How do I adopt my stepson or stepdaughter in Florida?

You adopt your stepchild in Florida by filing a stepparent adoption petition in the Circuit Court in your county, with the required consents, background checks and supporting paperwork, under Florida Statutes Chapter 63. Many stepparents finish without an attorney. Here is how the process works.

Where you file: Florida adoptions are handled by the Circuit Court. Florida has 67 counties, and you file in the county that fits your family. The clerk there can confirm local filing details and any residency questions for your situation.

The basic steps:

• Prepare the petition and supporting documents required by Fla. Stat. § 63.102.
• Gather the consents required under Fla. Stat. § 63.062. Florida sets the age for a child's consent at 12.
• Complete the FDLE and FBI background checks.
• Ask the court to order the Putative Father Registry search. Under Fla. Stat. § 63.054, the registry must be searched in each adoption proceeding.
• File everything with the Circuit Court clerk and follow the court's instructions until the adoption is finalized.

Home study: Stepparents are exempt from the home study in Florida (Fla. Stat. § 63.092), which removes a step that can slow other adoptions down.

The other parent: Florida does not require a separate termination case for a stepparent adoption. Under Fla. Stat. § 63.172, the adoption ends the other parent's parental rights and child support obligation at the same time. If the other parent consents, that is usually the simpler path. If the other parent won't consent or can't be found, Fla. Stat. § 63.064 covers consent waiver. Abandonment is addressed in Fla. Stat. § 63.089, and Florida sets no fixed number of months for it. It depends on the parent's overall conduct. Because these situations turn on your specific facts, talk to the Circuit Court clerk or an attorney about a contested case or a parent you can't locate.

What the adoption gives you and your child:

• Full parental rights and responsibilities
• Inheritance rights for your child under Fla. Stat. § 63.172
• Medical decision-making authority
• Educational decision-making rights
• Social Security and insurance benefits

Timeline and cost: A stepparent adoption in Florida typically takes about 3 months.