Your question, explained
When the biological parent consents, the process is typically faster and may cost slightly less overall. Here's the breakdown for a consented adoption in Illinois:
- Our document preparation: $349 (one child) + $99 each additional
- Court filing fees: $200-$500 depending on your county
- Background check: $50–$100
- Service of process: May not be needed if bio parent signs consent voluntarily
Consented adoptions in Illinois typically move through Circuit Court faster because there's no need to establish abandonment or wait for response to service. Timeline is typically on the shorter end of 3-6 months.
Stepparent adoption in Illinois at a glance
- Court
- Circuit Court
- Residency before filing
- No residency period for a stepparent adoption (the 6-month rule does not apply to a related child)
- Typical timeline
- 3-6 months
- Court filing fee
- $200-$500
- Child must consent at age
- 14
- Home study
- Usually waived for stepparents
- Illinois families we've helped
- 1,101
Published by Douglas Brown & the StepParent Adoption 360 team
Adoption document specialists · 25+ years of experience · 34,000+ families helped.
Page layout updated . Individual answers have different research histories. This is general information; court requirements and individual circumstances can differ. Document preparation service, not a law firm.
Get to know our team →