“Parentage” is the recognition of a parent’s legal relationship to a child.

The Parentage Opportunity Program (POP) is a voluntary program for eligible parents to establish legal parentage free of charge. This significantly decreases the time and money required to establish legal parentage through the lengthy and expensive court process. A filed Voluntary Declaration of Parentage (VDOP) has the same force and effect as a judgment for parentage issued by a court.

Signing the Declaration of Parentage form helps child(ren) gain the same rights and privileges of a child born within a marriage. Some of those rights include financial support from both parents, access to important family medical records, access to the non-custodial parent's medical benefits, and the emotional benefit of knowing who both parents are.

Eligible parents should establish legal parentage as soon as possible by completing and signing a Voluntary Declaration of Parentage. Eligible parents will need to have their signatures witnessed by an authorized witnessing agency.

California Family Code §7571(f) provides a list of authorized witnessing agencies, which include:

• Birthing Hospitals – At the time of birth
• Local Child Support Agency Offices
• Offices of Local Registrar of Births and Deaths – Vital Records
• Courts – Family Law Facilitator
• County Welfare Departments – Health and Human Services Agency

For more information about the Parentage Opportunity Program, please visit the California Department of Child Support Services website.