Does a birth certificate establish paternity in Louisiana?

Though a birth certificate is a legal document that serves as an identification and certification tool, it does not establish a father’s paternal status when the child’s parents are unmarried. Correspondingly, being named as a child’s father on a birth certificate does not automatically bestow rights and responsibilities upon the named father.

Instead, unwed mothers and fathers have to perform certain procedures to establish paternity in Louisiana.

By signing an Acknowledgment of Paternity Affidavit

Typically, when there is no dispute between the child’s unmarried parents, the father can simply fill out and sign an Acknowledgment of Paternity Affidavit (AOP) either at the hospital upon the child’s birth, the vital records office or at the local child support office. As long as the affidavit’s completion is voluntary, the document establishes paternity and allows the father to exercise his rights and responsibilities, including seeking child custody and visitation time.