Yes, absolutely! This is exactly what stepparent adoption is designed for, and it's the most common type of adoption in the United States.
In California, your spouse can adopt your child as long as:
- You are legally married
- You've met the 0-month residency requirement (Cal. Fam. Code § 8714)
- The other biological parent either consents or has abandoned the child (12+ months no contact)
- A background check is completed
- Home study is waived for stepparents in California
Once the adoption is finalized in Superior Court, your spouse becomes the child's legal parent with all rights and responsibilities — including inheritance, medical decisions, and the full parent-child relationship.
We've helped 1,219+ families in California do exactly this. Start at stepparentadoption360.com/portal/register.
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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