What are the adoption laws in Nevada?

Nevada's adoption laws are found in Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 127, and stepparent adoptions are filed in the District Court of the county where your family lives. Nevada has 17 counties, including those around Las Vegas, Henderson, Reno, North Las Vegas and Sparks. Here is how the main rules work for a stepparent adoption.

Where you file: Your petition goes to the District Court in your county. The clerk there can tell you the current filing fee, local forms and any county-specific procedures.

Residency: Nevada has no minimum residency period before you can file (NRS 127D.120(1)).

Child's consent: Nevada sets the child consent age at 14 (NRS 127D.110(1)(c)).

Home study: For stepparent adoptions, the home study is waived (NRS chapter 127D). You do not need to schedule one.

The other parent: This is where cases differ most.

• Termination of the other parent's rights is handled as a separate step from the adoption itself.
• Nevada's abandonment period is 6 months (NRS § 128.012). Whether it applies to your situation depends on your facts.
• If the other parent is absent, unknown or likely to object, talk to the District Court clerk or an attorney about your specific case.

Timeline: A stepparent adoption in Nevada typically takes 3-6 months. An adult adoption typically takes 4-8 weeks.

Adult adoption: Nevada permits adult adoption. Here is what the law provides:

• An adult may adopt another adult who is at least 10 years younger than the adopter, other than the adopter's spouse (NRS 127C.700).
• Both people sign a written agreement stating they assume the parent-child relationship, and the court approves it by order.
• The adoptee may request a name change in the petition.
• The adopter's spouse and the adoptee's spouse must each agree, unless lawfully separated or unable to agree.
• The agreement of the adoptee's parents is not required (NRS 127C.710).
• You file in the District Court of the county where either the adopter or the adoptee lives.
• The court sets a hearing unless it waives the hearing at the petitioners' request (NRS 127C.720). Remote appearance is allowed.

After the adoption: The Nevada Office of Vital Records handles birth records. Ask the court clerk how to request an updated birth certificate once your decree is signed.

What can vary: Filing fees, local forms and hearing procedures differ by county, and individual cases can raise questions this overview does not cover. The clerk of the District Court in your county can confirm those details, and an attorney can advise on anything specific to your family, such as a contested case or an unknown parent.

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. The price is $349 for the first child (or for one adult adoptee) and $99 for each additional child. You receive court-ready documents within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions, and we back them with a 100% court acceptance guarantee. We have helped 518 Nevada families, and more than 34,000 families nationally since 2001.