Can I adopt my stepchild if I work out of state but live in Washington DC?

Yes. If your home is in Washington DC, working out of state does not by itself stop you from adopting your stepchild here, and Washington DC sets no minimum residency period for a stepparent adoption (D.C. Code § 16-301(b)).

What this means for you:

• Washington DC has no required waiting period of living here before you file. What matters is that the District is your home.
• A job in Virginia, Maryland or farther away, frequent business travel, or remote work does not change where you live.
• Because the District is a single jurisdiction, you file in the Superior Court, with no county to choose.

Where it gets fact-specific:

• If you live in another state and only commute into Washington DC for work, you are in a different position. Whether you can file in the Superior Court depends on your facts, and the Superior Court clerk or an attorney should confirm it before you start.
• If your living situation is mixed, such as a second home elsewhere or a long work assignment away, ask the clerk how the court looks at it for your case.
• Whether the court asks for particular proof of residence, such as a lease, a license or tax records, is also a question for the clerk.

Other parts of the process that don't depend on where you work:

• Home study: Washington DC waives it for stepparent adoptions (D.C. Code § 16-308(a)(2)), so there is no separate home study to schedule around your travel.
• Child's consent: A child who is 14 or older must consent (D.C. Code § 16-304).
• The other parent: If the child's other legal parent is involved, the rules on consent and on abandonment, which is a period of 6 months in Washington DC (D.C. Code § 16-304), depend heavily on the facts. If the other parent is unknown, unreachable or likely to object, talk to the Superior Court clerk or an adoption attorney about that specific issue.
• Timeline: Stepparent adoptions in Washington D