Illinois Paternity Law

This information about Illinois paternity legal statutes is provided for general use only. Journey Genetic Testing does not provide legal advice or representation. We encourage you to research your state laws for the most current information, or contact a family law attorney.

Illinois Paternity Law: 96th General Assembly, 2009 & 2010, HB4008

(4) Unless otherwise provided in this Act, if the mother was not married to the father of the child at either the time of conception or the time of birth, the name of the father shall be entered on the child’s birth certificate only if the mother and the person to be named as the father have signed an acknowledgment of parentage in accordance with subsection

(5) Unless otherwise provided in this Act, if the mother was married at the time of conception or birth and the presumed father (that is, the mother’s husband) is not the biological father of the child, the name of the biological father shall be entered on the child’s birth certificate only if, in accordance with subsection (5),

(i) the mother and the person to be named as the father have signed an acknowledgment of parentage and

(ii) the mother and presumed father have signed a denial of paternity.

(5) Upon the birth of a child to an unmarried woman, or upon the birth of a child to a woman who was married at the time of conception or birth and whose husband is not the biological father of the child, the institution at the time of birth and the local registrar or county clerk after the birth shall do the following:

(a) Provide (i) an opportunity for the child’s mother and father to sign an acknowledgment of parentage and (ii) if the presumed father is not the biological father, an opportunity for the mother and presumed father to sign a denial of paternity. The signing and witnessing of the acknowledgment of parentage or, if the presumed father of the child is not the biological father, the acknowledgment of parentage and denial of paternity conclusively establishes a parent and child relationship in accordance with Sections 5 and 6 of the Illinois Parentage Act of 1984.

Required Probability of Paternity for Illinois Courts: None
Required Paternity Index: 1-500

For a list of locations where we provide an approved paternity test in Illinois, please click Paternity Testing In Illinois.