State Adoption Forms

Adoption is a legal process regulated by state law. As with most legal processes, there are many forms to complete during an adoption.

In an adoption, the biological parents give up their parental rights to the adoptive parents. Before the adoptive parents can become the legal parents of the adopted child, a court must issue a decree of adoption. Each state has its forms to complete during the process.

This article briefly overviews the adoption process and links to different state forms. Be sure to use only the forms for your state. Check with the law library at the local court for additional information. Many courts have self-help centers for family court issues.

Understanding the Adoption Process

The first step of the adoption process is to choose a type of adoption to pursue. Private adoption (also known as independent adoption) is one choice. In a private adoption, the birth parents choose their child's new parents. Even if a private agency is not involved in a private adoption, both parties should have legal representation.

Using an agency is another option. In an agency adoption, an agency matches the adoptive parents with a child. They conduct a home study to vet the parents. Many child-placing agencies help parents throughout the adoption proceedings.

Adoption proceedings begin with a petition for adoption in family court. The clerk of court will update the court's docket to include a new case. After the court issues the decree of adoption, adoptive parents can order a new birth certificate from their local Department of Vital Records. The new birth certificate will include several name changes. The adoptive parent's names replace the birth parent's names on the birth record. The adoptive parents can change the child's name as well. The adoptive parents should request a certified copy for their records.

Once the court proceedings are over and the adoption finalized, the adoptive parents are the legal parent of the child. In most states, the adoption records are then sealed to the public.

State Forms

Here are links to state agencies and adoption forms:

Alabama

• Request for a Pre-Adoption or Other Birth Certificate from an Alabama Sealed File [PDF] 
• Department of Public Health, Center for Health Statistics
• Adoption Inquiry Form Department of Human Resources
• Birth Parent Application to Place Information in a Sealed File 
• Department of Public Health, Center for Health Statistics

Alaska

• Adoption & Guardianship (Office of Children's Services)

Arizona

• Adoption Forms (Arizona Dept. of Child Safety)
• Adoption Information (Arizona Dept. of Child Safety)

Arkansas

• Arkansas Department of Human Services Division of Children and Family Services

California

• Adoption (The Judicial Branch of California)

• More from California Courts Adoption Forms and Instructions

Colorado

• Kinship Forms

• Validation of Foreign Adoption Instructions & Forms

• More Adoption Forms From Colorado State Judiciary

Connecticut

• Adoption 
• Connecticut Alliance of Foster and Adoptive Families
• Petition/Termination Parental Rights [PDF] 
• Connecticut Superior Court for Juvenile Matters

Delaware

• Adoption Instruction Packet (Delaware Courts)

District of Columbia

• Adoption Forms (D.C. Courts)

• Child and Family Services Agency

• Adoption Fact Sheet (Child and Family Services Agency)

Florida

• Stepparent Adoption: Consent and Waiver by Parent

• Stepparent Adoption: Consent of Adoptee

• Joint Petition for Adoption by Stepparent

• Petition for Adoption Information

• More Florida Supreme Court Family Forms

Georgia

• General Overview of the Adoption Process

Hawai'i

• Court Forms (Hawaii State Judiciary)

Idaho

• CPA-Related Adoption

• More from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare

Illinois

• Final and Irrevocable Consent to Adoption (Cook County)
• Affidavit in Support of Petition to Adopt (Cook County)

Indiana

• Adoption Program Application

• More Department of Child Services Forms

• More from Indiana Archives and Records Administration

Iowa

• General Overview of Foster Care and Adoption

Kansas

• Adoption Forms

Kentucky

• Appearance Waiver and Consent to Adoption

• Cabinet for Health and Family Services (Adoption Services Branch)

• More from Kentucky Court of Justice (Kentucky Court System)

Louisiana

• More from the Department of Children & Family Services

Maine

• Adoption Reunion Registry Application

• Department of Health & Human Services (General Information Page About Adoption & Fostering)

Maryland

• Certificate of Adoption

• General Information Page

Massachusetts

• File for Adoption

Michigan

• General Information About Adoption (Michigan Court System)

• Adoption Forms

Minnesota

• Consent of Parent to Adoption and Waiver of Notice of Adoption Hearing
• Stepparent Adoption Forms (Uncontested)

• More Minnesota Adoption Forms

Mississippi

• General Information (Mississippi Dept. of Child Protection Services)

Missouri

• Adoption Home Assessment Application

• More from the Missouri Department of Social Services

Montana

• Montana Adoption: Information and Forms

Nebraska

• Adoption Forms (Nebraska Judicial Branch)
• More from the Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services

Nevada

• Adoptee Application

• Birth Parent Application

• Department of Child and Family Services (General Information Page About Adoption)

New Hampshire

• Petition for Adoption

• More from New Hampshire Judicial Branch

• More from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

New Jersey

• Inquiry Form (Department of Children and Families)
• More from the Department of Children and Families

New Mexico

• Inquire About Becoming a Foster or Adoptive Parent

• More from New Mexico Children, Youth & Families Department

New York

• Adoption Forms

• More from the New York State Office of Children and Family Services

• General Information About Adoption (New York Court System)

North Carolina

• Adoption Forms (Follow the Link to DHHS Site for Access to All North Carolina Government Forms)
• General Information About Adoption (North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services)

North Dakota

• Search/Disclosure Request

• Official Portal for Accessing All Government Forms, Including Adoption Forms

Ohio

• Adoption Forms (The Supreme Court of Ohio & The Ohio Judicial System)

Oklahoma

• More from the Oklahoma Department of Human Services

Oregon

• Adoption File Face Sheet

• Genetic and Medical History of Child and Biological Family

• Adoption Report

• More from the Oregon Department of Human Services

Pennsylvania

• Adoptee Medical History Request Form

• Birth Parent Medical History Registration Form

• Request for Adoption Information

• More from Pennsylvania Adoption Exchange

Rhode Island

• Adoption Petition

• Report of Adoption

• More from Rhode Island Judiciary

South Carolina

• Forms and Brochures (South Carolina Dept. of Social Services)

• Certificate of Adoption

South Dakota

• Mandatory Reporting Form for All Adoption Cases

• More South Dakota Department of Social Services

Tennessee

• Adoption Affidavit to Establish Financial Ability (Specific to Shelby County)

• General Information Page (Tennessee Department of Child's Services)

• Application for Report of Foreign Birth

Texas

• Certificate of Adoption

• Adoption Forms (Navigate to the section of the page on adoption)

• More forms from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services

Utah

• Report of Adoption
• General Information Page (Utah Court System)

• Registration of an Adoption Order From a Foreign County

Vermont

• Adoption (Vermont Judiciary)

• More from Vermont Judiciary

Virginia

• Adoption Inquiry Form

• Virginia Department of Social Services

Washington

• General Information Page on Adoption (Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families—no forms provided by the state)

West Virginia

• Adoption Interest Form

Wisconsin

• Petition for Minor Child Adoption
• Petition for Adult Adoption

Wyoming

• Adoption Forms (Wyoming Department of Health)

• General Information Page (Wyoming Department of Family Services)

Get Help

The adoption process is complex, even with the correct forms and access to various valuable resources. Seek legal advice from a qualified family law attorney with adoption experience.