How to Register, 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
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.
A Claim of Paternity form may be filed at any time before 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:
Updating Information in Registry or Filing a Revocation
A Revocation of Claim of Paternity may be made at any time before the birth by filing a Florida Putative Father Registry – Update to Registration form.
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
The Office of Vital Statistics has no legislative requirement to follow up with an applicant after the initial search and advise of any claim that has been received after 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.
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