Voluntary -- Paternity Affidavit (Hospital or Administrative)

• 1). Ask for a paternity affidavit from your hospital or local health department. Hospital personnel provides both parents separately with a paternity affidavit within 72 hours of the child's birth. Fill out the paternity affidavit at the hospital to ensure that your child's name appears on the birth certificate without going through another step. You can also complete a paternity affidavit (administrative) until the child is emancipated or 21 years old if no father is currently listed on birth certificate.
  
  
• 2). Fill out the Paternity Affidavit and have both parties sign it.
  
  
• 3). Return the form to the hospital or local health department. Paternity is established within 60 days.
  
  

Involuntary -- Court Ordered Paternity Action

• 1). File a motion for paternity. In Indiana, the mother, father, the state or the child up to the age of 20, may file motions for paternity. The mother, father or state must file the motion before the child reaches two years of age unless the mother and father jointly waive this requirement.
  
  
• 2). Bring photo identification and child with you to accredited facility for genetic testing. Testing personnel will take a blood, tissue or saliva sample from the mother, alleged father and child.
  
  
• 3). Pay all fees. If the mother receives state aid, the state prepays fees for genetic testing but may recover costs from an individual proven to be the biological parent. You must file any objections to results at least 30 days before a trial or hearing that use results as evidence.
  
  
• 4). Wait for paternity determination. Paternity test results typically are complete within five business days. The clerk of court then processes the paternity determination and not later than the 10th of the month, forwards to the state health department all paternity determinations for the previous month.