How Much Does Stepparent Adoption Cost in Georgia (2026)

The short answer: a Georgia stepparent adoption usually starts with two costs: StepParent Adoption 360's $349 document package (plus $99 for each additional child) and your county's superior court filing fee, which is roughly $200 to $220 in the counties we checked. Add the fingerprint background check Georgia requires, and service or publication only if your case needs it. The other parent's consent usually isn't one of your costs: in our experience, about 80% of the stepparent adoptions we've completed went forward without the other biological parent's consent. The father never signs, and the judge approves the adoption anyway.

What Belongs in Your Georgia Budget?

Expense	Amount	Where to confirm
Document preparation	$349 for one child; $99 for each additional child	Our pricing and budget tool
Superior court filing fee	Set by county; about $200 to $220 in the examples below	Your county clerk of superior court
Fingerprint background check	Fee set by the fingerprinting provider	The provider, and your clerk or judge's office
Service on the other parent	Only if he needs to be served; get a quote	Your sheriff or a process server
Publication	Only if he can't be found; quoted by the newspaper	The newspaper the court designates
Certified copies of the final order	Per page, set by the clerk	Your clerk
Court-ordered investigation	Only if the court appoints one	The court

Court Filing Fees: What Georgia Counties Charge

Stepparent adoptions in Georgia are filed with the clerk of the superior court, and each county posts its own fee schedule. Adoptions are usually billed as a general civil filing. Two examples from county clerks' published schedules:

• Coweta County lists general civil actions at $215, notes that civil actions include adoptions, and notes that all civil superior court filing fees increased by $4.00 as of July 1, 2024. Certified copies are $2.50 for the first page and $0.50 for each additional page.
• Cobb County lists "General Civil (including Adoptions, Divorces, and Name Changes)" at $218 on its posted schedule, labeled effective January 1, 2020.

Call or check your own county clerk's website before you file. If the fee is a hardship, ask the clerk whether you qualify for a fee waiver.

The Background Check

Georgia requires the stepparent to provide a fingerprint-based criminal history check. The state child-welfare agency's policy says that in a stepparent adoption, the petitioner submits fingerprints to the Georgia Crime Information Center with the appropriate fees, and the court decides whether the results are acceptable (Georgia DFCS policy 11.23). Some courts require the national NCIC check as well: Cherokee County Superior Court's adoption standing order requires stepparent petitioners to complete fingerprint-based checks through both NCIC and GCIC, with the results sent to the judge's office. Budget for the fingerprinting provider's fee.

Do You Pay for a Home Study?

Usually not. Georgia's child-welfare agency investigates a stepparent adoption only when the court appoints it to (Georgia DFCS policy 11.23). Many states don't require a full home study for stepparent adoptions (Child Welfare Information Gateway), and in Georgia the background check is the piece you can count on. Don't pay a private home-study provider unless your court tells you a report is required.

Does Going Without the Other Parent's Consent Cost More?

Usually very little, and it's the most common way these cases go. Georgia lets the court grant the adoption without the other parent's surrender of rights when it finds, by clear and convincing evidence, that the parent (O.C.G.A. § 19-8-10, as summarized by the Child Welfare Information Gateway):

The extra costs in that situation are usually just service (if you know where he is) or publication (if you don't), plus your time gathering the history: his last visit, last call and last support payment. No extra attorney is required for an uncontested case.

If he agrees, he signs a surrender of his rights. In Georgia, a surrender can be revoked within four days after signing; after that, it can't (Child Welfare Information Gateway summary of Georgia law).

If you can't find him

"Cannot be found after a diligent search" is itself one of Georgia's grounds. Do a real search (last known addresses, relatives, social media, public records), keep a dated log, and the court can authorize notice by publication. The newspaper quotes the cost.

Three Planning Examples

Example	What you'll pay
One child, other parent signs a surrender	$349 + county filing fee + fingerprinting + certified copies
One child, other parent served by the sheriff	The same, plus the service fee
Two children, other parent can't be found	$349 + $99 + filing fees + fingerprinting + publication + certified copies

Ask your clerk whether siblings are filed together or separately in your county; that affects how many filing fees you pay.

What Can Increase the Cost?

• A contested case. If the other parent actively fights the adoption, that's a good time to get a quote from a local attorney for the specific work involved.
• A court-ordered investigation. Only if the court appoints one.
• Extra certified copies. You'll want several for Social Security, school, insurance and passports.

How to Keep Costs Low

How Long Does It Take?

Many uncontested adoptions finish within a few months. Your county court's calendar, the background check, and any publication period set the pace. See our complete Georgia stepparent adoption guide for the full process.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a stepparent adoption cost in Georgia?

Plan for $349 for our document package (plus $99 per additional child), your county's superior court filing fee (about $200 to $220 in the counties we checked), the fingerprint background check, and service or publication only if needed.

Can I adopt my stepchild in Georgia without hiring a lawyer?

Many families prepare their own papers for an uncontested stepparent adoption. If the other parent contests the adoption, that's the time to talk with a Georgia family law attorney.

Does it cost more if the other parent is absent?

Usually only the cost of service or publication. Georgia lets the court proceed without his surrender if, for a year or longer without justifiable cause, he significantly failed to communicate with or support the child, abandoned the child, or can't be found after a diligent search (O.C.G.A. § 19-8-10). In our experience, about 80% of the stepparent adoptions we've completed went forward without the other parent's consent.

Does Georgia require a home study for stepparent adoption?

Not automatically. The state child-welfare agency investigates only when the court appoints it. You will need a fingerprint-based background check.

Can unmarried couples do a stepparent adoption in Georgia?

Georgia's stepparent path is for the spouse of the child's parent (O.C.G.A. § 19-8-6). If you aren't married, see the Georgia state guide or talk with a Georgia attorney about other options.

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: Child Welfare Information Gateway state law summaries for Georgia (O.C.G.A. §§ 19-8-3, 19-8-6, 19-8-10) and "Stepparent Adoption" factsheet; Georgia DFCS Policy Manual 11.23; Cherokee County Superior Court Adoption Standing Order; Coweta County and Cobb County superior court clerk fee schedules (checked October 7, 2026). Company figures (34,000+ families since 2001; about 80% of completed stepparent adoptions without the other parent's consent) are from our own records.