Article 1. Adoption of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 102. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 5. >> Article 1.

The clerk of the court shall complete a report upon a form provided for that purpose and forward the report to the State Registrar within five days after a decree of adoption has been entered declaring a child legally adopted by any court in the state. The report shall be forwarded within five days after an interlocutory decree of adoption becomes a final decree of adoption, and not earlier.

The court reports of adoption that are received by the State Registrar for births that occurred in another state, the District of Columbia, in any territory of the United States, or Canada shall be transmitted to the registration authority of the place of birth.

A new birth certificate shall be established by the State Registrar upon receipt of either of the following:
  (a) A report of adoption from any court of record that has jurisdiction of the child in this state, another state, the District of Columbia, in any territory of the United States, or in any foreign country, for any child born in California and whose certificate of birth is on file in the office of the State Registrar.
  (b) A readoption order issued pursuant to Section 8919 of the Family Code.

When requested by the adopting parent or parents, a new certificate shall not be established by the State Registrar.

The new birth certificate shall bear the name of the child as shown in the report of adoption, the names and ages of his or her adopting parents, the date and place of birth, and no reference shall be made in the new birth certificate to the adoption of the child. The new certificate shall be identical with a birth certificate registered for the birth of a child of natural parents, except, when requested by the adopting parents, the new birth certificate shall not include the specific name and address of the hospital or other facility where the birth occurred, the color and race of the parents, or both.

Notwithstanding other provisions in this article, when a child is adopted by an unmarried man or woman, the new certificate shall, if the adopting parent so requests, reflect the fact that it is a single-parent adoption.

If both adopting parents were in the home at the time of the initial placement of the child for adoption the newly amended birth record may include the names of both adopting parents despite the death of one of the adopting parents, upon receipt of an order from the court granting the adoption that directs under the authority of Section 8615 of the Family Code that the names of both adopting parents shall be included on the newly amended birth record.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an adopting parent who has adopted a child for whom an amended record has already been prepared under authority of this article may have another amended record prepared for the child, upon application, furnishing a copy of the court order made in an action brought pursuant to Section 8615 of the Family Code, and payment of the required fee.

At any time after the issuance of a new birth certificate another amended certificate may be issued, at the request of the adopting parents, that omits any or all of the following:
  (a) The specific name and address of the hospital or other facility where the birth occurred.
  (b) The city and county of birth.
  (c) The color and race of the parents.

The new birth certificate shall supplant any birth certificate previously registered for the child and shall be the only birth certificate open to public inspection.

When a new birth certificate is established under this article, the State Registrar shall inform the local registrar and the county recorder whose records contain copies of the original certificate, who shall forward the copies to the State Registrar for filing with the original certificate, if it is practical for him or her to do so. If it is impractical for him or her to forward the copy to the State Registrar, he or she shall effectually seal a cover over the copy in a manner as not to deface or destroy the copy and forward a verified statement of his or her action to the State Registrar. Thereafter the information contained in the record shall be available only as provided in this article.

For court reports of adoptions received from any court of record of this State, another state, the District of Columbia, or in any territory of the United States, that has jurisdiction of a child born in this State and for whom no original record of birth is on file in the Office of the State Registrar the court report of adoption shall constitute a court order delayed birth registration; provided, the court report contains a statement of the date and place of birth.

A court report of adoption received from any court of record in this State, wherein the birth occurred outside the United States, the Territories of the United States, or Canada shall constitute a court order delayed registration of birth; provided, the court report contains a statement of the date and place of birth.

The court report of adoption shall be filed with the original record of birth, that shall remain as a part of the records of the State Registrar.

All records and information specified in this article, other than the newly issued birth certificate, shall be available only upon the order of the superior court of the county of residence of the adopted child or the superior court of the county granting the order of adoption. No such order shall be granted by the superior court unless a verified petition setting forth facts showing the necessity of the order has been presented to the court and good and compelling cause is shown for the granting of the order. The clerk of the superior court shall send a copy of the petition to the State Department of Social Services and the department shall send a copy of all records and information it has concerning the adopted person with the name and address of the natural parents removed to the court. The court must review these records before making an order and the order should so state. If the petition is by or on behalf of an adopted child who has attained majority, these facts shall be given great weight, but the granting of any petition is solely within the sound discretion of the court. The name and address of the natural parents shall be given to the petitioner only if he or she can demonstrate that the name and address, or either of them, are necessary to assist him or her in establishing a legal right.

The State Registrar shall furnish a certified copy of the newly amended record of birth prepared under authority of this article to the registrant without additional cost.