Vermont § 3-802 - Issuance of new, amended birth certificate

Full text of Vermont Vermont Statutes Online § 3-802 — Issuance of new, amended birth certificate, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.

§ 3-802. Issuance of new, amended birth certificate

  • (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d) of this section, upon receipt of a
    report of adoption prepared pursuant to subsection 3-801(a) of this title, a report of adoption prepared in accordance with the law of another state or country,
    a certified copy of a decree of adoption together with information necessary to identify
    the adoptee’s original birth certificate and to issue a new certificate, or a report
    of an amended adoption prepared pursuant to subsection 3-801(b) of this title, the State Registrar shall either: (1) for an adoptee born in this State, update the Statewide Registration System in accordance
    with the decree and furnish a certified copy of a new birth certificate to the adoptive
    parent and to an adoptee who is 14 years of age or older; (2) for an adoptee born in another state, forward a certified copy of the report of adoption
    to the appropriate office of the state of birth; (3) for an adoptee adopted in this State who was born outside the United States and was
    not a citizen of the United States at the time of birth, create and register in the
    Statewide Registration System a “certificate of live birth for a foreign born child”
    upon request and in the form specified in 18 V.S.A. § 5078a and furnish a certified copy of the certificate to the adoptive parent and to an
    adoptee who is 14 years of age or older; (4) for an adoptee born outside the United States who was a citizen of the United States
    at the time of birth, notify the adoptive parent of the procedure for obtaining a
    revised birth certificate through the U.S. Department of State; or (5) in the case of an amended decree of adoption, either update the Statewide Registration
    System in accordance with the decree and follow the procedure in subdivision (a)(1)
    or (3) of this section or follow the procedure in subdivision (2) or (4) of this section. (b) Unless otherwise specified by the court, a new birth certificate or certificate of
    live birth for a foreign born child issued pursuant to subdivision (a)(1) or (3) or
    an amended certificate issued pursuant to subdivision (a)(5) of this section shall: (1) be signed by the State Registrar; (2) include the date, time, and place of birth of the adoptee; (3) substitute the name of the adoptive parent for the name of the person listed as the
    adoptee’s parent on the original birth certificate; (4) [Repealed.] (5) contain any other information prescribed by the State Registrar. (c) In the case of birth certificates registered prior to July 1, 2019 that are to be
    replaced or amended pursuant to subdivision (a)(1) or (5) of this section, the State
    Registrar shall notify the town clerk or clerks with custody of the certificate, who
    shall substitute the new or amended birth certificate for the original birth certificate.
    Except as otherwise provided in this title, the original certificate and all copies
    of the certificate in the files shall be sealed and shall not be subject to inspection
    or copying until 99 years after the adoptee’s date of birth. (d) If the court, the adoptive parent, or an adoptee who is 14 years of age or older requests
    that a new or amended birth certificate not be issued, the State Registrar shall not
    issue a new or amended certificate for an adoptee pursuant to subsection (a) of this
    section. Nonetheless, for an adoptee born in another state, the State Registrar shall
    forward a certified copy of the report of adoption or of an amended decree of adoption
    to the appropriate office in the adoptee’s state of birth. (e) Upon receipt of a report that an adoption has been set aside, the State Registrar
    shall: (1) for a person born in this State for whom a new birth certificate was issued, update
    the Statewide Registration System to reflect the original birth certificate data and,
    in the case of an original birth certificate registered prior to July 1, 2019, notify
    the town clerk or clerks with custody of the certificate, who shall seal any new or
    amended birth certificate issued pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, restore
    the original, update indexes as directed by the State Registrar, and not allow inspection
    or copying of the sealed certificate except upon court order or as otherwise provided
    in this title; (2) for a person born in another state, forward the report to the appropriate office in
    the state of birth; (3) for an adoptee born outside the United States who was not a citizen of the United
    States at the time of birth for whom a certificate of live birth for a foreign born
    child was issued, update the Statewide Registration System to reflect that the adoption
    was set aside; or (4) for a former adoptee born outside the United States who was a citizen of the United
    States at the time of birth, notify the person who is granted legal custody of a former
    adoptee after an adoption is set aside of the procedure for obtaining an original
    birth certificate through the U.S. Department of State. (f) Upon request by a person who was listed as a parent on an adoptee’s original birth
    certificate and who furnishes appropriate proof of the person’s identity, the State
    Registrar shall give the person a noncertified copy of the original birth certificate. (Added 1995, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 2017, No. 46, § 29, eff. July 1, 2019; 2018, No. 11 (Sp. Sess.), § I.10, eff. July 1, 2019; 2021, No. 100 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. July 1, 2023.)

Source: official Vermont text · Last verified 2026-08-27

Frequently Asked Questions About Vermont § 3-802

What does Vermont Statutes Online § 3-802 cover?

Section 3-802 ("Issuance of new, amended birth certificate") is part of the Vermont Statutes Online, the codified statutory law of Vermont. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.

How do I cite Vermont § 3-802?

A common citation format is "Vermont Statutes Online § 3-802" (Vermont). Legal writing may require the code abbreviation, section number, and year or edition. Match the style required by your court, professor, or publisher.

Is this the official text of Vermont law?

No. This page is for research and education and may not include the most recent amendments. For official current law, check the Vermont official source linked on this page or consult a licensed Vermont attorney.

How does Vermont § 3-802 apply to my situation?

Statutes are interpreted in context, and application depends on your specific facts. Only a licensed attorney in Vermont can advise on how this section applies to you. Contact your state or local bar association for a referral.

Sources & Verification

Not legal advice. Verify against the official source and consult a licensed attorney in Vermont.