Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 69 - Collection of statistics.
69.14 - Registration of births.

69.14 Registration of births.
(1) Filing requirements.
(a) Filing deadline. A record of birth for every birth that occurs in this state shall be filed within 5 days after the birth with the state registrar, who shall register the birth under this subchapter.
(b) Accuracy. Either parent of a child who is the subject of a birth record, or, if neither parent is available, another person with knowledge of the facts of the birth, shall attest to the accuracy of the personal data entered on the record in time to permit the filing of the record within 5 days after the birth.
(c) Filing party. A birth record shall be prepared and filed by the following:
1. If the birth occurs at or on route to a hospital, the hospital administrator or his or her designee;
2. In the absence of a person under subd. 1., the physician in attendance at or immediately after the birth;
3. In the absence of a person under subd. 1. or 2., any other person in attendance at or immediately after the birth; or
4. In the absence of a person under subds. 1. to 3., the father or mother, or in the absence of the father and the inability of the mother, the person responsible for the premises where the birth occurs.
(cm) Information concerning paternity. For a birth which occurs en route to or at a hospital, the filing party shall give the mother a copy of the pamphlet under s. 69.03 (14). If the child's parents are not married at the time of the child's birth, the filing party shall give the mother a copy of the form prescribed by the state registrar under s. 69.15 (3) (b) 3. The filing party shall ensure that trained, designated hospital staff provide to the child's available parents oral information or an audio or video presentation and written information about the form and the significance and benefits of, and alternatives to, establishing paternity, before the parents sign the form. The filing party shall also provide an opportunity to complete the form and have the form notarized in the hospital. If the mother provides a completed form to the filing party while she is a patient in the hospital and within 5 days after the birth, the filing party shall send the form directly to the state registrar. The department of children and families shall pay the filing party a financial incentive for correctly filing a form within 60 days after the child's birth.
(d) Place of birth.
1. On a birth record the place of birth shall be the place where the placenta is removed except as provided under subd. 2.
2. If a birth occurs in a conveyance within the United States and the birth child is first removed from the conveyance in this state, the birth shall be filed in this state and the place where the birth child is first removed from the conveyance shall be the place of birth on the birth record. If a birth occurs on a moving conveyance while in international waters or air space or in a foreign country or its air space and the birth child is first removed from the conveyance in this state, a birth record for the child shall be filed in this state and the place of birth on the birth record shall be the actual place of birth as determined by the filing party.
(e) Father's name.
1. If the mother of a registrant under this section was married at any time from the conception to the birth of the registrant, the name of the husband of the mother shall be entered on the birth record as the legal father of the registrant. The name of the father entered under this subdivision may not be changed except by a proceeding under ch. 767.
2. If the mother was not married at any time from the conception to the birth of a registrant under this section, no name of any alleged father of the registrant may be entered as the father on the birth record except as provided under s. 69.15 (3). If under this subdivision the name of the father of the registrant of a birth record is omitted from the record, no other information about the father may be entered on the record.
(f) Registrant's name.
1.
a. Except as provided under subd. 1. b., if the mother of a registrant of a birth record under this section is married to the father of the registrant at any time from the conception to the birth of the registrant, the given name and surname which the mother and father of the registrant enter for the registrant on the birth record shall be the given name and surname filed and registered on the birth record.
b. If the mother of a registrant of a birth record under this section is married to the father of the registrant at any time from the conception to the birth of the registrant and the mother is separated or divorced from the father of the registrant at the time of birth, the given name and surname which the parent of the registrant with actual custody enters for the registrant on the birth record shall be the given name and surname filed and registered on the birth record, except that if a court has granted legal custody of the registrant, the given name and surname which the person with legal custody enters for the registrant on the birth record shall be the given name and surname filed and registered on the birth record.
c. If the mother of a registrant of a birth record under this section is not married to the father of the registrant at any time from the conception to the birth of the registrant, the given name and surname which the mother of the registrant enters for the registrant on the birth record shall be the given name and surname filed and registered on the birth record, except that if a court has granted legal custody of the registrant, the given name and surname which the person with legal custody enters for the registrant on the birth record shall be the given name and surname filed and registered on the birth record.
