In this answer · 3 sections
In California, stepparent adoptions are filed in Superior Court. The specific court location depends on which county you live in.
How to find your court:
- Determine which county you live in (your home address determines this)
- Find the Superior Court for that county
- File your petition at that courthouse
California has 58 counties, each with its own court system. Our document package is customized for your specific county's requirements, forms, and procedures.
What we include in your $349 package:
- All forms specific to your county
- The courthouse address and filing instructions
- Any supplemental local forms required
- Filing fee information for your specific court
What to do when you get to the courthouse:
- Go to the clerk's office (usually on the main floor)
- Tell them you are filing a Petition for Stepparent Adoption
- Hand them your signed documents
- Pay the filing fee ($200-$500)
- Get your stamped copies back with the case number
You do NOT need an appointment — most courts accept filings during regular business hours.
We've helped families file in every county in California. 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.
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