Recognition of Parentage

Parentage of a child born in Minnesota to parents who are not married to each other can be established by filing a Recognition of Parentage form with the Minnesota Department of Health, Office of the State Registrar. The establishment of paternity is not effective until the Recognition of Parentage form is filed by the Minnesota Department of Health.   

The form must be signed by both the mother and biological father and notarized. It can be signed at the hospital at the time of the child’s birth or after the mother and child leave the hospital.  If the mother is married and the husband is not the biological father of the child, the husband must also sign a form called the Husband’s Non-Paternity Statement within one year after the child is born. The Husband’s Non-Paternity Statement must also be filed with the Minnesota Department of Health. 

There is no cost to file a Recognition of Parentage form.  The Department of Human Services Paternity Video should be watched prior to signing.     

Get a Recognition of Parentage form 

If you would like to obtain a Recognition of Parentage form from our office, please contact your Child Support Officer or call/email the child support office if you do not have a case. We will schedule an appointment for the parents to meet with a County staff person. At the appointment, parents receive information and the form. The county staff person will notarize the parents’ signatures and submit the signed form to the Minnesota Department of Health for filing.  

You can also receive a Recognition of Parentage form by: 

It does not grant custody or parenting time to the father

Signing a Recognition of Parentage form does not give the father parenting time (visitation) or custody rights. It gives the father the right to go to the court and ask for custody or parenting time. The mother has sole custody until a court order is issued granting custody or parenting time to another person. 

It does not establish child support payments

A Recognition of Parentage does not require the father to make child support payments. It gives the mother or the Child Support Agency the right to go to the court and ask for support from the father.