Is there an age limit for adult adoption in Michigan?

Michigan's adult adoption provisions do not state an age limit or an age-gap condition. A person may petition to "adopt a child or an adult," and the adoptee only needs to be an adult, meaning at least 18. The statute as written sets no minimum age for the person adopting and no required age difference (MCL 710.24(1), (2)(a)). If your situation involves an unusual age circumstance, the Family Division of Circuit Court clerk in your county or an attorney can confirm how it applies to you.

Who has to agree:

• The adoptee: If the person being adopted is an adult, their consent is necessary. Consent by any other individual is not required (MCL 710.43(3)). The consent age of 14 in Michigan's law applies to children, not adults.
• A married petitioner: You generally file together with your spouse. The court may allow a married person to adopt an adult without the spouse joining if all interested parties consent.
• The adoptee's parents: They are "interested parties" and must be served notice unless their rights were terminated or released, or they consented. Their consent is not required.

Home study and hearing:

• Investigation: When any adoption petition is filed, the court directs a full investigation. An adult adoption order can be entered only after the written report is filed (MCL 710.46). The only waiver in the statute, for a foster placement of 12 months or more, does not fit a typical adult adoption.
• Hearing: The court may enter the order once the adoptee consents, the investigation report is filed, and notice is served on interested parties. MCL 710.56(5) does not expressly mandate a hearing for adults, so ask the clerk how your county handles it.

Where and how to file:

• Court: Adult adoptions are filed in the Family Division of Circuit Court. The petition can be filed in the county where you live or where the adoptee is found, among other options.
• Residency: Michigan has no minimum residency period for adult adoption.
• Timeline: Adult adoptions typically finalize in 4-8 weeks.
• Court costs: Filing fees generally run $200-$500, and the clerk in your county can confirm the current am