DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES  
PUBLIC HEALTH ADMINISTRATION  
OFFICE OF THE STATE REGISTRAR  
AMENDMENTS TO VITAL RECORDS  
Filed with the secretary of state on April 30, 2025  
These rules become effective immediately after filing with the secretary of state unless adopted  
under section 33, 44, or 45a(9) of the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL  
24.233, 24.244, or 24.245a. Rules adopted under these sections become effective 7 days after  
filing with the secretary of state.  
(By authority conferred on the department of health and human services by sections 2226, 2233,  
2235, and 2896 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.2226, 333.2233, 333.2235,  
and 333.2896.)  
R 325.3251, R 325.3252, R 325.3253, R 325.3254, R 325.3255, R 325.3259, R 325.3261, R  
325.3262, R 325.3263, R 325.3266, and R 325.3267 of the Michigan Administrative Code are  
amended, and R 325.3264 is rescinded, as follows:  
R 325.3251 Definitions.  
Rule 1. (1) As used in these rules:  
(a) "Addended record" means a replacement record containing the information as recorded on  
the registered record plus information added as an addendum to the record pursuant to section  
2872 of the code, MCL 333.2872.  
(b) "Amended record" means a replacement record that is marked "amended" and contains the  
date of the amendment and identifies the items amended.  
(c) "Applicant" means the individual who signs an application to correct a vital record  
document.  
(d) "Code" means the public health code, 1978 PA 368 MCL 333.1101 to 333.25211.  
(e) "Date of application" means the date the application to correct a vital record document is  
received in the office of the state registrar.  
(f) "New record" means a replacement record that is not marked to indicate changes made to  
the record.  
(g) “Next of kin” means the adult individual or individuals most closely related to the registrant  
in the following order of priority:  
(i) The registrant’s spouse.  
(ii) The decedent's children.  
(iii) The decedent's grandchildren.  
(iv) The decedent's parents.  
(v) The decedent's grandparents.  
(vi) The decedent's siblings.  
April 9, 2024  
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(h) "Registered record" means a record accepted by the state registrar for incorporation into the  
permanent official records of the system of vital statistics.  
(i) "Registrant" means the individual to whom the record pertains.  
(j) "Replacement record" means a record prepared by the department to replace an existing  
registered record.  
(2) A term defined in the code has the same meaning when used in these rules.  
R 325.3252 Certified copies of replacement records; requirements.  
Rule 2. (1) A certified copy of an addended record must show all the following on its face:  
(a) The information from the registered record.  
(b) The addended information.  
(c) The basis for the addendum.  
(2) A certified copy of an amended record must show all amendment notations on its face and  
be marked "amended."  
(3) A certified copy of a new record must not show evidence of the changes made on its face.  
R 325.3253 Basis for preparing replacement records.  
Rule 3. To protect the integrity and accuracy of the system of vital statistics, a certificate or  
record registered under section 2821, 2827, 2829, 2834, 2841, or 2846 of the code, MCL  
333.2821, 333.2827, 333.2829, 333.2834, 333.2841, or 333.2846, may be replaced by an  
addended, amended, or new record only as prescribed by these rules.  
R 325.3254 Replacement record request; content of application.  
Rule 4. (1) Unless otherwise specified in these rules or statute, all requests for changes to vital  
records documents must be made on an application to correct a vital record document as  
prescribed by the state registrar. The application must set forth all the following:  
(a) All the information necessary to identify the registered record.  
(b) The incorrect information as recorded on the registered record.  
(c) The information as it should appear on the replacement record.  
(2) The completed application must be accompanied by both of the following:  
(a) The proper fee prescribed by law.  
(b) The minimum supporting documentary evidence required by these rules.  
(3) A request must be made on an application form prescribed by the state registrar and must be  
accompanied by the required fee.  
R 325.3255 Review of applications and evidence by state registrar; dismissals and denials of  
applications.  
Rule 5. (1) The state registrar shall evaluate each application and the evidence submitted in  
support of the request to change a registered vital record document.  
(2) The state registrar may in the state registrar's discretion require the submission of additional  
documentary evidence to support a requested change.  
(3) The state registrar shall dismiss an application when additional evidence requested is not  
received within 6 months after the request for the additional evidence. When an application is  
dismissed, the state registrar shall send a written notice of dismissal to the applicant. The state  
registrar shall retain the application fee.  
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(4) The state registrar shall deny an application when the applicant is not eligible to apply.  
When an application is denied, a written notice of denial must be forwarded to the applicant that  
indicates the reason for the denial. The application fee must be refunded.  
(5) If, after review of the application and the evidence, the state registrar is satisfied that the  
evidence supports the requested change, the state registrar shall prepare the appropriate  
replacement record and place it in the active files of the system of vital statistics.  
R 325.3259 Amendment of amended or court-established records.  
Rule 9. (1) Items on a record previously amended under these rules must not be amended again  
by the state registrar, unless it can be documented that the amendment was made in error by the  
office of the state registrar or upon order of a court of competent jurisdiction.  
(2) Items on a record originally established, entered, or amended pursuant to a court order can  
only be amended upon order of a court of competent jurisdiction.  
R 325.3261 Rescission of replacement records.  
Rule 11. (1) If the state registrar becomes aware that a replacement record is invalid or that the  
evidence received in support of the preparation of the replacement record is false or invalid, the  
replacement record must be rescinded. A new record must be created containing the same facts  
as the original record.  
(2) The state registrar shall notify the local registrar of the rescission of the replacement record.  
R 325.3262 Change to birth or death records; notification of local registrar; local registrar  
duties.  
Rule 12. (1) When the state registrar makes a change to the official recording of a birth or  
death, the state registrar shall notify the local registrar who retains a record of the event of the  
change.  
