Cheap Stepparent Adoption's Affordable Path to Legal Family Unity: Complete Cost Guide 2026

Stepparent adoption is an affordable way to legally unite your family, and it's much simpler than most people think. With StepParent Adoption 360, you can complete your adoption for just $349 plus court costs (approximately $300-500), saving thousands compared to hiring an attorney.

We've helped over 30,000 families successfully complete their adoptions since 1999 – more than any other company in the world. Every one of our clients has been able to complete their adoption.

Our Service: $349

• $349 for one child
• $95 for each additional child (e.g., 2 children = $420)
• Includes all court-approved documents for your state
• Documents delivered within 24 hours
• Step-by-step instructions and support throughout the process
• Unlimited revisions if needed

Court Costs (What You Pay to the Court): Approximately $300-500

Expense	Typical Cost
Filing fees	$0 – $450 (average ~$150; Florida highest at ~$450)
Service of process (sheriff)	~$50
Background check	$50-100
Home study (if required – about half of states allow waiver)	$300-400 (California ~$600)

Compare to Attorney Fees

According to Justia.com, hiring an attorney for stepparent adoption typically costs $1,000-$3,000 for uncontested cases, and can reach $5,000-6,000. With our service, you can save thousands while getting the same court-approved result.

Here's what most people don't realize: Most of the adoptions we help families complete are done without the other parent's consent. This is completely normal and routine.

The consent of the other biological parent is not required to do a stepparent adoption. If the other parent has abandoned the child – meaning they haven't maintained meaningful contact – the court will approve the adoption without their consent.

Courts are very familiar with completing stepparent adoptions without consent. They want children to have the unity and security of a two-parent home.

Abandonment Definitions:

• Most states: No meaningful contact for 1 year
• Pennsylvania: 90 days
• Alabama: 6 months

Note: "Token contact" (occasional phone call, one visit) doesn't count. And child support payments don't negate abandonment – it's about the relationship, not money.

The court process typically takes about 3 months from filing to finalization. Adult adoptions can be completed in 4-6 weeks.

Our documents are prepared within 24 hours of your order submission.

This is very common in the adoptions we help families complete. When the other parent's whereabouts are unknown, they're served by "publication" – a standard legal process where notice is published in a newspaper. Courts handle this routinely, and we'll help you through every step.

Many states now allow "second parent adoptions" for couples who are not legally married, including: California, Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and many others. We've completed adoptions for unmarried families across the country.

• All court-approved legal documents for your adoption
• State-specific forms tailored to your county
• Detailed step-by-step instructions
• Support throughout the entire process
• Unlimited document revisions
• Court acceptance guarantee

• Total cost: $349 + approximately $300-500 in court costs = ~$625-825 total
• Consent usually NOT required when the other parent has abandoned the child
• Timeline: About 3 months (not the scary about 3 months you might read elsewhere)
• 30,000+ families have completed their adoptions with our help
• All our clients are able to complete their adoptions

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Start your stepparent adoption today with StepParent Adoption 360. Our simple 10-minute questionnaire will generate your personalized, court-approved document package for just $349 (+ $95 per additional child).

Start Your Free Questionnaire →

✓ Court-approved forms for your state
✓ 24-hour document delivery
✓ 30,000+ families helped since 1999
✓ 100% satisfaction guarantee

Questions? Call us at 855-924-0450 (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm MST)