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

Short answer: Oregon does not list a specific minimum age or required age gap for a stepparent who wants to adopt. For an adult adoptee, the person being adopted must be 18 or older or legally married (ORS 109.329(1)). If you are wondering whether your own age could be an issue, the Circuit Court clerk in your county can confirm any age detail.

Adopting your stepchild (a minor). The statutes we work from (ORS 109.276(1)) do not set a minimum age for the adopting stepparent or an age difference between you and the child. Oregon's stepparent adoption process focuses on other things:

• Court: You file your petition in the Circuit Court in your county.
• Residency: Oregon has a residency requirement of 6 months (ORS § 109.276(2)).
• Child's consent: A child who is 14 or older must consent to the adoption (ORS § 109.328).
• Home study: It is waived in stepparent adoptions (ORS § 109.276(7)(b); § 109.276(8)(a)(B)(ii)).
• Registered domestic partners: They can adopt their partner's child through the same stepparent adoption process.

Adopting an adult. Oregon allows adult adoption (ORS 109.329). The person being adopted must be 18 or older or legally married. The petitioner and the adoptee both give written consent, filed with the petition. The court must be satisfied that the adoption is "fit and proper" and that everyone involved understands what adoption means and is not acting under pressure. A home study is not required, and the court decides whether to hold a hearing. The Circuit Court handles these petitions too.

What if your situation involves an age question? Whether a particular age combination could matter to a judge depends on your facts. Oregon law on that point should be confirmed with the Circuit Court clerk or an attorney who can look at your circumstances. If the other birth parent's consent is contested or that parent can't be found, you should also check with the clerk or an attorney before filing.

Timeline and cost. Oregon stepparent adoptions typically take 3-6 months. Adult adoptions typically take 4-8 weeks. Court filing fees generally run $200-$350. The total typically comes to under $1,000, compared with $3,000-$5,000+ when hiring an attorney.

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 Oregon county. You then file it yourself without an attorney. The price is $349 for the first child (or for one adult adoptee) and $99 for each additional child. Court-ready documents are delivered within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions. We offer a 100% court acceptance guarantee and have helped 1121 Oregon families, and more than 34,000 families nationally since 2001.