CORRECTING A VITAL RECORD
 

   Sometimes a person finds that the information on the official record is not complete or that some item  
  of information on the certificate does not agree with what he/she believes to be the facts. When this is
  the case, it is possible to have missing information added, or to have errors on the certificate corrected.
  Click on any of the following links to assist you with this process:

     Who can apply

     Where to apply

     How to apply

     Evidence required

    Correction/Adding names to the certificate





   WHO CAN AMEND A CERTIFICATE?

   Any person may apply for completion or correction of any certificate in which he/she is directly  
   interested. Ordinarily, this will be the person whose certificate needs to be completed or corrected,
   one of the parents or the legal representative of the individual. If the registrant is 18 years of age or
   older, he/she must approve the requested change when the application is submitted by anyone other
   than themselves.

   WHERE APPLICATION SHOULD BE MADE?

   Application to correct or complete a certificate must be made to the clerk of the city or town in which 
   the event occurred. The fee for making a correction on a certificate is $10.00. This fee must
   accompany the application. If a certified copy of the record is desired, there is an additional fee of
   $12.00 per copy. Checks should be made payable to: the City/Town Clerk of that city or town where
   the event occurred.

   HOW TO APPLY?

   There is a special form used for the purpose of applying to amend a certificate. This form is called  
   "APPLICATION FOR CORRECTING OR COMPLETING A CERTIFICATE OF BIRTH,  
   MARRIAGE OR DEATH, (FORM VSCr)". Most applications are made on this form. The  
   application must be completed in triplicate and be signed by the person who is applying to amend the
   record. The signature must be notarized. For minor changes, made within six months of occurrence, a 
  different form is used (VSX). The town clerk will select the proper form for the particular request.

   EVIDENCE REQUIRED

   In addition to completing the form VSCr and having it notarized, the applicant must submit, at the same
   time, suitable documentary evidence to substantiate their statements. TWO PIECES of documentary
   evidence, dated as close to the date of occurrence as possible, are necessary to correct errors of any
   item on the certificate. One of the documents may be an affidavit of personal knowledge properly
   notarized.
   A variety of documents may be submitted to prove the facts, with some documents more valuable in
   this respect than others. Always bear in mind that the evidence presented should refer as closely as
   possible to the time of the event in question, whether birth, marriage or death.

   Such documents may include but are not limited to:

   Affidavits of personal knowledge can also be useful, but they are in a less valuable category than the  
   documentary evidence cited above.

   When properly prepared, an affidavit should only be made by a person who has a first-hand
   knowledge of the facts in question, and this should be clearly stated. It should indicate the basic on
   which the statement is being made, including relationship to the applicant, relative age, and any other
   pertinent information that will help to strengthen the value of the statement. The affidavit is a supporting
   document not in the same category as an official record. Affidavits should always be notarized.
 
   Photographic copies or written statements of the information appearing on documentary evidence can
   be accepted in lieu of the original records if they are certified by the person who has the original record
   in his possession.
 
   Documents used as evidence will be returned to the applicant after the certificate is amended.

   CORRECTION OF ERRORS IN NAMES and ADDING NAMES

   Sometimes a problem arises because the name which appears on the person's certificate is not the   
   name by which he/she is commonly known. In this case it is necessary to determine whether the
   difference is due to an error on the certificate or whether the person's name has changed by usage.

   If the names which appear on the certificate were in error, the name or names may be corrected by
   applying and presenting two early pieces of documentary evidence which show the individual's correct
   name or names.

   If there is no proof that there was an error made at the time of recording, it will then be necessary to
   have the name legally changed by court order. Upon receipt of a certified copy of a court order
   changing the name of a person born in NH and upon request of such person, the city/town clerk shall
   amend the certificate of birth to show the new name. "A.K.A." shall be noted and the new name added
   as indicated. The original name is NOT removed from the record. Both names shall appear on the face
   of the amended record.

   Some older birth certificates do not show the given name of the registrant. A certified copy of such a
   certificate can not be issued the name is added. This can be accomplished regardless of the time
   element by having the applicant complete and sign a form VSX which does not require documentary
   proof.

   A missing surname can be added to a birth certificate in the same way if the surname of the father as
   shown on the birth certificate is the same as the surname being added.


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