Birth Records

Adoption files are confidential. Only the adopting parent or the adopting parent’s lawyer can get copies of court documents related to the adoption.

To ask for copies, go to the Records Division, at the Downtown Superior Court (DTS). You must show proof of identification.

To ask for copies by mail, the adopting parent must send a letter with a notarized signature or the adopting parent’s lawyer must send a request on the letterhead of the law firm.

The Court will not charge you to copy adoption files.

You cannot see your own adoption file without an order of the court. To ask for a Court order, ask the Records Division at DTS for a Petition for Birth Record Access.

When the Court receives your Petition, it will ask the Department of Health Services in Sacramento to send any records in your file. Then, the Court will review all your birth records and your Petition.

Within 8 months, the Court will mail you an order to tell you if you can or cannot view your records.

You must file an amended birth certificate form (VS44) with the Court on or before the final hearing date. You can get this form from the agency you are working with or from the Probate Department of the Superior Court (at DTS ).

After the adoption is final, the probate clerk will mail the VS44 to the State Registrar at the Department of Health Services in Sacramento. You will get an amended birth certificate in about 8 months.

For more information on amended birth certificates read the How to change the name on your child’s birth certificate section of our Name Change web page.

• Adoption home page
• Agency adoptions
• Independent adoptions
• Stepparent adoptions
• The adoption hearing
• Rights of birth parents
• Adoption terms
• Adult adoption
• Adoption resources