Arkansas Adoption Laws

By FindLaw Staff | Legally reviewed by Heather Biddle, Esq. | Last updated December 27, 2022

The adoption process, various requirements for adults who wish to adopt, restrictions, and other laws regulating adoption are enacted and enforced at the state level. Most states allow any child who needs a home to be adopted, and those wishing to adopt must meet certain requirements. Additionally, most states also require what is known as a "home residency" or "home study" before the adoption is finalized, which provides for a smoother transition for everyone involved.

This article discusses Arkansas adoption laws and provides other helpful resources if you would like to learn more about Arkansas-specific adoption laws.

Adoption Laws in Arkansas: Overview

Any individual may be adopted under Arkansas statute, although any child 10 and older must provide his or her consent. However, the court will set aside the child's consent if it is determined that the adoption is in the child's best interest. Just about anyone may adopt in Arkansas, including unmarried adults and those who already have children. Check out the Arkansas Heart Gallery, maintained by the state's Department of Human Services, to learn more about adoption in Arkansas and to browse children in need of a permanent home.

The following table lists additional details of adoption laws in Arkansas. See FindLaw's Adoption section for more information.

Code Section	9-9-201 through 9-9-508; Title 9 of the Arkansas Code
Who May Be Adopted	Any person
Age that Child's Consent Needed	10 years and older unless the court dispenses with the minor's consent in the minor's best interest
Who May Adopt	Spouses together, unmarried adult, unmarried parent of the child, single married parent of a child if other parent consents or they are legally separated
Home Residency Required Prior to Finalization of Adoption?	6 months
State Agency/Court	Human Services/Probate Court
Statute of Limitations to Challenge	1 year

Note: State laws are always subject to change at any time, usually through the enactment of new statutes or decisions by higher courts. You may want to contact an Arkansas family law attorney experienced in adoptions or conduct your own legal research to verify the state law(s) you are researching.

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Arkansas Law
Official State Codes -- Links to the official online statutes (laws) in all 50 states and DC.