Can I start the adoption process in Kentucky today?

Yes, if you live in Kentucky, you can start your stepparent adoption today. Kentucky has no waiting period for residents under KRS § 199.470, so there is no minimum time you must live in the state before beginning. (Non-residents need 12 months in the state.)

What starting today looks like

• You answer questions online about your family, the child, and the other biological parent.
• We prepare your court document package for your county.
• You review and sign the papers, then file them with the Circuit Court in your county.

Kentucky has 120 counties, and the Circuit Court handles the adoption petition. The clerk's office in your county can tell you about local filing details.

What the Kentucky paperwork involves

• A Petition for Adoption.
• Consent forms, or a motion to dispense with consent.
• Your spouse's consent to the adoption.
• A criminal background check through the Kentucky State Police for adoption petitioners.
• Notice to the other parent, by personal service through a sheriff or process server. If that parent's location is unknown, service by publication is allowed after a diligent search.

Points that affect your starting plan

• Child's consent: Kentucky sets the child's consent age at 12 (KRS § 199.500).
• Other parent's consent: If the other parent has had no contact for 90 days (3 months), that can establish grounds for proceeding (KRS § 199.502). Whether this applies to your situation depends on your facts. Ask the Circuit Court clerk or an attorney about your specific circumstances, especially if the other parent might object or can't be found.
• Home study: It is waived in Kentucky (KRS § 199.473), so you don't need to schedule one before you begin.

Timeline and cost

• Stepparent adoptions in Kentucky typically take 3-6 months from filing to finalization.
• Court filing fees run about $150-$300.
• The total typically comes to under $1,000, compared with $3,000-$5,000+ for hiring an attorney.

What you need today

You only need a few minutes and what you know about your family. You don't need your court papers in hand to begin. Questions about a specific detail, such as whether your situation calls for a motion to dispense with consent, are best confirmed with your county's Circuit Court clerk or an attorney.

How we help

StepParent Adoption 360 is a document preparation service, not a law firm. You answer the questions online, and we prepare the complete court document package for your county. You then file it yourself without an attorney. Your court-ready documents are delivered within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions. The price is $349 for the first child (or one adult adoptee) and $99 for each additional child, backed by a 100% court acceptance guarantee. We have helped 501 Kentucky families, and more than 34,000 families nationally since 2001.