Can my stepchild keep their current last name after adoption in Colorado?

Yes. In Colorado, a name change is an option that can be part of a stepparent adoption, so your stepchild's current last name can stay the same if that is what your family chooses. Colorado allows name changes as part of the stepparent adoption process at no additional cost, so the name is a choice you make, not a fee or a hurdle.

Your choices:

• Keep the current last name. The adoption changes who the child's legal parent is. Your family decides whether the name changes too.
• Change to your last name. This is the choice many stepfamilies think of first.
• Hyphenate. Combine the current last name with yours.
• Change a first or middle name. This is also something to raise with the court if you want it.

Why families sometimes keep the current name:

• An older child feels strongly connected to their name.
• The child asks to keep it.
• You want to honor the biological parent's side of the family, especially if that parent has passed away.
• You want to avoid confusion with school records and friends.
• The child may want to decide about a name change later, on their own terms.

How it works in Colorado:

• Your adoption case is filed in the District Court in your county.
• The name the child will have is part of what you tell the court in your paperwork. Because Colorado includes name changes in the adoption process, you don't need a separate name-change case or a separate name-change fee.
• The court filing fee is typically in the range of $200-$500, and it is the same whichever name you choose. Your District Court clerk can confirm the exact amount in your county.
• Stepparent adoptions in Colorado typically take about 3-6 months.
• After the adoption, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Vital Records is the agency that handles the child's birth record. Check with them on how to request an updated certificate.

Talk with your child first. In Colorado, a child who is 12 or older must consent to their own adoption (C.R.S. § 19-5-203). That consent is about the adoption itself, but it is a natural moment to ask an older child how they feel about their name. Younger children can be part of the conversation too, in a way that fits their age.

If your situation is more complicated. If the other biological parent objects, or you have questions about how the judge will handle a specific name request, the District Court clerk in your county or an attorney can answer that for your facts. This page is general information, not legal advice.

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, including your name choice for your child. You then file it yourself without an attorney. The price is $349 for the first child and $99 for each additional child, whichever name you pick. Court-ready documents arrive within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions, and they come with a 100% court acceptance guarantee. We have helped 526 Colorado families.