Can I revoke an acknowledgment of paternity if signed when I was 16?

Full question:

I was under 16 years when I signed the acknowledgment of paternity. When can I cancel the same under New York law?

• Category: Paternity
• Subcategory: Acknowledgment
• Date: 04/07/2025
• State: New York

Answer:

In New York, to vacate the acknowledgment, a signatory to an acknowledgment of paternity who was under 18 years at the time of signing the acknowledgment can file a petition with court within 60 days after attaining 18 years or 60 days after he is required to answer a petition, whichever is earlier. This is given under NY CLS Family Ct Act § 516-a(b), which reads as:
 

(a) An acknowledgment of paternity executed pursuant to section one hundred eleven-k of the social services law or section four thousand one hundred thirty-five-b of the public health law shall establish the paternity of and liability for the support of a child pursuant to this act. Such acknowledgment must be reduced to writing and filed pursuant to section four thousand one hundred thirty-five-b of the public health law with the registrar of the district in which the birth occurred and in which the birth certificate has been filed. No further judicial or administrative proceedings are required to ratify an unchallenged acknowledgment of paternity.
 
(b)  (i) <1>Where a signatory to an acknowledgment of paternity executed pursuant to section one hundred eleven-k of the social services law or section four thousand one hundred thirty-five-b of the public health law had attained the age of eighteen at the time of execution of the acknowledgment, the signatory may <2> seek to rescind the acknowledgment by <3> filing <4> a petition with the court to vacate the acknowledgment within the earlier of sixty days of the date of signing the acknowledgment or the date of an administrative or a judicial proceeding (including, but not limited to, a proceeding to establish a support order) relating to the child in which <5> the signatory is a party. <6> For purposes of this section, the "date of an administrative or a judicial proceeding" shall be the date by which the respondent is required to answer the petition. <7>
 
  (ii) Where a signatory to an acknowledgment of paternity executed pursuant to section one hundred eleven-k of the social services law or section four thousand one hundred thirty-five-b of the public health law had not attained the age of eighteen at the time of execution of the acknowledgment, the signatory may seek to rescind the acknowledgment by filing a petition with the court to vacate the acknowledgment anytime up to sixty days after the signatory's attaining the age of eighteen years or sixty days after the date on which the respondent is required to answer a petition (including, but not limited to, a petition to establish a support order) relating to the child in which the signatory is a party, whichever is earlier; provided, however, that the signatory must have been advised at such proceeding of his or her right to file a petition to vacate the acknowledgment within sixty days of the date of such proceeding.
 
     (iii) Where a petition to vacate an acknowledgment of paternity has been filed in accordance with paragraph (i) or (ii) of this subdivision, the court shall order genetic marker tests or DNA tests for the determination of the child's paternity. No such test shall be ordered, however, upon a written finding by the court that it is not in the best interests of the child on the basis of res judicata, equitable estoppel, or the presumption of legitimacy of a child born to a married woman. If the court determines, following the test, that the person who signed the acknowledgment is the father of the child, the court shall make a finding of paternity and enter an order of filiation. If the court determines that the person who signed the acknowledgment is not the father of the child, the acknowledgment shall be vacated.
 
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In the instant situation, the signatory of acknowledgment can file a petition to vacate with the court within 60 days after attaining 18 years or within 60 days after he is required to answer a petition, whichever is earlier. The court may upon such petition vacate acknowledgement upon determining the child's paternity by conducting genetic marker tests or DNA tests.