G. Paternity Registry

The Vital Statistics Unit (VSU) maintains a paternity registry. A man who wants to be notified of a proceeding for the adoption or the termination of parental rights regarding a child he may have fathered must register before the birth of the child or not later than the 31st day after the child's birth. The registrant has the responsibility of keeping his information current with the bureau. A man who has filed with the paternity registry within the requisite time frame is entitled to be served with notice of a suit involving the child. Registering with the paternity registry also establishes a basis for personal jurisdiction of a person who is not a Texas Resident.

If no father-child relationship can be established, a petitioner (DFPS) seeking termination of parental rights or adoption must obtain a certificate of the results of a search of the paternity registry. If the petitioner (DFPS) has reason to believe that conception or birth of the child have may occurred in another state, the petitioner must obtain a certificate from paternity or putative father registry of that state.