How old do you have to be to adopt in Colorado?

Short answer: In Colorado, you generally need to be 21 or older to adopt, and that includes foster parents (C.R.S. § 19-5-202). A person under 21 may still petition, but only with court approval.

What this means for stepparents

• If you are 21 or older, you meet Colorado's basic age requirement to file a stepparent adoption petition.
• If you are under 21, the law allows a minor to petition with the court's approval. Whether the court would approve in your situation depends on your facts, so ask the District Court clerk in your county or an attorney.
• C.R.S. § 19-5-202 does not state a required age gap between the adopting parent and the child. If you have a question about age differences in your family, the District Court clerk can confirm how it is handled.

Other age-related points to know

• Child's consent: A child who is 12 or older must consent to their own adoption (C.R.S. § 19-5-203). It is usually a straightforward form, and a child under 12 does not have this consent requirement.
• Adult adoptees: If the person you want to adopt is an adult, Colorado has separate rules. With court approval, a person aged 18 up to (but not including) 21 may be adopted as a child under C.R.S. § 19-5-201. An adult of any age may also be adopted as an heir at law under C.R.S. § 14-1-101, and the adoptee must file a written answer consenting. Those cases are filed in the juvenile court of the county. Details such as home study requirements for adult adoptions should be confirmed with the court clerk.

Where the case is filed

Stepparent adoptions are filed in the District Court (C.R.S. §§ 19-5-201, 19-5-204). Colorado has no minimum residency period before you can file.

Other requirements that are not age-based

• Abandonment: If the other biological parent has had no meaningful contact for 12 months, that period is relevant to adoption without their consent (C.R.S. § 19-5-203(1)(d)(II)). Contested or unknown-parent situations depend on specific facts, so talk to the clerk or an attorney about those.
• Home study: Colorado does not require one for stepparent adoptions (C.R.S. § 19-5-209(1)).
• Timeline: Stepparent adoptions typically take 3-6 months.
• Court costs: Filing fees typically range from $200-$500.

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, and you receive court-ready documents within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions. We have helped 526 Colorado families, along with 34,000+ families nationally since 2001, and we back every package with a 100% court acceptance guarantee.