Birth Registration for Hospitals

Most births in Minnesota are registered with the state by staff in a hospital or birth facility. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) refers to people who register births as birth registrars. Birth registrars must register live births in the state vital records system—Minnesota Registration and Certification (MR&C)—within the five days after birth. Hospitals are responsible for registering births that occur in, or on the way to, their facility.  

Gather registration information

Birth registrars must work with parents to gather information, inform them about their options, and help them make choices regarding birth registration. Provide these worksheets to birth parents to gather complete and accurate information for registering births: 

• Worksheet and instructions for creating your child's birth record (PDF)
• Worksheet/Instructions for creating your child's birth record - Hmong (PDF)
• Worksheet/Instructions for creating your child's birth record - Karen (PDF)
• Worksheet/Instructions for creating your child's birth record - Somali (PDF)
• Worksheet/Instructions for creating your child's birth record - Spanish (PDF)

Medical information about the delivery and the person giving birth should come from the birth attendant (Minnesota licensed physicians, residents, and certified nurse midwives) and the medical record. Use our form to gather the data needed for birth registration:  

• Birth Record Medical Information (PDF)

Learn more: Guide to Completing the Facility Worksheet for the Certificate of Live Birth and Report of Fetal Death (CDC)

Marital status

The marital status of the person giving birth affects how parents may be listed on the birth record.  

• If the child’s parents are married or, for widowed or divorced parents, married within 280 days before birth: The person giving birth and their spouse are presumed the legal parents of the child under Minnesota law. Both of their names appear on the birth record.
• If the person giving birth is not married: There is no presumed second parent; the person giving birth is the only recognized legal parent. See “Establish parentage” below for more information.
• If the person giving birth is married but not to the biological father: The birthing parent’s spouse is presumed the parent unless they take action to end their legal relationship with the child.

Marital status also affects who can obtain a birth record. Records of children born to married parents are considered public, but the records of children born to a single person are deemed confidential unless the birthing parent chooses to make the record public at the time of birth. Birth registrars should explain the difference between confidential and public birth records to their patients. An unmarried parent can indicate their preference on the registration worksheet. See Who Can Order Records for details. 

Social Security numbers

Under the Enumeration at Birth program, parents may choose to apply for the child’s Social Security number (SSN) by checking “yes” on the worksheet, giving MDH permission to share their information with the Social Security Administration. Checking “no” means the parents will have to apply for the SSN in person. The child must have a name before an SSN can be assigned.

When parents select “yes”, choose "Request SSN" when registering the birth in MR&C to automatically request a social security number for the child. Parents must provide their Social Security numbers to request the child’s social security number and to complete the birth registration process.  

A resource for parents: Social Security Numbers for Children (PDF)

Parents seeking birth certificates

Emphasize to parents that they must order their child's birth certificate and pay a $26 fee; they won't automatically receive a birth certificate when their child’s birth is registered. They can order through county vital records offices or MDH—see Available Records and Services for ordering information.

In addition, counties send out parent notice forms with the information that will appear on the child’s birth certificate. Parents can review the information for accuracy and use the form to request corrections and order birth certificates.   

Establish parentage

Minnesota law requires that birth registrars inform unmarried parents about options for establishing parentage at the time of birth registration.  

If the person giving birth is not married, they are the only recognized legal parent. The person who gave birth and the biological father can submit a Minnesota Voluntary Recognition of Parentage (PDF) to add the father to the birth record, legally establishing his paternity. Same-sex couples cannot use a recognition of parentage form to establish parentage. Beyond the recognition of parentage form, the only way to add a second parent to the birth record in Minnesota is with a court order.

If the person giving birth is married but not to the biological father, the birthing parent’s spouse (presumed parent) may complete a Spouse's Non-Parentage Statement (PDF), when a corresponding recognition of parentage form is filed by the person giving birth and the biological father. Filing the form ends the legal relationship between the presumed parent and the child.  

Learn more: Minnesota Department of Human Services - Establishing parentage.

Change a birth record

You may correct information in MR&C for birth records that you registered, if no birth certificate has been issued and the correction is within a year of the birth.  

After a certificate has been issued or a year has elapsed (whichever comes first), you may:  

• Request no-cost changes to health information on a birth record. Contact the Office of Vital Records for assistance.
• Request corrections to registration data other than health information using the Hospital Statement to Amend, Correct, or Delete a Birth Record (PDF). A $40 fee is required. 

Access MR&C

Hospital staff must be authorized users of MR&C, Minnesota’s vital records system, to register births and fetal deaths. Complete the MR&C Birth Registrar and Facility User Agreement (PDF) to add a new user. Learn about birth registration methods and best practices: Birth Registration Training.  

Add or change birth attendant information  

Birth attendants (Minnesota licensed physicians, residents, and certified nurse midwives) must be listed in MR&C in order to be named on birth records. Use the Birth Attendant Application and Change Request (PDF) to add, remove, or change information about a birth attendant in MR&C. 

Please provide feedback: Office of Vital Records Customer Satisfaction Survey