How do I adopt my stepson or stepdaughter in South Carolina?

You adopt your stepchild in South Carolina by filing a petition for adoption in the Family Court of your county, getting the required consents, and attending a final hearing where the judge decides whether to finalize the adoption. The process is governed by South Carolina Code of Laws Title 63, Chapter 9, and stepparent adoption here is fairly straightforward.

Where you file: Your case goes to the Family Court in your South Carolina county. There are 46 counties, and each clerk's office can tell you about local filing practices, whether you live in Charleston, Columbia, North Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Rock Hill or elsewhere.

Residency: South Carolina has no minimum residency period before you can file (S.C. Code § 63-9-60(A)).

What you typically file:

• A Petition for Adoption
• A financial affidavit
• Your spouse's consent to the adoption (your spouse is the child's parent)
• The court filing fee, typically in the range of $150-$350

Consent and the other parent: Your spouse consents in writing. The child's own consent comes into play at age 14 (S.C. Code § 63-9-310). The child's other legal parent is a separate question. If that parent agrees, the paperwork is simpler. If that parent does not agree, cannot be found, or has been out of the child's life, the outcome depends on the specific facts. South Carolina's abandonment period is six months (S.C. Code § 63-7-2570), but whether it applies to your family is something to confirm with the Family Court clerk or an attorney, especially in a contested case.

Notice to the other parent: When notice is required, South Carolina allows personal service, or service by publication if the parent's location is unknown.

Home study: A home study is waived in stepparent adoptions (S.C. Code § 63-9-1110(1)), which removes a step that can add time and cost in other types of adoption.

The final hearing: After your documents are filed and any required notice is handled, you attend a hearing before the Family Court judge. The judge reviews your case, and if the adoption is approved, the court issues the adoption decree. The typical stepparent adoption timeline is 3-6 months.

After the decree: Once the adoption is final, you can ask about an updated birth certificate through South Carolina DHEC Vital Records. The clerk can tell you which certified copies to order and how.

What it costs: Court filing fees typically run $150-$350, and the total cost of a stepparent adoption done without an attorney is typically under $1,000. Attorney representation commonly runs $3,000-$5,000+. You are free to consult an attorney for any part of your case that is complicated, such as an unknown or unwilling parent.

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, which you file yourself without an attorney.