Can I adopt my stepchild if we recently moved to Colorado?

Yes, you can start a stepparent adoption in Colorado right after moving here, because Colorado has no minimum residency period before you file (C.R.S. §§ 19-5-201, 19-5-204). You don't have to wait months to "qualify" as a Colorado resident.

What this means for you:

• You don't need to count days or months in the state before your case can begin.
• Which District Court is the right one for your case depends on your family's situation. The District Court clerk in the county where you live can confirm where to file. Colorado has 64 counties, so it helps to ask before you submit anything.
• If you recently moved from another state, the court clerk is also the best person to ask about paperwork from your old state, such as prior custody or support orders.

Other Colorado points that still apply after a move:

• Child's consent: A child who is 12 or older must consent to their own adoption (C.R.S. § 19-5-203). If your stepchild is that age, plan for the consent forms.
• The other biological parent: If that parent has had no contact for 12 months, Colorado's abandonment provision may come into play (C.R.S. § 19-5-203(1)(d)(II)). Whether it fits your situation depends on the facts. For a contested case or an unknown or unreachable parent, check with the District Court clerk or an attorney about your specific circumstances.
• Home study: Colorado does not require a home study for stepparent adoptions (C.R.S. § 19-5-209(1)).
• Name change: The child's name can be changed as part of the adoption at no additional cost.

Timeline and cost: A stepparent adoption in Colorado typically takes 3-6 months. The court filing fee typically runs $200-$500, and the total is typically under $1,000. Hiring an attorney commonly costs $3,000-$5,000 or more.

Gathering your documents: Even though you aren't waiting on residency, you'll want paperwork ready, such as your marriage certificate and the child's birth certificate. For records held in Colorado, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Vital Records is the agency to contact. For records from another state, you would contact that state's vital records office.

Things to confirm with the clerk: Because you've just moved, ask the District Court clerk in your county about local filing details and anything else specific to your situation. Colorado's law is in Colorado Revised Statutes Title 19, Article 5, but the clerk can tell you how things work day to day in your county.

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. You then file it yourself without an attorney. The price is $349 for the first child and $99 for each additional child. Court-ready documents are delivered within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions, and we offer a 100% court acceptance guarantee. We've helped 526 Colorado families, and more than 34,000 families nationally since 2001.