§2705. Amendment of vital statistics records

Except as provided by this Title, a certificate or record filed under chapters 701 to 707 may be altered or amended only in accordance with such regulations as the department may adopt to protect the integrity of vital statistics records.

1.  Amended certificate or record.  A certificate or record that has been altered or amended after its filing must be marked "amended," and the date on which the certificate or record was amended and a summary description of the evidence submitted in support of the correction must be endorsed on the certificate or record or permanently attached to it. Any certified copies of certificates or records amended under this section must be marked "amended." Administrative correction of clerical errors within 90 days after the date of filing does not cause the certificate or record to be considered altered or amended.

[PL 2009, c. 601, §10 (AMD).]

2.  Incomplete certificates.  Incomplete certificates and records may be completed from a supplementary form within 90 days after the date of filing without being considered altered or amended.

[PL 2009, c. 601, §11 (AMD).]

3.  Amendment by department.  The department has the exclusive power to amend, alter or complete any certificate or record of birth, marriage, death or fetal death filed under chapters 701 to 707.

When a certificate or record of birth, marriage, death or fetal death has been altered, amended or completed by the department, the department shall transmit a corrected copy to the clerk of any municipality in which a certified copy or original certificate has been recorded under chapters 701 to 707.

[PL 1989, c. 818, §3 (AMD).]

4.  Amendment by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.  Completions or amendments to certificates of death in medical examiner cases, as defined in section 3025, must be as provided in section 2842, subsection 4.

[PL 1989, c. 818, §3 (AMD).]

5.  Amendment following adoption or legitimation.  Amendment of a certificate following adoption or legitimation is governed by section 2765, subsection 2-A.

[PL 1989, c. 818, §3 (AMD).]

6.  Amendment of birth certificate of adult.  Amendment of a birth certificate of a person 18 years of age or older born in this State for the purpose of identifying a biological parent who was not known or listed at the time of birth is governed by section 2767-A.

[PL 2017, c. 5, §1 (AMD).]

SECTION HISTORY

PL 1971, c. 413 (AMD). PL 1985, c. 437, §2 (AMD). PL 1985, c. 611, §1 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 818, §3 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 585, §1 (AMD). PL 2009, c. 601, §§10, 11 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 5, §1 (AMD).