California requires 0 months of state residency before you can file a stepparent adoption petition (Cal. Fam. Code § 8714). Must be actual residents of California; no specific duration required This means you (or your spouse) must have lived in California for at least 0 months before filing. If you recently moved to California, you may need to wait until you meet this requirement. The residency clock starts from when you established your home in the state — it doesn't have to be from the date you officially changed your driver's license.
Stepparent adoption in California at a glance
- Court
- Superior Court
- Residency before filing
- Must be actual residents of California; no specific duration required
- Typical timeline
- 3 months
- Court filing fee
- $200-$500
- Child must consent at age
- 12
- Home study
- Usually waived for stepparents
- California families we've helped
- 1,219
Adoption document specialists · 25+ years of experience · 34,000+ families helped.
Page layout updated . Individual answers have different research histories. This is general information; court requirements and individual circumstances can differ. Document preparation service, not a law firm.
Get to know our team →