Home study
Waived
California waives the home study in stepparent adoptions, so no social worker visits your home.
Cal. Fam. Code § 9001(a)
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$349
Complete California package
1,219 California families helped since 2001
Make Your California Family Official.California stepparent & adult adoption, done for you: court-ready documents for the Superior Court in 24-48 hours.
We prepare every California form, tell you exactly where to file and what to expect, and stay with you until the judge signs your decree.
$349 complete California package · documents in 24–48 hours
100% court acceptance, money-back guarantee · Unlimited revisions · No account needed to start
Residency
No waiting period
You must live in California, but no set length of residency is required before you file.
Cal. Fam. Code § 9000(a)Child's consent
Age 12 or older
A child who is 12 or older must consent to the adoption. We prepare that form.
Cal. Fam. Code § 8602Abandonment
12 months
A parent who has abandoned the child for 12 months does not hold up the adoption.
Cal. Fam. Code § 8604
100%Court acceptance
money-back guarantee
money-back guarantee
Why California families choose us
We make your California adoption simple, fast and affordable.
SimpleA 15-minute questionnaire. We do the rest and send your packet ready to sign and file.
Court approvedPrepared for your California Superior Court and backed by our 100% court acceptance guarantee.
1,219 California families helpedOver 34,000 families nationwide since 2001. We have seen every situation California courts see.
Save thousands$349 for the complete package, without attorney fees.
- A California adoption specialist handles your case.
- We stay with you from filing to the new birth certificate.
- Unlimited revisions and real people on the phone, Mon–Fri 8am–5pm MST.
Start Your California AdoptionNo account needed to start
Four stages. One Superior Court. About 3 months.
California handles stepparent adoption through the Superior Court in your county under California Family Code Division 13, and we prepare the paperwork for each stage.
Day 1 · OnlineTell us about your family
Day 1 · Online
Tell us about your family
Answer our plain-language questions about you, your spouse, your stepchild and the other parent. We use your answers to build your California documents. You do not need to fill out court forms yourself.
California Family Code Division 1324-48 hours laterYour documents arrive; file with the Superior Court
24-48 hours later
Your documents arrive; file with the Superior Court
Your court-ready packet is ready within 24-48 hours. You file it with the clerk of the Superior Court in your county. The clerk sets the filing fee, and we tell you how to file.
Cal. Fam. Code § 9000After filingThe other parent signs, or the court proceeds
After filing
The other parent signs, or the court proceeds
If the other parent will sign, the process is simple. If not, the court can still move forward when the other parent has abandoned the child for 12 months. We prepare the notice and the papers the court needs. This step is routine, and most of our families finish without the other parent's consent.
Cal. Fam. Code § 8604About 3 months inHearing, decree and new birth certificate
About 3 months in
Hearing, decree and new birth certificate
You attend a short hearing, and the judge signs your adoption decree. We then help you request the new birth certificate from California Department of Public Health Vital Records.
California Department of Public Health Vital RecordsDoes the other parent have to agree?
No. Courts want a two-parent home for the child, and most families we help finish without the other parent's consent. In our experience, about 80% of the stepparent adoptions we have completed went forward without the other parent's consent.
They agree
If the other parent is willing, a signed consent makes the California process quick and friendly. We prepare the consent form so it is ready to sign.
- We prepare the consent form for you
- The other parent signs it
- We include it in your Superior Court filing
They won't sign, or can't be found
California lets the court move forward without the other parent's signature in cases like these:
- The other parent has abandoned the child for 12 months
- That abandonment waives the need for the parent's consent
Notice to the other parent is routine, and we prepare it for you. In California, termination is not a separate case; it is handled as part of the same adoption case.
Cal. Fam. Code § 8604In California the home study is waived and most of our families finish without the other parent's signature, so the path is clearer than you may think.
One flat price for your California adoption papers
A California family pays $349 for the complete, court-ready package, with no home study fee to add.
The same decree, the same court, without attorney fees.
Start for $349The same decree, the same court, without attorney fees.
What California families tell us
★★★★★
I can’t thank you enough for making this process so smooth. From the moment we submitted our information, we felt supported. Every call and email was answered promptly, and we never felt alone in the process. Our adoption was finalized today, and the judge even complimented us on how well-prepared our paperwork was. We couldn’t have done this without your help. Thank you for offering such an incredible service at an affordable price!
★★★★★
Good afternoon, on May 6th, 2008, we had our hearing and it is with great excitement that we share with you that the Judge signed our decree. You were so helpful throughout the process and even when the Judge requested something out of the ordinary for our case, you had the documents I needed to me in a matter of 24 hours. Thank you.
