Is there an age limit for adult adoption in Missouri?

There is no age limit written into the Missouri adult adoption statute that we found, other than that the person being adopted must be 18 or older. Under RSMo § 453.010, "any person desiring to adopt another person as his or her child" may petition. The statute states no minimum age for the adopting person and no required age gap between you and the person you want to adopt. Whether any other age-related rule applies to your situation is a question for the Circuit Court clerk in your county or an attorney.

Who can be adopted: At 18 or older, the adoptee is treated as an adult, and the adult process applies. The court still has to approve the adoption as the welfare of the person being adopted may demand.

Consent: When the person being adopted is 18 or older, his or her written consent alone is sufficient. The parental consents in RSMo § 453.030 apply only when the adoptee is under 18. If the adopting person is married, the spouse may join the petition. If the spouse does not, the court may order joinder after a hearing, and it may dismiss the case if that order isn't followed.

Other requirements that matter for adults:

• Residency: Missouri sets no minimum residency period. One venue option is the county where the petitioner lives.
• Home study: The mandatory investigation applies to the adoption of a child under eighteen, so the statute does not require it for adults (RSMo § 453.070).
• Court: Adult adoptions are handled by the juvenile division of the Circuit Court.
• Hearing: A hearing is required, where the court decides whether to finalize the adoption. An out-of-state petitioner may appear by video if their attorney appears in person. Some of the findings listed for hearings are written with children in mind, so the clerk can tell you how your county handles them.

Timeline and cost: Adult adoptions in Missouri typically take about 4-8 weeks. Court filing fees generally run $200-$500, and the total is typically under $1,000, compared with $3,000-$5,000+ when hiring an attorney.

When to get individualized help: If anyone is likely to object, if you're unsure about a particular family circumstance, or if you have questions the statute doesn't obviously answer, ask the clerk or a Missouri attorney about that specific issue.

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 are delivered within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions. The price is $349 for one adult adoptee, backed by our 100% court acceptance guarantee. We have helped 971 Missouri families, and more than 34,000 families nationally since 2001.