Medical Records

Preparing Your Newborn’s Birth Certificate

In order to prepare your new baby’s birth certificate, a few forms need to be completed, depending on your marital status. Please fill out the forms completely, and notify your nurse when you are finished.

Please be aware that in most cases the birth certificate will usually be typed and ready to sign while you are still in the hospital–unless your baby is born around the weekend or a holiday. In that instance, you will be notified at home when the birth certificate is ready to be signed. It is very important that you come back to the hospital to sign the birth certificate within five days of the birth.

If you have any questions about the birth certificate during your hospital stay, you can call Bonnie at extension 3674 from the phone in your room (760) 499-3674) and she or another Medical Records staff member can assist you.

Married Parents

Birth Certificate Worksheet (please fill out all spaces, including the bottom half of the sheet)

2 Social Security Forms (one is a half sheet that is yours to keep, and the other is the form which allows a Social Security Number to be issued to the baby)

Race Identification Worksheet (this allows you to state up to three races on the birth certificate)

Unmarried Parents

Birth Certificate Worksheet (please fill out all spaces, including the bottom half of the sheet)

2 Social Security Forms (one is a half sheet that is yours to keep, and the other is the form which allows a Social Security Number to be issued to the baby)

Race Identification Worksheet (this allows you to state up to three races on the birth certificate)

Paternity Papers (POP) (These will come in a separate packet and are required by the state in order for the father’s name to appear on the Birth Certificate. If you did not receive the Paternity Papers with the other paperwork, ask your nurse for them.

VERY IMPORTANT: A nurse or Medical Records staff member must witness The Paternity Papers. The papers require signatures of both the mother and father. Please fill out all of the required information, but DO NOT SIGN until a nurse or medical records staff member is present to witness the signatures.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I order the baby’s birth certificate?

Download a form here to send to the Kern County Department of Public Health along with the Hospital Birth Certificate (para esta forma en español, haga clic aquí). Remember, the Hospital Birth Certificate is a Complimentary Copy, not a legal document. It is not accepted in place of the Certified Copy from Bakersfield. There are directions on the order form and the price to pay for your copy.

When will the baby’s Social Security Card arrive?

The baby’s Social Security Card should arrive at your home address within 8 to 12 weeks.

Who can sign POP papers?

Only an unmarried mother and the real father can sign POP papers. A mother who is still married to someone else cannot sign POP papers, and the baby’s father is not allowed to sign either. California law assumes that the mother’s husband is the baby’s father. For more information on POP, click on this link.

What last name can the baby have on the Birth Certificate?

The baby can have any last name the mother wishes. She cannot add the father’s name unless he signs POP papers claiming that he is the father and that he will support the baby.

How can I add the father’s name to the birth certificate?

Contact the Family Support Division Kern County to add the father’s name at (800) 980-2021 or (661) 868-2827.