Rhode Island General Laws
Chapter 23-3 - Vital Records
Section 23-3-21. - Correction and amendment of vital records.

§ 23-3-21. Correction and amendment of vital records.
(a) A certificate or record registered under this chapter may be amended only in accordance with this chapter and regulations adopted under this chapter by the director of health to protect the integrity and accuracy of vital statistics records.
(b) A certificate that is amended under this section shall be marked “amended” except as provided in subsection (d) of this section. The date of amendment and a summary description of the evidence submitted in support of the amendment shall be endorsed on or made a part of the record. The director of health shall prescribe by regulation the conditions under which additions or minor corrections shall be made to birth certificates within one year after the date of birth without the certificate being considered as amended.
(c) Upon receipt of a certified copy of a court order changing the name of a person born in this state and upon request of that person or his or her parent, guardian, or legal representative, the state registrar of vital records shall amend the certificate of birth to reflect the new name.
(d) Upon request and receipt of a sworn acknowledgement of paternity of a child born out of wedlock signed by both parents, the state registrar of vital records shall amend a certificate of birth to show paternity if paternity is not shown on the birth certificate. The department of human services and the division of taxation within the department of administration are authorized to accept a sworn acknowledgment of paternity of a child born out of wedlock signed by both parents on forms prescribed in accordance with § 23-3-9, to forward the acknowledgment to the state registrar of vital records, and the state registrar of vital records shall amend the certificate of birth to show paternity if paternity is not shown on the birth certificate. Upon request of the parents, after approval by a court of competent jurisdiction, the surname of the child shall be changed on the certificate to that of the father. The certificate shall not be marked “amended.”
(e) When a certificate is amended under this section, the state registrar of vital records shall report the amendment to the custodian of any permanent local records and that record shall be amended accordingly.
History of Section.G.L. 1896, ch. 100, § 25; P.L. 1899, ch. 616, § 1; G.L. 1909, ch. 121, § 25; P.L. 1921, ch. 2096, § 8; G.L. 1923, ch. 166, § 23; G.L. 1938, ch. 268, § 22; impl. am. P.L. 1939, ch. 660, §§ 180, 182; P.L. 1944, ch. 1483, §§ 1, 2; G.L. 1956, §§ 23-3-32, 23-3-33; G.L. 1956, § 23-3-21; P.L. 1961, ch. 87, § 1; P.L. 1996, ch. 129, § 9; P.L. 1996, ch. 131, § 9; P.L. 1996, ch. 132, § 9; P.L. 1996, ch. 133, § 9.

Structure Rhode Island General Laws

Rhode Island General Laws

Title 23 - Health and Safety

Chapter 23-3 - Vital Records

Section 23-3-1. - Definitions.

Section 23-3-2. - Division of vital records and statewide system.

Section 23-3-3. - Rules and regulations.

Section 23-3-4. - Appointment of state registrar of vital records.

Section 23-3-5. - Duties of state registrar of vital records.

Section 23-3-5.1. - Transfer of public historical documents.

Section 23-3-6. - Local registrars.

Section 23-3-7. - Duties of local registrars.

Section 23-3-8. - Compensation of local registrars.

Section 23-3-9. - Form of certificates.

Section 23-3-10. - Birth registration.

Section 23-3-10.1. - Certificates of birth — Social security numbers.

Section 23-3-10.2. - Certificates of birth resulting in stillbirth — Filing.

Section 23-3-11. - Infants of unknown parentage — Foundling registration.

Section 23-3-12. - Delayed registration of births.

Section 23-3-12A. - Delayed registration of death and marriage.

Section 23-3-13. - Judicial procedure to establish facts of birth.

Section 23-3-14. - Court reports of adoption.

Section 23-3-15. - New certificates of birth following adoption — Legitimation and genetic parent determination.

Section 23-3-15.1. - New certificates of birth following foreign adoption — Exempt from judicial proceedings.

Section 23-3-16. - Death registration.

Section 23-3-17. - Fetal death registration.

Section 23-3-18. - Permits.

Section 23-3-19. - Extension of time.

Section 23-3-20. - Court reports of divorce.

Section 23-3-21. - Correction and amendment of vital records.

Section 23-3-22. - Reproduction of records.

Section 23-3-23. - Disclosure of records.

Section 23-3-24. - Copies of data from vital records.

Section 23-3-24.1. - Native Americans — Certified copies of birth records.

Section 23-3-25. - Fees for copies and searches.

Section 23-3-25.1. - Veterans’ exemption for fees for copies and searches.

Section 23-3-26. - Persons required to keep records.

Section 23-3-27. - Duties to furnish information relative to vital events.

Section 23-3-28. - Penalties.

Section 23-3-29. - Division of vital records and state registrar of vital records.