Is there a time limit for a man to file for court-ordered paternity testing?

In Florida, when it comes to paternity law, there is a limited window of time in which a man can file for a court-ordered paternity test. The time limit depends on the circumstances of the situation; if the child has been born out of wedlock, then the father has until the child turns four to file a petition. However, if the child was born during a marriage, then the time limit is a bit stricter and the father has only one year after the child’s birth to file the petition. If the father has failed to meet the time limits for filing a paternity test, then it is still possible for him to establish paternity by voluntarily acknowledging it. This acknowledgment must be made in the Office of Vital Statistics in lieu of a court-ordered paternity test. The man and the mother both must appear in person at the Office of Vital Statistics and provide the necessary documents to support their claim. If the father has still taken no action after the allotted time has passed, then he has forfeited all rights to paternity. The father will no longer have the right to claim any legal paternal rights or responsibilities associated with the child.

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Is there a time limit for a man to file for court-ordered paternity testing?

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