The biological father is not on the birth certificate at all — can my husband adopt in Connecticut?

Yes, your husband can start a stepparent adoption in Connecticut's Probate Court even when no father is listed on the birth certificate. How the court handles the missing father depends on your facts, so that part is worth confirming for your situation.

Where the case is filed: Stepparent adoptions are filed in the Probate Court. Connecticut has no minimum residency period for adoption (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-727). The usual timeline for a stepparent adoption is about 3-6 months.

The father's situation matters. A blank space on the birth certificate can mean several different things, and the court may look at each one differently:

• His identity is truly unknown: Whether the court requires any notice or other steps in this case is something to confirm with the Probate Court clerk in your county or with an attorney.
• You know who he is, but he was never listed: Whether he must be notified or must consent depends on his circumstances. The clerk or an attorney can tell you what applies to him.
• He knew about the child and chose to stay off the certificate: The same question applies. His history with the child will matter, so get advice specific to your case.

Abandonment: If the father's absence becomes an issue, Connecticut sets no fixed number of months for abandonment. It depends on the parent's overall conduct (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-717). There is no simple "no contact for X months" test to count.

Other Connecticut points:

• Child's consent: Connecticut sets the age for a child's consent at 12 (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-724). If your child is 12 or older, plan for that.
• Home study: It is waived for stepparent adoptions (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-733(a)).
• Birth records: If you need a copy of the child's birth record, the agency to contact is the Connecticut Department of Public Health Vital Records.
• Filing fee: The data we work from gives no filing fee amount, so ask the Probate Court clerk in your county.