Sec.19a-41-8. Who may apply to modify a vital record

(a) The local registrar at the town of occurrence or the State Registrar may correct or amend obvious errors, omissions, or transpositions of letters in words of common knowledge, upon his or her own observation or query.

(b) An individual responsible for filing a birth certificate may request in writing the correction or amendment of the certificate. In addition, a registrant, if over 18 years old, may request in writing a correction or amendment of the registrant's own birth certificate. A custodial parent or legal guardian of a minor child may request in writing the correction or amendment of the child's birth certificate. Only a registrant over 18 years old, or a custodial parent or legal guardian of a minor registrant, may request the amendment of a birth certificate to reflect the registrant's gender change. Only the commissioner shall make amendments pertaining to adoption, gestational agreements, or maternity upon receipt of a court order. Only the commissioner shall make amendments related to paternity based on a court order or on a voluntary acknowledgement of paternity.

(c) A custodial parent, the certifier, medical examiner or funeral director may apply for the modification of a fetal death certificate.

(d) Both parties to a marriage shall apply jointly to modify a license and certificate of marriage or an affidavit recorded pursuant to subsection (b) of section 46b-34 of the Connecticut General Statutes, except that, where one spouse is deceased, the surviving spouse may apply individually for the modification of such license and certificate or affidavit. A party to an annulled or dissolved marriage may only apply for the modification of items on the marriage certificate relating to such party.

(e) The next of kin, the informant, certifier, medical examiner, or funeral director named on a death certificate may apply for the modification of a death certificate. Only the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner or the practitioner who originally certified the cause of death, may apply for a modification to the cause of death. In the absence or inability of the certifying practitioner, or with his or her approval, the cause of death may be amended upon receipt of a signed statement from an associate practitioner approved to certify the cause of death in accordance with section 7-62b of the Connecticut General Statutes, or the chief medical officer of the institution in which the death occurred, provided such individual has access to the medical history of the case.

(f) Except as otherwise specified by statute, no information shall be removed or otherwise changed on a vital record if such information is known to be accurate.

(Adopted effective August 1, 2005)