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HomeHealth and Safety CodeDiv. 102Pt. 1Ch. 11Art. 6§ 103400 Birth Certificate Name Change

§ 103400 Birth Certificate Name Change

Health and Safety Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 103400 Birth Certificate Name Change

This law lets anyone whose birth certificate was issued by the state and who has legally changed their name file a request to update that birth certificate with the State Registrar.

Key Takeaways

  • •You must have a court order that changes your name.
  • •File an application and an affidavit with the State Registrar using the provided form.
  • •If the court order isn’t in English, you must include a certified English translation.
  • •The rule started working on January 1, 2023.

Example

Maria was born in the state and later got a court order to change her last name after getting married. She wants her birth certificate to show her new name.

Maria can fill out the special form, attach the court order (and an English translation if the order is in another language), and send it to the State Registrar to get a new birth certificate with her married name.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 103400 Birth Certificate Name Change

(a) If a person who has a birth certificate issued by this state has their name changed by order of a court of this state, another state, the District of Columbia, any territory of the United States, or any foreign court, an application, including an affidavit of this fact, may be filed with the office of the State Registrar upon a form provided for that purpose. A court order filed with the office of the State Registrar that is not written in English shall include a certified English translation of the court order. (b) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2023. (Repealed (in Sec. 5) and added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 577, Sec. 6. (AB 218) Effective January 1, 2022. Operative January 1, 2023, by its own provisions.)

Last verified: January 11, 2026

Key Terms

birth certificatename changedcourt orderState Registrarcertified English translation

Related Statutes

  • § 103370 Birth Certificate Issuance
  • § 103405 Birth Certificate Amendments
  • § 103410 Birth Record Amendment Copy
  • § 103443 Free Birth Marriage Certificates
  • § 103448.5 Birth Certificate Copy Issuance

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Health and Safety Code. Section 103400.
View Official Source