How to Change your Baby’s Name in Kansas

When our daughter was born we had not decided on a name for her when the paperwork had to be submitted to the Office of Vital Statistics.  Not a big deal, but she started life with the name “Baby Girl”.  The process of changing the name on the birth certificate is not difficult in the State of Kansas, but finding the right people to speak to might be.  After spending more than an hour calling friends, then state and Country representatives I wanted to share this information for parents looking to amend the name on their newborn’s birth certificate.  For my regular readers, I apologize that I am deviating from the kitchen for this post.  Thank you to the friends that guided me to this information.

Please note, this information is for babies born in the State of Kansas only and the contact information below is for those living in Johnson County.  If you live in KS but in a different county, I expect the process to be similar at your local court house.  The information and fee structure may change, and please contact me if you would like to suggest an update to this page.

There are three basic steps to amending the name on your child’s birth certificate:

1. Make an appointment to see a judge
2. Gather the necessary paperwork
3. Attend your appointment

To make the appointment, call the civil department at your local court house.  In Johnson County call (913) 715 3688.  Explain that you need to see a judge to change your baby’s name.  Both mother and father need to attend.  I was offered a next-day appointment, but chose to schedule something more convenient   There is no fee due to Johnson County but there is a $30 fee due to the Office of Vital Statistics, this covers the change and the cost of one copy of the birth certificate.

 The documentation needed is fairly straight forward, here’s a short checklist:

• Download a VS211 Paternity Consent Form for Birth Registration, downloadable from the Kansas Office of Vital Statistics
• Original Birth Certificate OR Letter of Birth Confirmation from your birth center, hospital or home-birth midwife
• Proof of ID for both MOTHER and FATHER.  This can be any State, Federal or Government ID issued by the US or any other country of residence
• $30 check or money order made out to Office of Vital Statistics.  You can not pay by credit or debit card at the time of writing this post

Finally, you will need to attend the appointment.  The Johnson County Court House can be found at 100 North Kansas Avenue (see the map below).  Please leave any questions or feedback in the comments below.

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