How do I file for stepparent adoption in Denver, Colorado?

You file for stepparent adoption in Denver by preparing an adoption petition and court package and filing it with the District Court in your Colorado county. Colorado has no minimum residency period for filing (C.R.S. §§ 19-5-201, 19-5-204), and a home study is waived for stepparent adoptions (C.R.S. § 19-5-209(1)).

Where to file: Stepparent adoptions in Colorado are handled by the District Court. Colorado has 64 counties, and each court has its own clerk's office. Confirm the filing location, the current fee and any local procedures with the District Court clerk for your county before you file.

The basic steps:

• Gather your information. You'll need details about the child, both biological parents, and your marriage to the child's parent.
• Prepare your petition and supporting documents. The court package includes the petition and the consent forms that apply to your family.
• File with the District Court clerk. The filing fee typically runs $200-$500. The clerk can confirm the exact amount.
• Attend the court process. The clerk can tell you how hearings are scheduled in your county.
• Receive the decree. Afterward, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Vital Records is the agency to ask about records reflecting the adoption.

Consent from the child: A child who is 12 or older must consent to their own adoption (C.R.S. § 19-5-203). The consent forms for this are part of the paperwork.

If the other biological parent is not involved: Colorado's abandonment provision uses a 12-month period (C.R.S. § 19-5-203(1)(d)(II)). Whether it fits your situation depends on the facts of your family. If the other parent may object, cannot be located, or the situation is contested, talk to the District Court clerk about procedure and to an attorney about your specific case.

Home study: Colorado does not require a home study for stepparent adoptions (C.R.S. § 19-5-209(1)), which keeps the process simpler and less expensive.

Name change: Colorado allows a name change for the child as part of the stepparent adoption process at no additional cost.

Timeline: A stepparent adoption in Colorado typically takes about 3-6 months. The pace in Denver depends on the court's schedule and on whether everyone who needs to consent does so promptly.

Your age: An adopting parent must generally be 21 or older (C.R.S. § 19-5-202). A minor may petition only with court approval.

Typical cost: Court filing fees of $200-$500 plus document preparation usually keep the total under $1,000. Attorney representation for a stepparent adoption often runs $3,000-$5,000+.

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. You then file it yourself without an attorney. The price is $349 for the first child, plus $99 for each additional child. Court-ready documents are delivered within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions, and we back them with a 100% court acceptance guarantee. We've helped 526 Colorado families, and more than 34,000 families nationally since 2001.