How old do you have to be to adopt in New Hampshire?

You must be at least 18 years old to adopt in New Hampshire. The law lets "adults" adopt, and anyone under 18 is a minor, so 18 is the minimum age for a stepparent (RSA 170-B:4; RSA 170-B:2, I and XI).

What the age rule means for you

• Once you are 18 or older, you meet the age requirement to petition as a stepparent.
• The statute sections on who may adopt do not set an age gap between you and the person being adopted. If you wonder whether an age difference could matter in your situation, the Circuit Court clerk in your county can confirm.

Other age that matters: the child's age

• If the child is 14 or older, the child's consent is part of the process (RSA 170-B:3, I).
• For an adult adoptee, the adoptee must also agree in writing, signed in the presence of the court. The court can excuse this only if it finds that requiring it is not in the adoptee's best interests.

Other basics that often come up with age questions

• Residency: New Hampshire has no minimum residency period before you can file (RSA 170-B:15, I).
• Court: Your petition goes to the Circuit Court. New Hampshire has 10 counties, so ask the clerk in your county about local filing details and the current filing fee.
• Home study: In stepparent adoptions, the home study is waived (RSA § 170-B:18).
• Timeline: A stepparent adoption typically takes 3-6 months. An adult adoption typically takes 4-8 weeks.

What age does not decide

Being old enough is only the first step. Whether the other legal parent must consent, or whether a parent's rights must be ended first, depends on your family's facts. If the other parent is unknown, unreachable, or likely to object, talk with the Circuit Court clerk or an attorney about that specific issue before you file.

Adopting an adult

An adult can also be adopted in New Hampshire. The same minimum age of 18 applies to the person adopting. The adoptee's written assent is part of the process. If the adoptee is married, the adoptee's spouse must also assent, though the court can waive that for good cause. A hearing is required, and the court may issue a final decree at the end of it if the needed assents are in place and the adoption is in the adoptee's best interests.

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. Court-ready documents arrive within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions. The price is $349 for the first child (or one adult adoptee) and $99 for each additional child, and we back the work with a 100% court acceptance guarantee. We have helped 114 New Hampshire families, and more than 34,000 families nationally since 2001.