2. If no surname has been entered for a registrant within 5 days after the registrant's birth, the filing party shall file a birth record for the registrant without entering a surname on the birth record. The state registrar and any local registrar may not issue any certified copy of the birth record until a surname is entered under this paragraph.
(g) Birth by artificial insemination. If the registrant of a birth record under this section is born as a result of artificial insemination under the requirements of s. 891.40, the husband of the woman shall be considered the father of the registrant on the birth record. If the registrant is born as a result of artificial insemination which does not satisfy the requirements of s. 891.40, the information about the father of the registrant shall be omitted from the registrant's birth record.
(h) Surrogate mother. If the registrant of a birth record under this section is born to a surrogate mother, information about the surrogate mother shall be entered on the birth record and the information about the father shall be omitted from the birth record. If a court determines parental rights over the registrant, the clerk of court shall report the court's determination to the state registrar on a form prescribed by the state registrar, along with the fee required under s. 69.22. Upon receipt of the report, the state registrar shall prepare and register a new birth record for the registrant under s. 69.15 (6) and send notice of the new record to the local registrar who filed the original record. Upon receipt of the notice, the local registrar shall destroy his or her copy of the replaced record.
(2) Late registrations.
(a) Registration 6 to 365 days after birth. If a birth record is filed 6 to 365 days after the date of birth, the filing party shall proceed in the manner prescribed for birth records filed under sub. (1). Before registering the record, the state registrar may require additional evidence in support of the facts of birth and an explanation of why the birth record was not filed under sub. (1). If a birth record filed under this subsection is signed by a person other than the person attending the birth or the person managing the institution where the birth occurred or its medical records, the state registrar may require a notarized statement of why the record was not filed under sub. (1).
(b) Registration more than 365 days after birth.
1. If more than 365 days have elapsed since the birth of a person born in this state and a record of the birth has not been filed in this state, such person or the parent or guardian of the person, if the person is living, may request that the state registrar register a birth record for the person under this paragraph.
2. Any person requesting a birth record under this paragraph shall establish the following facts by evidence documented under subd. 3.:
a. The full name of the registrant given after the time of birth.
b. The date and place of birth.
c. The full maiden name of the mother.
d. The full name of the father, except that if the mother was not married at the time of conception or birth or between conception and birth of the registrant, the name of the father may not be entered except as provided under s. 69.15 (3).
3.
a. As evidence of the name, date and place of birth of a registrant for whom a birth record is requested under this paragraph, the person requesting the birth record shall present at least 2 pieces of documentary evidence for each item if the record is filed prior to 7 years after the date of birth or at least 3 pieces of documentary evidence for each item if the record is filed 7 years or more after the date of birth. Only one piece of documentary evidence per item may be an affidavit of personal knowledge.
b. As evidence of the parents of a registrant for whom a birth record is requested under this paragraph, the person requesting the birth record shall present at least one document which is not an affidavit of personal knowledge.
c. No document presented under this subdivision may be from a source which is the same as the source for any other such document. Every such document shall be in the form of the original document, shall be a duly certified copy of the original or shall be a signed statement from the custodian of the document.
d. Any document presented under this subdivision which is not an affidavit of personal knowledge shall have been established at least 10 years prior to the date the birth record is requested under this paragraph or shall have been established before the registrant's 10th birthday.
e. Any affidavit of personal knowledge presented under this paragraph shall be prepared by a parent, other relative or person and shall be signed before an official authorized to administer oaths. Any person signing an affidavit under this subd. 3. e. shall be at least 10 years older than the registrant and shall have personal knowledge of the facts of the registrant's birth.
4. If the registrant of a record filed under this paragraph is 18 years of age or over and is competent to sign and swear to the accuracy of its facts, the registrant shall sign the record and swear to the accuracy of its facts before an official authorized to administer oaths. If the registrant is under 18 years of age or is not competent to sign and swear to the accuracy of the facts of such record, a person shall sign the record and swear to the accuracy of its facts as follows:
a. One of the parents of the registrant.
b. In the absence of any person under subd. 4. a., the guardian of the registrant.
c. In the absence of any person under subd. 4. a. or b., the next of kin of the registrant.
d. In the absence of any person under subds. 4. a. to c., any older person having personal knowledge of the facts of birth of the registrant.
