Adult Adoption Cost: Fees, Budget and State Examples

The short answer: an adult adoption is usually one of the least expensive adoptions there is. StepParent Adoption 360 prepares the document package for $349 for the first adult and $99 for each additional adult. Court charges are separate and set by your court. In California, for example, the courts list a $20 fee to file the petition for an adult adoption. Add certified copies, any required notice, and a new birth certificate if the name changes, and you have your budget.

What Goes Into an Adult Adoption Budget

Budget item	What to expect
Document preparation	StepParent Adoption 360: $349 for the first adult, $99 for each additional adult
Court filing fee	Set by your court. California's courts list $20 for the petition to approve an adult adoption agreement.
Notice or service	Only if your state requires it. Florida, for example, requires notice of the final hearing to the adult's parents.
Certified copies of the order	Charged per copy by the clerk
New birth certificate	Charged by the vital records office in the adult's birth state, if a new certificate is requested
Legal advice	Only if you want it, for example about estate planning or a disputed issue

Each item pays for something different. The filing fee goes to the court, the document preparation fee pays for your package, and any attorney fee pays for legal advice. Ask who receives each payment and what it covers, so nothing is counted twice.

Why Adult Adoptions Usually Cost Less

Several of the steps that add cost to a minor adoption are usually missing from an adult adoption:

• No consent fight with a biological parent. In an adult adoption, the key consent is the adult's own. California's courts say birth parents don't need to consent, and Nevada's law says the parents' agreement isn't required (NRS 127C.710). Texas requires the adult's written consent (Tex. Fam. Code § 162.504).
• Often no home study. California's courts say there's no required investigation or report in an adult adoption, although a judge can ask for one in some situations.
• A short packet. The documents are usually an agreement or petition, the consents, and a proposed order.

A Real Example: California

California's courts list $20 to file the petition for approval of an adoption agreement in an adult adoption. They also note there are no statewide official court forms for this process, so you prepare the agreement, petition, any spouse or domestic partner consents and the order, unless your county has pre-printed forms. If the adult is changing their name, a Court Report of Adoption (VS-44) goes to vital records so a new birth certificate can be created.

If you can't afford court fees in California, you can ask for a fee waiver using form FW-001. A granted waiver can cover filing fees and certified copies. See our California adult adoption guide for the full process.

When Notice Adds a Cost

Notice rules differ by state, and they're the most common reason one family's adult adoption costs more than another's.

• Florida requires written notice of the final hearing to the adult's parents, or proof of service, along with the adult's written consent and the consent of the adult's spouse, if any (Fla. Stat. § 63.062(8)). Serving that notice may involve a service fee. See our Florida filing checklist.
• California doesn't require the birth parents' consent, but the court may let them know about the hearing if it needs more information.
• Nevada lets the court require notice to other interested persons (NRS 127C.720).

Notice simply tells someone a hearing is happening. It isn't the same as needing their consent, and in these states the biological parents' consent isn't required for an adult adoption.

Do You Need an Attorney?

Many families file adult adoptions with a prepared document package and no attorney. You might want legal advice if you have questions about how the adoption affects an estate plan, public benefits or inheritance, or if someone disputes the adoption. Ask any attorney for a written quote for the specific issue.

A clerk can answer procedural questions about filing and fees, such as the current filing fee and how many copies to bring, but can't give legal advice.

A Practical Budget Checklist

For the documents themselves, see our adult adoption forms guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does an adult adoption cost?

StepParent Adoption 360 prepares the document package for $349 for the first adult and $99 for each additional adult. Court filing fees, any required notice, certified copies and a new birth certificate are paid separately. In California, the courts list a $20 filing fee for the petition.

Is adult adoption cheaper than adopting a minor stepchild?

Usually, yes. An adult adoption typically has no consent fight with a biological parent, often no home study, and a shorter set of documents. California, for example, has no required investigation or report in an adult adoption.

Can I get the court filing fee waived?

Many courts have a fee waiver process for people who can't afford court fees. In California it's form FW-001, and a granted waiver can cover the filing fee and certified copies. Ask your clerk about the process where you file.

Do I have to pay to notify the biological parents?

Only if your state requires notice. Florida requires notice of the final hearing to the adult's parents, which may involve a service fee. California doesn't require the parents' consent, though the court may notify them in some cases.

What does the $99 additional-adult price mean?

If you're adopting more than one adult, the first package is $349 and each additional adult is $99. Court fees for each case are set by your court.

About the Author

Doug Brown, Founder. Doug Brown has helped families prepare stepparent and adult adoption paperwork since 2001: more than 34,000 families in all 50 states. StepParent Adoption 360 is a document-preparation service, not a law firm, and doesn't give legal advice.

Sources: California Courts self-help guides, "Adult adoption in California" and "Ask for a fee waiver" (selfhelp.courts.ca.gov); Fla. Stat. § 63.062(8) (2026); Tex. Fam. Code § 162.504; Nevada Revised Statutes 127C.710 and 127C.720. Company figure (34,000+ families since 2001) is from our own records.