When the parents of a child are not married, the determination of paternity is not automatic.  There are two ways to establish paternity in Utah, through completion of a Voluntary Declaration of Paternity or through entry of an order by a court or administrative agency. Utah will accept paternity determinations that were entered in another state if their laws are followed.

Contested Determinations of Paternity

When the person who is named as the father does not agree that he is the father, a court or administrative agency will have to decide whether he is the father.  Sometimes the determination of paternity is based upon the legal status of the parties. For example, if a child is adopted, that child is considered to be the child of the person who adopted the child.  If the mother was married at the time of the birth of the child, that child is considered to be the child of her husband unless a court determines he is not. For more information on contested paternity, click here.

Voluntary Declaration

In Utah, a birth certificate is not a determination of paternity.  There is a simple form that can be completed by the parents which does serve as a determination of paternity.  Click here for more information on Voluntary Declarations.

Genetic Testing

The advances of medical science have provided an excellent way to determine whether a person is the father of a child. For more information and a listing of certified laboratories that do the testing, click here.

Frequently Asked Questions About Paternity- Click here