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Yes! Same-sex stepparent adoption is legal in all 50 states, including California. The process is exactly the same as any other stepparent adoption.
Since the Supreme Court's 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision, same-sex marriages have full legal recognition nationwide. Your stepparent adoption in California will be filed in Superior Court using the same process and the same documents.
Requirements are identical:
- Legal marriage to your spouse
- 0 months residency in California
- Consent or abandonment of the other biological parent
- Background check
- Child consent if age 12+
We've helped many same-sex families complete their adoptions. Our cost is the same $349, and we prepare all documents customized for your California county. There is no difference in the process or outcome.
Stepparent adoption in California at a glance
- Court
- Superior Court
- Residency before filing
- Must be actual residents of California; no specific duration required
- Typical timeline
- 3 months
- Court filing fee
- $200-$500
- Child must consent at age
- 12
- Home study
- Usually waived for stepparents
- California families we've helped
- 1,219
Adoption document specialists · 25+ years of experience · 34,000+ families helped.
Page layout updated . Individual answers have different research histories. This is general information; court requirements and individual circumstances can differ. Document preparation service, not a law firm.
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