Birth Certificate

Updating your birth certificate through the Department of Public Health

VS-24B

The VS-24B form is used to amend your birth certificate, such as to change your name and gender.

If you only change your name, you'll receive a two-page birth certificate listing both your new and old name.

If you change both your name and gender, you'll receive a new birth certificate without any indication that it isn't the original. The original birth certificate is then sealed and can only be obtained with a court order.

Example

Here's what your form should look like once it's finished (Everything I added is in red for emphasis. Use black when you're filling your form out):

VS24B-1.webp

VS24B-2.webp

VS-20

The VS-20 form is a sworn statement that you are authorized to receive a copy of the birth certificate once it's amended. This form must be notarized before it's sent to the CDPH. You can learn more about that on the next page.

Example

Here's what your form should look like once it's finished (Everything I added is in red for emphasis. Use black when you're filling your form out):

VS20.webp

Notarizing your VS-20

After you fill out your VS-20 form as detailed on the previous page, you'll need to notarize it. Notarizing a document means visiting a Notary Public, who is a person entrusted by the state to verify your identity.

The Notary Public will look at your ID, verify that you are who you say you are, fill out the Certificate of Acknowledgement, and stamp and sign your form. Then, they'll have you fill out the portion of the VS-20 that has to be completed in their presence. Once the notarization is complete, they'll have you sign and provide your fingerprint in their record book so that they have a record of the notarization.

Where to notarize a document

Notaries can be found in many places. Most UPS stores have a notary. That's where I notarized my VS-20. If you use a UPS store's notary services, verify on their website that the location you're visiting has a notary before going. Once you arrive, tell the cashier that you need to notarize a document and they'll get the notary for you.

What to bring

A notary may refuse to accept your court order. In this case, you can have them fill out the Certificate of Acknowledgement on the VS-20 using the name on your form of ID. The CDPH will accept that.
 

When you visit a notary, you will need your partially filled out VS-20 form, a form of photo ID such as a driver's license or passport, your name change court order, and a payment method to pay for the notary's services. In California, notaries cannot charge you more than $15 for their services by law. In other states, the cost of a notary's services may vary.

Mailing the Application

Once you've filled out the VS-24B and VS-20, and had the VS-20 notarized, you'll need to mail your amendment application to the California Department of Public Health's Vital Records department (CDPH-VR).

What to include

You'll need to include the following items in your application:

Payment Methods

The CDPH only accepts payment by check or money order. They do not accept cash or card details. You can get checks from your bank or purchase a money order from the post office when you go to mail your documents. Make sure to fill out your check or money order so that it's payable to "CDPH - Vital Records". Take a look at our guide on filling out checks. If your payment method is not provided correctly, the CDPH will return your application.

How to mail

For mailing instructions, see Sending Mail in the United States. The CDPH allows you to fold your documents to fit in a standard-sized envelope.

After Mailing

If you provided an email address on the application, the CDPH will send an email notification once they start processing your application. Don't expect to receive an email notification until 4 to 6 weeks after you mailed it. They may also send a postcard by mail. Don't expect that until 6 to 8 weeks after you mailed your application.

Once the amendment request has been processed and the CDPH mails out your new birth certificate, they'll send an email notifying you of that.