★★★★★
Everything is Pertfect!!!!! Your customer service is awesome. Thank you.
What arrives in 24–48 hours
Your California packet, in filing order, with instructions for your clerk.
See all 6 documents
- Petition for stepparent adoption for the California Superior Court
- Other parent's consent, or the papers that waive it for abandonment
- Child's consent form for a child age 12 or older
- Notice documents for the other parent, prepared for you
- Hearing paperwork and instructions for the Superior Court in your county
- Final adoption decree and the new birth certificate request to California Department of Public Health Vital Records
Adopting an adult
Adopting an adult stepchild in California
California allows an adult to be adopted by another adult, including a stepparent. The adoptee must be younger than the adopter, and you sign a written adoption agreement together. The parents' consent is not required. You file in the county where either of you lives, and both of you appear at a hearing unless the court allows otherwise.
Who can adoptAny adult, including stepparents
Parents' consentNot required
Where to fileCounty where either lives
HearingRequired; in person unless the court allows otherwise
Three steps. That's the whole thing.
Our detailed California instructions make the process simple, and we are a phone call away at every step.
1
AnswerTell us about your family in our 15-minute questionnaire. Save and come back any time.2
Review & signYour complete packet arrives in 24–48 hours with step-by-step filing instructions.3
FileFile with your clerk. We stay with you through the hearing, the decree and the new birth certificate.
Talk to a California adoption specialist first.
Not sure which route fits your family? Call us. Real people, no pressure, and we will tell you what California courts will want to see.
(855) 924-0450Mon–Fri 8am–5pm MST
All 58 counties
Filed in your county's Superior Court
California has 58 counties, and each one has its own Superior Court. We prepare your packet for the Superior Court in your county, whether you live in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Sacramento or anywhere else in the state.
Los AngelesSan DiegoSan JoseSan FranciscoSacramento+ every county
Adoption AI Assistant
California stepparent and adult adoption
Have questions about adopting your stepchild? Our AI assistant draws on experience from over 34,000 completed adoptions to give you accurate, helpful answers. Ask anything — it's free and confidential.
Free & confidential · Not legal advice · Powered by AI
What California families ask us
How do I adopt my stepchild in California?
You file a petition with the Superior Court in your county, get the needed consents, and attend a hearing. We prepare the whole packet in 24-48 hours. A California court may approve a stepparent adoption without regard to the usual 10-year age gap if it serves the parties and the public interest (Cal. Fam. Code § 8601).
Can I adopt my adult stepchild in California?
Yes. California allows an adult to be adopted by another adult, including a stepparent (Cal. Fam. Code § 9300). The adoptee must be younger than the adopter, and the adult adoption usually takes 2-3 months. The parents' consent is not required.
How much does a stepparent adoption cost in California?
Our complete package is $349, and each additional child is $99. The county clerk of the Superior Court sets the court filing fee separately, so call the clerk to confirm it. California waives the home study, so you have no home study fee.
What if the other parent refuses to sign or can't be found in California?
Your adoption can still go forward. A parent who has abandoned the child for 12 months does not need to consent (Cal. Fam. Code § 8604). Notice is routine, we prepare it, and about 80% of our completed stepparent adoptions went forward without the other parent's consent.
Is a home study required for stepparent adoption in California?
No. California waives the home study in stepparent adoptions (Cal. Fam. Code § 9001(a)). No social worker has to visit your home, and you pay $0 for a home study.
Does my child have to agree to the adoption in California?
A child who is 12 or older must consent (Cal. Fam. Code § 8602). We prepare the consent form so it is ready for your child to sign.
Does a stepparent adoption end child support in California?
Yes, for the future. Once the adoption is final, the other parent's duty to pay support going forward ends. Whether past-due support is still owed depends on California law.
How do I get a new birth certificate after adoption in California?
After the judge signs your decree, you request the new birth certificate from California Department of Public Health Vital Records. We include that request in your packet.
Go deeper on California adoption
Every guide is written from California law.
How do I adopt my stepson or stepdaughter in California?How old do you have to be to adopt in California?Can the biological parent change their mind after consenting to adoption in California?
All California adoption guides → · Compare requirements in every state →
Ready to make it official in California?
Join the 1,219 California families we have helped, and let us prepare your Superior Court documents today.
Start Your California Adoption · $349Prefer to talk first? (855) 924-0450, Mon–Fri 8am–5pm MST