Paternity is the legal process of establishing the father of a child. Each state has its own legal forms and requirements for establishing paternity. A paternity suit is often filed by the mother of a child seeking child support from the father. As part of the paternity suit, the father of a child needs to be determined. For general information on paternity law, see FindLaw's Paternity section.

The resources below provide paternity information by state as well as the District of Columbia.

Alabama

• Child Support Enforcement: Establishing Paternity (Alabama Department of Human Resources)
• Child Support Forms (Alabama Administrative Office of Courts)

Alaska

• FAQs About Paternity Establishment (Alaska Child Support Services Division)
• Paternity (Alaska Court Self-Help Center)

Arizona

• Establishing Paternity (Arizona Dept. of Economic Security)

Arkansas

• Paternity (Arkansas Dept. of Finance & Admin.)

California

• Forms and Instructions for Parentage Cases (Judicial Council of California)

Colorado

• Establishing Paternity (Colorado Judicial Branch)
• Disclaiming Paternity Forms (Colorado Judicial Branch)

Connecticut

• Paternity Actions in Connecticut (Connecticut Judicial Branch)

Delaware

• Paternity / Parentage Establishment (Delaware Child Support Services)

District of Columbia

• Paternity and Child Support (District of Columbia Courts)

Florida

• Establishing Legal Paternity For Your Child (Florida Department of Revenue)

Georgia

• Paternity Establishment (Georgia DCSS)
• Legitimation Forms (Fulton County Superior Court Family Division)

Hawai’i

• Hawaii Paternity Action (Hawai’i State Judiciary)
• Petition for Paternity (Hawai'i State Judiciary)

Idaho

• Questions and Answers About Paternity (Idaho Department of Health & Welfare)

Illinois

• Paternity Information You Should Know (Illinois Child Support Enforcement)
• Paternity (Illinois Dept. of Public Health)

Indiana

• Establishing Paternity (Indiana Department of Child Services)
• Paternity (Indiana Department of Child Services)

Iowa

• Paternity FAQ (Iowa Judicial Branch)
• Custody & Placement (Iowa State Bar)

Kansas

• Establishment of Paternity (Kansas Child Support Services)
• Establishing Paternity [PDF] (Kansas Department for Children and Families)

Kentucky

• Child Support Enforcement (Kentucky Health and Family Services)
• Kentucky Paternity Statues - Chapter 406 (Kentucky Legislature)

Louisiana

• Establishing Paternity (Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services)

Maine

• Paternity: Am I the Father? (Pine Tree Legal Assistance)
• Establishing Paternity (Maine Dept. of Health and Human Services)

Maryland

• Paternity Establishment (Maryland Department of Human Resources)

Massachusetts

• Massachusetts Law About Paternity (Massachusetts Court System)
• Forms for Actions Involving Unwed Parents (Massachusetts Court System)

Michigan

• Paternity (Michigan Courts Self Help Center)
• Paternity Establishment (Michigan Department of Human Services)

Minnesota

• Basics on Paternity: Being a Legal Father [PDF] (Minnesota Judicial Branch Self Help Center)

Mississippi

• Child Support (Mississippi Department of Human Services)

Missouri

• Paternity Forms (Missouri Judicial Branch)
• Establish Paternity (Missouri Dept. of Social Services)

Montana

• Paternity Establishment Information (Montana Dept. of Health and Human Services)

Nebraska

• Paternity Establishment (Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services)

Nevada

• Establishing Paternity (Nevada Dept. of Health and Human Services)
• Paternity Issues FAQ (Clark County, Nevada)

New Hampshire

• Paternity & Support Order Establishment Process (New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services)

New Jersey

• Establishing Paternity (New Jersey Child Support Services)

New Mexico

• Family Court Forms (New Mexico Second Judicial District Court)
• Acknowledgment of Paternity (New Mexico Dept. of Health)

New York

• Paternity Establishment (New York State Division of Child Support Enforcement)
• Establishing Paternity - What Parents Need to Know [PDF] (New York State Office of Temporary & Disability Assistance)
• Family Court Forms - Paternity (New York State Unified Court System)

North Carolina

• Paternity Establishment Procedures (North Carolina Department Of Health and Human services)

North Dakota

• Paternity Establishment (North Dakota Department of Human Services)

Ohio

• Paternity Establishment Overview (Ohio Department of Job & Family Services)

Oklahoma

• Paternity FAQs (Oklahoma Department of Human Services)
• Acknowledgment of Paternity (Oklahoma Department of Human Services, PDF)
• Establishment of Paternity [PDF] (Oklahoma DHS)

Oregon

• You Owe It to Your Child - Paternity Information for Mothers and Fathers [PDF] (Oregon Department of Human Services)
• Paternity (Oregon State Bar)
• Child Support Program Forms (Oregon Department of Justice)

Pennsylvania

• Child Support Program (Pennsylvania Child Support Program)

Rhode Island

• Child Support Forms (Rhode Island Child Support Services)
• Establishment of Paternity (Rhode Island Child Support Services)
• Paternity Affidavit [PDF]

South Carolina

• Establishing Paternity (South Carolina Department of Social Services)

South Dakota

• Paternity Establishment and Application for Child Support (South Dakota Child Support Services)
• Voluntary Paternity Establishment [PDF]

Tennessee

• Tennessee Paternity Acknowledgment Program (Tennessee Department of Human Services)

Texas

• Paternity Establishment (Texas Office of the Attorney General)
• Paternity (TexasLawHelp.org)

Utah

• Paternity Establishment FAQs (Utah Department of Human Services)
• Paternity Establishment in Utah (Utah State Courts)

Vermont

• Establishing Legal Parentage in Vermont (State of Vermont)

Virginia

• Motion for Genetic Testing | Instructions[PDF] (Virginia Courts)
• Facts About Establishing Paternity (Virginia Dept. of Social Services)

Washington

• Establishing Parentage Court Forms (Washington Courts)
• Paternity Establishment (Washington State Department of Social & Health Services)

West Virginia

• Establish Paternity (West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources)

Wisconsin

• Establishing Legal Fatherhood (Paternity) (Wisconsin Department of Children & Families)
• Paternity Establishment FAQ (Wisconsin Department of Children & Families)

Wyoming

• Paternity Information (Wyoming Department of Family Services)

Need More Paternity Information for Your State? Reach out to an Attorney

Determining paternity is often as easy as getting a DNA test and comparing it to the genetics of the child in question. But the legal framework for this process, along with the rights and responsibilities associated with paternity, are determined through state law. Learn more about the paternity laws in your state by speaking with a local family law attorney.