Can I start the adoption process in Idaho today?

Yes, you can start a stepparent adoption in Idaho today. Getting started means answering questions online, and you don't have to wait on court paperwork, gather documents, or visit a courthouse first. The court process comes after, and it is handled by the Magistrate Court in your county.

What you can do today

• Answer the questions about your family, the child, and the other biological parent.
• Have the information about your household and the child's other parent ready, so the forms can be prepared for your county.
• Hold off on filing until your paperwork is complete. Filing comes after your documents are prepared.

What happens after you start

• Your court documents are prepared for your Idaho county. Idaho has 44 counties, and filing happens in the Magistrate Court where you file.
• You review and sign the documents, then file them with the court and pay the filing fee, typically $150-$250.
• Idaho stepparent adoptions typically take about 3-6 months from filing to finalization.

Idaho points to check before you file

• Residency: Idaho sets a 6-month residency requirement under Idaho Code § 16-1506(1). If you aren't sure how it applies to your family, the Magistrate Court clerk in your county can confirm.
• Child's consent: A child who is 12 or older must consent under Idaho Code § 16-1504.
• Other parent's rights: Idaho treats termination of the other parent's rights as a separate step, using either a consent form or a termination petition. Under Idaho Code § 16-2005, abandonment is measured at 12 months. Idaho allows a parent's consent to be signed any time after the child's birth.
• Home study: Idaho waives the home study in stepparent adoptions under Idaho Code § 16-1506.
• Finding the other parent: If you don't know where the other parent is, Idaho allows service by publication. Otherwise, service can be made personally by the sheriff or a process server.

When to ask for individual help

If the other parent may contest the adoption, can't be located, or your situation is unusual in some other way, ask the Magistrate Court clerk in your county or an attorney about that specific issue. Idaho Code Title 16, Chapter 15 is the part of Idaho law that governs adoptions, and a clerk or attorney can tell you how it applies to your facts.

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. Documents are ready within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions. The price is $349 for the first child (or for one adult adoptee) and $99 for each additional child, with a 100% court acceptance guarantee. We have helped 527 Idaho families, and more than 34,000 families nationwide since 2001. Typical total costs in Idaho run under $1,000, compared with $3,000-$5,000+ for an attorney.