Birth and Death Certificate Amendments

An Oklahoma birth (or death) certificate may require an amendment if the initial information was:

• recorded in error by the health provider (or funeral director)
• provided in error by the parent (or informant)
• was missing because it was not provided at the time of registration or
• has since legally changed, e.g. name

In accordance with state law, amended records are marked “amended”. The date of the amendment, as well as a summary description of the evidence, is also indicated on the record.

All requests for amendment are subject to review of the applicant’s legal eligibility to make the request, any previous amendments to the record, any previous court or administrative action, and verification of acceptable supporting documentation. Specific instructions will be issued on a case-by-case basis.

At the time of birth, as well as upon receipt of the first issuance of your child’s birth certificate, it is important to perform a careful review of all the birth facts to ensure that the information recorded on the record is accurate. It is crucial that any spellings of names be verified and consistent with the names indicated on their government issued identification documents. 

Effective July 1, 2025, a new state law (HB 1688) amends how minor recording errors on birth and death records are corrected. In July of 2025 vital records is sending instructional letters to clients who had previously applied for an amendment and were waiting for the new law to take effect.

Birth Certificates: Minor corrections to birth certificates, such as misspellings, omissions or clerical errors, will be processed by OSDH pursuant to an administrative order or court order. An Administrative Order can be obtained by using OSDH’s internal Administrative Law Court. You may choose to retain the services of an attorney, but you are not required to do so. Alternatively, you may obtain a traditional court order from a District Court. Please be aware that OSDH processes can evolve over time and additional updates may be provided.

• Why must I obtain a court or administrative order? New state law (HB 1688) requires clear and convincing evidence for minor corrections, which can only be determined by a judge.
• What must I submit to apply for an amendment? Parents, the subject of the birth record, or legal guardians must submit an application, $15 and identification documents to Vital Records (VR) along with a brief statement identifying the error.
• How do I obtain an Administrative Order? Once VR has received a complete application, ID, and $15 fee, VR will provide the applicant with information on how to request an Administrative Hearing along with a petition template and instructions.
• What happens after I get the order? Once VR has received the order for amendment, a $25 amendment fee will be due. This fee must be paid before the amended record can be issued. VR will contact you and provide instructions to submit the outstanding balance.
• What if I need to legally change my name or complete an adoption/paternity? These actions are not minor corrections and will require district court orders. Please check with your local court clerk or an attorney for assistance.

If you have any questions, please reach out to AskVR@health.ok.gov or (405) 426-8880 for more information.

Effective July 1, 2025 HB 1688 extends the time frame Funeral Directors have available to request corrections to death records from 60 days to one year. Within one year of first issuance: The Funeral Home or Funeral Director of record (or those serving as one) can submit written or electronic affidavits for corrections. If you have any questions, please reach out to AskVR@health.ok.gov or (405) 426-8880 for more information.

The only time an Oklahoma birth record will be sealed and replaced without being marked as “amended” is when the legal parents are changed, e.g. adoption or paternity. By law, changes to parentage are confidential; the original record is sealed and the final record is not marked as amended.

Mailing Address:
Oklahoma State Department of Health
Office of Vital Records
P.O. Box 248964
Oklahoma City, OK 73124-8964

Phone: (405) 426-8880
Email: AskVR@health.ok.gov