A child support order cannot be established for a child who is born to unmarried parents until the alleged father acknowledges paternity or is proven to be the father.  Paternity is often established legally when the parties sign an Acknowledgement of Paternity Affidavit which is filed with the Ohio Central Paternity Registry.  Many times, this occurs with the help of hospital staff immediately following the birth of the child.  This can also be done at your local child support agency if you failed to fill out the form at the hospital. This form cannot be signed if the mother is married to another person not thought to be the biological father.

If the alleged father or mother are uncertain as to parentage, genetic testing can be arranged at a laboratory which is certified to perform such tests.  In many instances, genetic testing is available through the child support office at no cost to the parents.  This is a definitive finding of the biological connection between father and child.

Paternity establishment can provide basic emotional, social, and economic ties between a father and his child.  Once paternity is established, a child gains certain legal rights and privileges.  Among these may be rights to inheritance, access to medical history, and other types of federal benefits.

If you are interested in establishing paternity for your child, please go to our home page, click on the Forms tab, and complete a IV-D Application for services. You can either email the completed application, drop it off, or send through regular US mail to 2400 Clermont Center Drive, Suite 107, Batavia Ohio 45103.