What are the adoption laws in Illinois?

Illinois stepparent adoption is governed by Illinois Compiled Statutes 750 ILCS 50, and you file your case in the Circuit Court in the county where your family lives. Illinois has 102 counties, and each Circuit Court clerk can tell you about local filing details.

Where you file: Stepparent adoptions are handled by the Circuit Court. Because local forms and procedures can differ from one county to the next, it helps to prepare your paperwork for your specific county.

Residency: There is no residency period for a stepparent adoption in Illinois. The 6-month rule does not apply to a related child (750 ILCS 50/2).

Consent of the child: Illinois sets the child's consent age at 14 (750 ILCS 50/12). If your child is near that age, ask the clerk how it applies to your situation.

The other parent: Illinois law includes a 12-month abandonment period (750 ILCS 50/1). Termination of the other parent's rights is not a separate case. It is handled within the adoption proceeding. Illinois also has procedures for cases where the other parent cannot be located. Whether those apply to you, and how the court would treat a contested case or an unknown parent, depends on your facts, so confirm it with the Circuit Court clerk or an attorney.

Home study: Illinois does not require a home study for most stepparent adoptions (750 ILCS 50/6). Ask the clerk whether anything in your circumstances is different.

Adult adoption: Illinois allows adult adoption with the adult child's consent. An adult is someone 18 or older. Adult adoptions typically take about 4-8 weeks.

Timeline: A stepparent adoption in Illinois typically takes about 3-6 months from filing.

Cost: Court filing fees run about $200-$500, depending on the county. Handling the paperwork yourself keeps the typical total under $565, compared with roughly $3,000-$5,000+ when hiring an attorney.

After the adoption: Adoption gives legal recognition to your family. The benefits include:

• Inheritance rights
• Medical decision-making authority for the adopting stepparent
• Social Security and insurance benefits eligibility
• Family unity recognized by law

For records such as an updated birth certificate, the agency to ask is the Illinois Department of Public Health Division of Vital Records. The court clerk can explain the steps.

What to keep in mind: This is general information, not legal advice. If your situation involves a parent who objects, a parent you can't locate, or anything unusual, talk to the Circuit Court clerk in your county or an 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 the first child (or for one adult adoptee) and $99 for each additional child. We back our work with a 100% court acceptance guarantee. We have helped 1101 Illinois families, and more than 34,000 families nationally since 2001.