Are there any special requirements for adoption in South Carolina?

Yes, South Carolina has a few specific requirements, though the stepparent adoption process is fairly straightforward. Your case is handled by the Family Court, and the main points to know are below.

Court and filing. Stepparent adoptions in South Carolina go through the Family Court, and the state has 46 counties. Each county's clerk can confirm local filing details. Court filing fees typically run $150-$350, and the total cost of a stepparent adoption is typically under $1,000 when you prepare the paperwork without an attorney. Attorney-handled adoptions often run $3,000-$5,000+.

Core paperwork. Expect to prepare:

• A Petition for Adoption
• A financial affidavit
• The spouse's consent to the adoption
• The court filing fee

Residency. South Carolina sets no minimum residency period for adoption under S.C. Code § 63-9-60(A). You do not need to wait a set number of months before filing.

Child's consent. If the child is 14 or older, the child's consent is required under S.C. Code § 63-9-310.

Home study. A home study is waived for stepparent adoptions under S.C. Code § 63-9-1110(1). That removes a step that often adds time and cost elsewhere.

Notice to the other parent. South Carolina allows personal service and, if the other parent's location is unknown, service by publication. The abandonment period is 6 months under S.C. Code § 63-7-2570. Whether that applies to your family depends on your specific facts, such as how long the other parent has been out of the child's life. For a contested case or an unknown or missing parent, check with the Family Court clerk or an attorney about your situation.

Final hearing and timeline. You attend a final hearing before the Family Court. Stepparent adoptions in South Carolina typically take 3-6 months.

Birth certificate. After the adoption is final, South Carolina DHEC Vital Records is the agency that handles birth certificate records. It can tell you how to request an updated certificate.

Adult adoption. South Carolina also permits one adult to adopt another adult under S.C. Code Ann. § 63-9-1120. The statute does not require a home study, but a hearing is required. The person being adopted must consent in writing, and so must the spouse of a sole adoptive parent, if there is one. Adult adoptions typically take 4-8 weeks. The petition is filed in the Family Court of the county where the adoptive parents reside.

Where the rules come from. These requirements fall under South Carolina Code of Laws Title 63, Chapter 9. If something in your family's situation is unusual, the Family Court clerk in your county can point you to the right procedure.

How we help. StepParent Adoption 360 is a document preparation service, not a law firm. You answer questions online, and we prepare the complete court document package for your county. Then you file it yourself without an attorney. The price is $349 for the first child (or for one adult adoptee) and $99 for each additional child. You receive court-ready documents within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions, backed by our 100% court acceptance guarantee. We have helped 942 South Carolina families.