(2) Upon notification of a change to a registered record, the local registrar shall seal the existing  
record as directed by the state registrar.  
(3) The local registrar shall properly record the change as directed by the state registrar.  
R 325.3263 Preparation of replacement records.  
Rule 13. (1) The department shall prepare a new record as a replacement for a registered record  
when the state registrar receives any of the following:  
(a) Documents described in sections 2831 and 2872 of the code, MCL 333.2831 and 333.2872,  
as evidence of 1 of the following:  
(i) Adoption.  
(ii) Paternity.  
(iii) Legitimation.  
(iv) Sex designation.  
(v) Legal change of name of a minor.  
(b) A request, within 12 months after the date of the event, for additions or minor amendments.  
These amendments are limited to the following:  
(i) Obvious errors.  
(ii) Transpositions of letters or numbers.  
(iii) Omissions.  
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(iv) Changes to the registrant's given names or the addition of a surname suffix, for example:  
"Jr.," "II," or "III."  
(c) A request received within 6 years after the date of the event and documentary evidence to  
add the registrant's given name to a birth record where the given name is missing on the  
registered record.  
(d) An order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction requiring the department to  
prepare a new record.  
(e) Documentation showing a change in an action of a court that is documented in the system  
of vital statistics.  
(f) Evidence of an error in an entry made by the office of the state registrar or a local registrar.  
(2) The department shall prepare an addended record as a replacement for a registered record  
when the state registrar receives documents described in section 2872(2) of the code, MCL  
333.2872, as evidence of a legal change of name.  
(3) An amended record must be prepared when it is not appropriate under these rules or the  
code to prepare an addended record or a new record.  
R 325.3264 Rescinded.  
R 325.3266 Requests for changes to vital records documents; eligible persons.  
Rule 16. (1) A change to a registered birth record may be requested by any of the following:  
(a) The parents named on the record.  
(b) A parent not named on the record who can establish that that individual may be named  
pursuant to section 2824 of the code, MCL 333.2824, for the purpose of having that individual’s  
name added to the record.  
(c) The legal guardian of the registrant.  
(d) The registrant, if 18 years of age or older or legally emancipated.  
(e) An heir to the registrant with a court order to change the record.  
(f) The individual or facility administrator responsible for filing the original certificate.  
(g) A legal representative of any individual listed in subdivisions (a) to (f) of this subrule.  
(2) A change to a registered death record may be requested by any of the following:  
(a) The informant listed on the death certificate.  
(b) The next of kin of the deceased within 5 years of the date of death. If next of kin cannot be  
determined or is disputed, or more than 5 years have passed since the date of death, a court order  
is required.  
(c) The funeral director or the individual responsible for the disposition of the deceased.  
(d) The physician who certified to the cause of death, as follows:  
(i) The physician who certified to the cause of death may only request a change to the  
following:  
(A) The date of death.  
(B) The place of death.  
(C) The medical facts of death.  
(ii) In cases where a physician has certified to the cause and manner of death in that  
physician’s capacity as a county medical examiner or deputy county medical examiner, requests  
to amend the cause or manner of death on the death record may be made by any of the  
following:  
(A) The physician who certified to the cause of death.  
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(B) The county medical examiner.  
(C) A deputy county medical examiner, other than the original certifier, who is authorized by  
the county medical examiner to request a change to a registered record. The county medical  
examiner shall provide the state registrar with a listing of the names of deputy county medical  
examiners authorized to request amendments to records for which they are not the certifier. The  
county medical examiner shall notify the state registrar when there are changes to the list of  
authorized deputy county medical examiners.  
(iii) In cases where the certifying physician is now deceased, requests may be made by a  
physician who attests to having knowledge of the facts of death.  
(iv) In all cases where the physician who makes the request is not the certifying physician  
named on the registered record, the name of the certifying physician on the replacement record  
shall be changed to reflect the name of the new certifying physician.  
(3) Marriage and divorce records are not subject to correction by the state registrar’s office.  
R 325.3267 Correction of vital record information; evidence required.  
Rule 17. (1) Before the sixth birthday of the registrant, documentary evidence is not required to  
correct the spelling of the registrant's first or middle name on a registered birth record if the  
request is made by all parents named on the birth record.  
(2) To delete the name of a father recorded on a registered birth record, the department must  
receive a true or certified copy of a court order requiring removal of the father or a court  
determination of non-paternity.  
(3) To change the cause or mode of death on a registered death record, the department must  
receive a certified copy of a court determination of the facts or the request of a person named in  
R 325.3266(2)(a) to (d).  
(4) Changes to the marital status or name of the surviving spouse on a registered death record  
require a court order naming the surviving spouse, except to make minor spelling corrections  
or where there is a demonstrated error by the funeral home.  
(5) Except as otherwise specified by statute or rule, a request to amend a vital record must be  
accompanied by a certified copy of a court order specifying the correct facts or items of  
documentary evidence that support the alleged facts. All documents presented must contain  
sufficient information to clearly indicate that they pertain to the registrant on the record for  
which the amendment or correction has been requested. Acceptable documents include, but are  
not limited to, the following:  
(a) Certified copy of a marriage record.  
(b) Certified copy of a live birth record of the registrant’s child.  
(c) School records.  
(d) Social security records.  
(e) Passports or visas.  
(f) Military records.  
(g) Federal government census records.  
(h) Government agency records for benefit establishment such as social services, Medicaid,  
clinical services, or similar services.  
(i) Medical records.  
(j) Other documents deemed to be valid and adequate by the state registrar to support the  
requested change.  
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(6) For live birth records, the documents submitted must have been established before the  
registrant’s 18th birthday or at least 10 years before the date of application for the amendment or  
correction. The state registrar may make exceptions for other documents such as court orders,  
passports, or other evidence that clearly support the facts of live birth.  
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