State Adoption Laws
In every domestic child adoption the adoption laws of your state (or country) of residence, the laws of the state of residence of the birth mother and birth father, and the adoption laws of the state where your adoption agency is located all need to be considered.
The Child Adoption Laws for Each State are Listed Below
Because some state websites use outdated technologies, we may have provided a link to a main page, but not a specific law. If that is the case we have provided a link to their main area and the exact steps you need to follow to get to the adoption laws for your state.
If you feel you may not remember the steps shown below then we recommend saving this page for later use.
Should you want to do the research to find these sites on your own, the place to start is the Guide to Law Online prepared by the U.S. Law Library of Congress Public Services Division. You can also find help at ChildAdoptionLaws.com and Justia.com.
Dissolutions
The term dissolution is used to describe an adoption that ends after it is legally finalized, resulting in the child's return to (or entry into) foster care or placement with new adoptive parents.
The frequency and accuracy of adoption dissolution rates is harder to evaluated than adoption disruptions. It appears that adoption dissolutions occur somewhere between 1%- 10% with the rate being at the higher end in adoptions that have involved special needs children and children from a state's foster care system. Three factors contributing to these higher rates are the emotional and physical demands that these children place on the family, the lack of information about where and how to find needed services, and the cost of services.
You can reduce your risk of a dissolution by carefully evaluating the behavioral and health history of the child you are planning to adopt and by educating yourself about the impact of special needs and behavioral problems.
Adoption Laws By State
Adoption Code of Alabama1975, Title 26, Chapter 10A
Alaska Adoption Statutes 1999, Title 25 Chapter 23, Section 25.23
Arizona Adoption Revised Statutes, Title 8, Chapter 1
Arkansas Adoption Code, Family Law Title 9, Subtitles 2,3 and ,4 Click on the link, then click on the "+" by the Arkansas Code. Then scroll to title 9, subtitles 2,3, and 4.
Adoption Law, Family Law Code, Division 13, Parts 1-2, Chapters 1-8
Colorado Revised Statutes (1999),Title 19, Article 5.
Connecticut Adoption Code, Title 45a, Chapter 803, Sections 45a.707 to 45a.770.
Delaware Adoption Code, Title 13, click on Chapter 9.
Florida Adoption Statutes, Title VI, Chapter 63
Georgia Adoption Code, Title 19, chapter 8, Sections 1-26
Hawaii Revised Statutes (Adoption), Sections 578-1 to 578-17.
Idaho Statutes (Adoption), Title 16, Chapter 15
Illinois Compiled Statutes (Adoption), Chapter 750, Section 50
Indiana Code (Adoption), Title 31, Article 19
Iowa Code (Adoption), Chapter 600.
Kansas Statutes (Adoption 1998). Chapter 59, Article 21, 2111-2144.
Kentucky Revised Statutes (Adoption, 1998), Chapter 199, Sections 470 to 590.
Louisiana Children's Code (Adoption). The first site is the Louisiana Children's Code, Title XII, Articles 1167 to 1278. Click LOUISIANA and use the "next" and "previous" buttons at the top of the page to navigate. The second site is the Louisiana Revised Statutes, Title 40, Sections 72 to 79.
Maine Revised Statutes (Adoption PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. C, §7), Title 18A, Article IX, Parts 1-4
Maryland Statutes (Adoption, 1999), Family Law, Sections 5-301s, 401, and 5. Click MARYLAND, then scroll in the "enter articles" box to Family Law, the enter 5-301 in the "enter section" box, then click "submit entry". Continue to the next Sections by using the "next button" on each page.
Massachusetts General Laws (Adoption, 1998), Part II, Title III, Chapter 210, Sections 1-11
Michigan Compiled Laws (Adoption Act 203, 1994), Sections 710.21-710.70
Minnesota Statutes (Adoption revised 2004), chapter 259, sections 259.01-259.89
Mississippi Code, Title 93, Chapter 17. Click MISSISSIPPI, then on the left hand side click on the "+" in front of "Mississippi Code", then click on the "+" in front of "more", then click on Title 93, then click on chapter 17.
