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

Yes, you can start a stepparent adoption in Florida right after moving here, because Florida sets no minimum residency period before you file. Your petition goes to the Circuit Court in your county, and the court clerk can confirm which county is the right one for your situation.

What recently moving means for you:

• You don't have to wait out a set number of months before you begin.
• If you have questions about where to file, such as the child or the other parent living in another state, ask the Circuit Court clerk or an attorney. That depends on your specific facts.

What Florida does require (Fla. Stat. § 63.102):

• Consent from a child age 12 or older. If your stepchild is 12 or older, the child's consent is part of the process (Fla. Stat. § 63.062).
• Putative Father Registry search. Florida requires the registry to be searched in each adoption, and the court orders the search (Fla. Stat. § 63.054).
• Background checks. FDLE and FBI background checks are required.
• No home study for stepparents. Florida waives the home study here (Fla. Stat. § 63.092).

If the other parent won't consent or is absent: Florida sets no fixed number of months for abandonment. It depends on the parent's overall conduct (Fla. Stat. § 63.089). Because every case differs, a contested case or an unknown or unreachable parent is a question for an attorney or the Circuit Court clerk.

What adoption changes: Under Fla. Stat. § 63.172, a stepparent adoption ends the other parent's child support obligation and parental rights at the same time. The child gains inheritance rights under that same section. You also gain full parental rights and responsibilities, including medical and educational decision-making and access to Social Security and insurance benefits for the child.

Timeline and cost:

• A stepparent adoption in Florida typically takes about 3 months.
• Court filing fees run about $200-$500, and the typical total cost is under $1,000.
• Attorney representation typically costs $3,000-$5,000+. Florida allows you to represent yourself in a stepparent adoption, though a contested case is a good time to consult an attorney.

Getting ready now: Gather your marriage certificate and your stepchild's birth certificate, and think through where the other parent stands. Starting the paperwork early means you're ready to file when you are.

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 file it yourself without an attorney. The price is $349 for the first child, plus $99 for each additional child. Court-ready documents are delivered within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions, backed by a 100% court acceptance guarantee. We've helped 1228 Florida families, and 34,000+ families nationally since 2001.