Acknowledgment of Paternity (AOP) records are confidential. Federal and state laws and Bureau of Child Support Enforcement (BCSE) policies and procedures restrict the access, use, and release of these records. Violation of these laws could result in civil penalties, criminal prosecution, or both. 23 Pa. C.S. §4304.1(d)
Information regarding administrative voluntary acknowledgments and claims of paternity on file with BCSE can be found in the Paternity Tracking System (PTS) by following these steps.
Access the PTS from the PACSES Homepage by selecting "Auxiliary Sites" and clicking on the "Paternity Tracking" link. The PTS may also be accessed at the following Web address: (available on the OIM Intranet only).
Enter CWOPA ID and Password. The PTS Home Page will be displayed.
Move the cursor to the "Paternity Tracking System" menu, and click on the "Search AOP – Inquiry" link to open the "Acknowledgment of Paternity – Search" page. The "Search By" drop down menu is used to choose either "Search By Mother/Father Information" or "Search By "Mother/Child Information."
Enter the required search criteria in at least one of the blank fields, and select the "Search" link.
The Search screen displays all records found that match the search criteria. It is important to note the "Transaction Type" for each record. Select the "Record Number" to view details of the record. Records that exist for children who are later adopted are required by law to be impounded to protect the confidentiality of the parties involved. Impounded records are displayed with just the record number and transaction type with no further details. (a message, "Sealed Confidential Record," is displayed in the grid.)
There are five transaction types in the PTS. The transactions types use the following codes, which are displayed on the PTS in the "Transaction Type (TT)" field:
|
A |
An AOP form is registered and certified with BCSE. |
|
C |
Claim of paternity—either the birth mother rescinded the AOP form or the assumed father filed a claim of paternity. |
|
I |
Impounded record due to adoption. |
|
R |
The assumed father rescinded the AOP form, or the form was rescinded by the court. |
|
V |
The AOP form was voided for one of the following reasons: the birth mother was married at the time of birth; the AOP was processed in error; or, prior to August 2005, the AOP was voided per an order of the court. As of August 2005, AOPs are no longer voided per court order but are rescinded. |
NOTE: Only records with an "A" transaction type are legal acknowledgments of paternity.
Certified copies of PA/CS 611 AOP forms can be obtained by mailing or faxing a written request with a print of the applicable AOP record data to:
Bureau of Child Support Enforcement
Division of Central Operations
Paternity Coordinator
P.O. Box 8018
Harrisburg, PA. 17105
Fax # (717) 787-9706
AOP records are confidential. Certified AOP copies will be issued to DHS, the court, or domestic relations sections for Title IV-A and IV-D purposes only. 23 Pa. C.S. §4304.1(d)
Reissued: October 9, 2014 replacing January 31, 2012