Instructions for Voluntary Acknowledgment of Parentage (AOP)

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What is voluntary Acknowledgment of Parentage (AOP)?

Voluntary Acknowledgment of Parentage (AOP) is a simple administrative process through which unmarried couples and married couples who use assisted reproduction can establish legal parentage. Offering parents the opportunity to complete an Acknowledgment of Parentage form in a hospital or birthing center means parents can establish legal parentage even as soon as the day the child is born.

Be sure the parents are eligible for AOP

Before beginning an Acknowledgement of Parentage form, parents need to make sure they are eligible to sign the AOP. Only two people can sign the form to establish parentage. The two people may fit one of two scenarios:

Unmarried Birth parent and Alleged parent
Married or unmarried Birth parent and Intended parent (for couples who use assisted reproduction)

One of the parents MUST be the birth parent.

Unmarried parents must complete an AOP form, otherwise, parentage must be established in court.

Married couples are presumed to be the legal parents of a child conceived using assisted reproduction, however they may sign an AOP if they wish.

The Acknowledgment of Parentage form (LDSS-5171) consists of six (6) required sections. Brief instructions and illustrations for each section are listed below in addition to the information available on Pages 1 through 4 of the form.

Whether providers are assisting the parents in completing each section or simply collecting and submitting a form the parents have completed, carefully review each section of the form for completeness. Forms should be legibly written in black ink, typed, or filled electronically. All required information should be entered.

Top of the form. Providers should enter their Hospital Code and check that the correct box for "where signed" is marked.
Note: Only the Birth Registrar can enter the district and register numbers.
Child's section of the form. The child's full name, the name and address of the hospital, the child's date of birth, and the child's gender should be entered. If the child's name has been crossed out or written over, a new form must be completed.
Birth parent's section of the form. The birth parent must provide full name, address, place of birth, date of birth, Social Security number (if they have one), and marital status. The birth parent must sign the form in front of two witnesses. Witnesses cannot be related to either parent.
Other parent's section of the form. The other parent must provide full name, address, place of birth, date of birth, and Social Security number (if they have one). The other parent must sign the form in front of two witnesses. Witnesses cannot be related to either parent.
Mailing addresses on the back of the form:
1. Both parent's addresses
2. Where the child was conceived using assisted reproduction and the assistance of a gamete donor, enter the gamete donor's address—if known.
Registrar's sections of the form:
1. Recorded District and Register numbers at the top of the form.
  Note: Only the Birth Registrar can enter the district and register numbers.
2. Registrar's signature and date at the bottom of the form.
Parents should be sure to check "Other" for "where signed".
When completing outside of a hospital or birthing center, parents must not complete the Registrar's sections at the top or bottom of the form.

Parents may complete the AOP form at another place

If parents are unable to complete an AOP form in the hospital or birthing center, parents may complete the Child, Birth Parent, Other Parent and Mailing address sections and file the form themselves with the registrar of the district (city/town/village) where the birth certificate is filed.

AOP videos

Signing the AOP form

Parents must sign the form in front of two witnesses who are not related to either parent. The parents can then send or deliver the signed and witnessed form to the appropriate registrar.

For births that took place in New York City, mail or take the original Acknowledgment of Parentage to the registrar at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Office of Vital Records, Attention: Corrections Unit Room 144, 125 Worth Street CN-4, New York, NY 10013-4089.
For births that took place outside New York City, mail or take the original Acknowledgment of Parentage to the registrar of the district where the birth certificate is filed.