Hospital Paternity Frequently Asked Questions

The couple may contact Healthcare and Family Services’ Division of Child Support Services website or 800-447-4278 for assistance in determining paternity of the child.

If the mother is or was married at the time of conception, upon the birth of the child or any time in between to a man other than the biological father of the child, the mother and husband must complete a Denial of Paternity and the mother and biological father must complete a Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity in order for the biological father to be placed on the child’s birth certificate. If the husband is not available to sign a Denial of Paternity, the husband is presumed to be the father of the child and his name, by law, must be placed on the birth certificate.

No, in the case where the mother was married to a man other than the biological father, the ACU will not accept and hold a Denial until the VAP is received. If the mother indicated on the VAP that she was married and there is no corresponding Denial, the VAP will be rejected.

In some cases it is possible to use a divorce decree in lieu of a Denial; however, the decree must be finalized, which means it must be signed by a judge and stamped with the circuit clerk’s seal. The decree must specifically indicate that the husband is not the father of the child. Contact the Child Support office for more information.

Either parent may withdraw consent by completing a Rescission of Paternity. The Form HFS 3416E (pdf) is on the Child Support website.

The mother or father can complete a Request for a Certified Copy of the VAP and mail it to the Administrative Coordination Unit, which will return a certified copy of the VAP to the parent. The form HFS 3416H (pdf) is on the Child Support website.

The Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity and other forms are available on the Child Support website forms page.

Yes, you can use the HFS 3416B (pdf) VAP from the Child Support website: The VAP has fillable fields and must be completed, printed, then signed and witnessed. When the VAP is finished, hospital employees need to make three (3) photocopies – one for each parent and one for the patient chart. As with the carboned form, the original is mailed to the Administrative Coordination Unit in Springfield.

No, a VAP is not completed if the couple is in a civil union. If the couple is heterosexual, the parents have the same rights as a married couple; therefore, no VAP is completed. A VAP would also not be completed for a same sex couple as only the biological parents can sign a VAP. Contact the Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records at 217-782-6554 with questions about same sex couples and the birth certificate.

Contact the Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records at 217-782-6554.

No, the child can have the mother’s last name, father’s last name or a completely different last name.

As much of the VAP should be completed as possible, but yes, parents without an SSN can sign a VAP. They can also complete a VAP if they can’t remember certain information such as their SSN, address or place of birth. In these cases, a dash ( - ) should be put in the field to indicate the item was addressed.

Yes, the minor parents can sign a VAP without their parents’ permission.

A VAP would not be completed for a stillborn because there is no birth certificate completed. If the parents are unmarried and the child is born alive then dies, a VAP would be necessary to place the father’s name on the birth certificate and subsequent death certificate.