of Macomb County birth records can be requested in person, by mail or online with a credit card, for Macomb County births only. A fee applies; call 586-469-5205.
Can I fill out the Affidavit of Parentage online on FillingPDF?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is not affiliated with MDHHS or Macomb County and does not file the form; you still need a notary or qualified witness and must file through the channels above.
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