Missouri Revised Statutes (Adoption), title XXX, chapter 453, Sections .005-.503
Montana Code (1999 Adoption), Title 42, Chapter 1-10
Nebraska Statutes, Title 43, Sections 43-101 to 43-165.
Nevada Revised Statutes (Adoption), Chapter 127, Sections .003 to .186
New Hampshire Revised Statutes (Adoption), Title XII, Chapter 170-B, Sections 1 to 31
New Jersey Revised Statutes (Adoption, 1999), Title 9, Sections 3-38 to 3-55.
New Mexico Statutes (Adoption),Title 32A, Article 5, Sections 1 to 45. Click NEW MEXICO and then in the left hand box, click on New Mexico Statutes and Court Rules, then click on Statutory Chapters in NM statutes, then scroll down the left hand box and click on Title 32A, the scroll down 32A to Article 5, and then scroll to Sections 1 to 45.
New York State Consolidated Laws, Domestic Relations (DOM), Chapter 14, Article 7, Sections 1 to 4. Click (NEW YORK), at the bottom of the page click on "New York Laws", then scroll to DOM (Domestic Relations) and click on DOM, then scroll to Article 7, Titles 1 to 4. You may also want to scroll down not only to DOM but also to SS (Social Services, Chapter 55, Article 6, Title 1, Sections 372 to 374.
North Carolina General Statutes (Adoptions, 1999), Chapter 48, Articles 1 to 10
North Dakota Century Code (Adoption, 1999), Title 14, Chapter 15, Sections 1 to 23. Click NORTH DAKOTA, then scroll to, and click, on Chapter 15, then scroll to Sections 1 to 23
Ohio Revised Code (Adoption, 1999), Title XXXI Domestic Relations, Adoption Section 3107 (1 to 99). Click (OHIO), then in the box on the left hand side scroll to and click on Title XXXI, then scroll to and click on Chapter 3107. Use the buttons on the bottom of the pages to go to next and previous pages.
Oklahoma Statutes (Adoption, 1999), Title 10, Sections 7501 to 7510. Click OKLAHOMA, then us the next and previous buttons to navigate.
Oregon Revised Statutes (Adoption, 1999), Chapter 109, Sections .304 to .502. Click here OREGON, then scroll down the page to the content section to Section .304.
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes (Adoption, 1999), Title 23, Part III.
Rhode Island General Laws (Adoption), Title 15, Chapter 7, Sections 2 to 26
South Carolina code of Laws (Adoption), Title 20, Chapter 7 (Children's Code), Sections 1646 to 1897
South Dakota Codified Laws (Adoption), Title 25, chapter 6, Sections 1 to 24
Tennessee Code, Title 36, Chapter 1, Parts 1 and 2.
Texas Statutes (Adoption), Family Code, Title 5, Chapter 162. Click (TEXAS), then scroll and click on Title 5 Chapter 162, and look through all Sections.
Utah Code (Adoption), Title 78, Chapter 30, Sections 1 to 19
Vermont Statutes (Adoption), Title 15A, Articles 1 to 7
Virginia Code (Adoption), Title 63.2, Chapter 12, Sections 1200 to 1248
Washington Revised Code (Adoption), Title 26, Chapter 33, Sections 010 to 901
West Virginia Code (Adoption), Chapter 48, Sections 48-22-501 to 48-23-701.
Wisconsin Statutes (Adoption), Chapter 48, Subchapter VIII, Sections 48.40 to 48.975. Click WISCONSIN, then in the left hand box scroll to and click on Chapter 48, then scroll to Subchapter VIII Sections 48.40 by using the "more" button at the bottom of the scroll page.
Wyoming Statutes (Adoption), Title 1, Chapter 22, Articles 1 and 2