5. The state registrar may deny a request for a birth record under this paragraph. If the state registrar approves a request for a birth record under this paragraph, he or she shall indicate plainly on the face of the record that the record has been registered under this paragraph and the date the record is registered and shall make available the record to the local registrar under s. 69.03 (11).
6. If the state registrar denies a request for registration of a birth record under this subsection, the person making the request may file a petition with the circuit court of the alleged county of birth for an order establishing a record of the date and place of the birth and the parentage of the person who would be the registrant. If the court finds that such person was born in this state, the court shall make findings as to the place and date of birth, parentage, and any other required finding and shall, in the manner prescribed by the state registrar, issue an order to register a birth record for the person which shall include the birth date to be registered, a description of the evidence presented, and the date of the court's action.
7. On any birth record registered under this paragraph, the state registrar or his or her designated representative shall describe each document submitted under subd. 3. The abstract for each document shall include:
a. The title or description of the document.
b. The name and address of the affiant if the document is an affidavit of personal knowledge or the name and address of the custodian if the document is an original or certified copy of a record or a signed statement from a custodian.
c. If the document was previously filed, the date of the filing.
d. What birth facts the document contains.
8. On any birth record registered under this paragraph, the state registrar or his or her designated representative shall certify by his or her signature that:
a. No other birth record is on file for the registrant.
b. The state registrar or his or her designated representative has reviewed the evidence submitted under subd. 3.
c. The abstract under subd. 7. accurately reflects the nature and content of the evidence submitted under subd. 3.
(c) This subsection does not apply to a child who was adopted under the circumstances described in s. 48.97 (2).
(3) Registration of foundlings.
(a) Any person who assumes custody of a live born infant of unknown parentage shall file a birth record for the infant within 5 days after assuming custody and shall file the birth record with the following information:
1. The date the registrant was found.
2. The estimated date of birth of the registrant.
3. The address of the place where the registrant was found.
4. The sex and race of the registrant.
5. The name given to the registrant by the filing party.
6. The name, address and signature of the person with whom the registrant has been placed for care. The information under this subdivision shall be entered in the item on the birth record where information on the attendant at birth is required.
(c) If at any time after a birth record is filed for a registrant under this subsection a birth record filed for the registrant at the time of birth of the registrant is found or the registrant is adopted and the adoptive parents sign a birth record giving their names as the adoptive parents, the state registrar shall impound the birth record filed under this subsection and prohibit access except by court order or except by the state registrar for processing purposes.
History: 1985 a. 315; 1987 a. 413; 1993 a. 27; 1997 a. 27, 191; 2001 a. 16; 2003 a. 33; 2007 a. 20; 2015 a. 380; 2017 a. 334; 2021 a. 240 s. 30.
Sub. (1) (f) 1. b. is not a gender-specific statute violating the right to equal protection. Marriage of Steinbach v. Gustafson, 177 Wis. 2d 178, 502 N.W.2d 156 (Ct. App. 1993).
Enforcement of surrogacy agreements promotes stability and permanence in family relationships because it allows the intended parents to plan for the arrival of their child, reinforces the expectations of all parties to the agreement, and reduces contentious litigation. The surrogacy agreement in this case was enforceable except for the portions of the agreement requiring a voluntary termination of parental rights (TPR). The TPR provisions did not comply with the procedural safeguards set forth in s. 48.41 for a voluntary TPR because the biological mother would not consent to the TPR and there was no legal basis for involuntary termination. The TPR provisions were severable. Rosecky v. Schissel, 2013 WI 66, 349 Wis. 2d 84, 833 N.W.2d 634, 11-2166.
Arkansas state law generally required the name of the mother's male spouse to appear on the child's birth certificate, regardless of his biological relationship to the child, but did not require that birth certificates include the female spouses of women who gave birth in the state. That differential treatment infringed the commitment of Obergefell, 576 U.S. 644 (2015), to provide same-sex couples the constellation of benefits that the states have linked to marriage. Under Obergefell, a state may not exclude same-sex couples from civil marriage on the same terms and conditions as opposite-sex couples. Pavan v. Smith, 582 U.S. ___, 137 S. Ct. 2075, 198 L. Ed. 2d 636 (2017). See also Torres v. Seemeyer, 207 F. Supp. 3d 905 (2016).
Viewpoint: Wisconsin's Undeveloped Surrogacy Law. Walsh. Wis. Law. Mar. 2012.