Home study
Waived
Florida waives the preliminary home study in stepparent adoptions, so no social worker visit holds up your case.
Fla. Stat. § 63.092
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Complete Florida package
1,228 Florida families helped since 2001
Make Your Florida Family Official.Florida stepparent and adult adoption, done for you, with court-ready documents for the Circuit Court in 24-48 hours.
We prepare every form, tell you exactly where to file, and stay with your Florida family until the judge signs the adoption decree.
$349 complete Florida package · documents in 24–48 hours
100% court acceptance, money-back guarantee · Unlimited revisions · No account needed to start
Residency
None required
Florida sets no residency waiting period for the stepparent adoption packet we prepare. You can start today.
Florida Statutes Chapter 63Child's consent
Age 12
A child who is 12 or older must also consent to the adoption. We prepare that form.
Fla. Stat. § 63.062Abandonment
No fixed months
Florida sets no number of months. The court looks at the other parent's overall conduct.
Fla. Stat. § 63.089
100%Court acceptance
money-back guarantee
money-back guarantee
Why Florida families choose us
We make your Florida 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 Florida Circuit Court and backed by our 100% court acceptance guarantee.
1,228 Florida families helpedOver 34,000 families nationwide since 2001. We have seen every situation Florida courts see.
Save thousands$349 for the complete package, without attorney fees.
- A Florida 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 Florida AdoptionNo account needed to start
Four stages. One Circuit Court. About 3 months.
Florida handles stepparent adoption in the Circuit Court under Florida Statutes Chapter 63, and the termination of the other parent's rights is part of the same case.
Step one · Today, onlineTell us about your Florida family
Step one · Today, online
Tell us about your Florida family
Answer our plain-language questions about you, your spouse, your child and the other parent. We check your answers and build your packet from them.
Florida Statutes Chapter 6324-48 hours · Documents readyFile with your county Circuit Court clerk
24-48 hours · Documents ready
File with your county Circuit Court clerk
Your court-ready documents arrive with filing instructions. You file the petition with the Circuit Court clerk in your county. The clerk sets the filing fee, so call to confirm it.
Fla. Stat. § 63.102After filing · Other parentThe other parent signs or the court decides
After filing · Other parent
The other parent signs or the court decides
If the other parent signs the consent, the case moves quickly. If not, we prepare the notice, which is a routine step. Florida decides abandonment by the parent's overall conduct, not a fixed clock.
Fla. Stat. § 63.089About 3 months · Hearing and decreeFinal hearing, decree and new birth certificate
About 3 months · Hearing and decree
Final hearing, decree and new birth certificate
You attend a short final hearing and the judge signs the decree. We then help you request the new birth certificate from the Florida Department of Health Office of Vital Statistics.
Fla. Stat. § 63.172Does the other parent have to agree?
No. Courts want a two-parent home, 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, and the judge approved them anyway.
They agree
If the other parent is willing, the consent route is the simplest. We prepare the written consent and the rest of the packet so your Florida case can move straight to the hearing.
- We prepare the other parent's consent form
- A signed consent speeds up your case
- A child who is 12 or older signs a consent too
They won't sign, or can't be found
If the other parent will not sign or cannot be found, Florida law gives the court another way forward based on abandonment.
- Florida sets no fixed number of months for abandonment.
- The court looks at the parent's overall conduct toward the child.
- Each case is decided on its own facts, not on a set clock.
Notice to the other parent is routine, and we prepare it for you. Termination is not a separate case in Florida, because it is handled within your same adoption case.
Fla. Stat. § 63.089Florida has no residency waiting period and no fixed abandonment clock, so you can start your stepparent adoption today.
One flat $349 price. The Florida clerk sets the court fee.
A Florida family pays $349 for the complete done-for-you packet, plus $99 for each additional child, and the clerk's court fee is separate.
The same decree, the same court, without attorney fees.
Start for $349The same decree, the same court, without attorney fees.
What Florida families tell us
★★★★★
My adoption is final!!! Just a quick note to let you know that your service was awesome. I filed the same day I submitted my order. Your customer service staff was always available to help. I would recommend you to my friends Thanks again.
★★★★★
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.
★★★★★
Your service exceeded all of my expectations. We filed our paperwork, had no issues with the court, and finalized our adoption faster than I ever imagined. The support you provided along the way was invaluable. I can’t thank you enough for helping us make our family whole.
What arrives in 24–48 hours
Your Florida packet, in filing order, with instructions for your clerk.
See all 6 documents
- Petition for Adoption prepared for the Florida Circuit Court
- Other parent's consent, or the notice and termination papers if the other parent does not sign
- Child's consent form for a child who is 12 or older
- Plain-language guide to Florida's preliminary home study waiver for stepparent adoptions
- Cover sheet and step-by-step filing instructions for your county Circuit Court clerk
- Final judgment of adoption and your request for a new birth certificate from the Florida Department of Health Office of Vital Statistics
Adopting an adult
Adopting an adult stepchild in Florida
Florida allows adoption of any person, a minor or an adult, with no relationship or disability condition. The adult and the adult's spouse, if any, sign written consent. The adult's parents receive notice of the final hearing but do not consent. You file in the Circuit Court, and the hearing may be held right after the petition is filed. The timeline for an adult adoption is about 4-8 weeks.
Home studyWaived unless court orders
ParentsGet notice, don't consent
HearingCan follow filing immediately
TimelineTypically 4-8 weeks
Three steps. That's the whole thing.
Our detailed Florida 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 Florida adoption specialist first.
Not sure which route fits your family? Call us. Real people, no pressure, and we will tell you what Florida courts will want to see.
(855) 924-0450Mon–Fri 8am–5pm MST
All 67 counties
Filed in your Florida county Circuit Court
Florida has 67 counties, and your case is filed with the Circuit Court clerk in your county. Whether you live in Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville or Fort Lauderdale, we prepare your packet for your county's Circuit Court. We have helped 1,228 Florida families.
MiamiOrlandoTampaJacksonvilleFort Lauderdale+ every county
Adoption AI Assistant
Florida 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.
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What Florida families ask us
How do I adopt my stepchild in Florida?
You file a petition in your county Circuit Court under Florida Statutes Chapter 63, with the other parent's consent or the notice and termination papers. We prepare all of it in 24-48 hours. The timeline for a Florida stepparent adoption is about 3 months.
Can I adopt my adult stepchild in Florida?
Yes. Florida says any person, a minor or an adult, may be adopted (Fla. Stat. § 63.042). The adult and the adult's spouse, if any, consent in writing, and the adult's parents get notice. These cases typically take 4-8 weeks.
How much does a stepparent adoption cost in Florida?
Our complete package is $349, plus $99 for each additional child. The county clerk of the Circuit Court sets the court filing fee, so call the clerk to confirm it. Florida waives the preliminary home study, so that cost is $0.
What if the other parent refuses to sign or can't be found in Florida?
Most of our families finish without the other parent's consent. In our experience, about 80% of the stepparent adoptions we have completed went forward that way. Florida sets no fixed number of months for abandonment, and the court looks at the parent's overall conduct (Fla. Stat. § 63.089). We prepare the notice, and termination is handled in the same case.
Does Florida require a home study for stepparent adoption?
Florida waives the preliminary home study in stepparent adoptions (Fla. Stat. § 63.092). That means no social worker visit to schedule before your hearing. Your packet is built with that waiver in mind.
Does my child have to agree to the adoption in Florida?
A child who is 12 or older must consent (Fla. Stat. § 63.062). Younger children do not sign. If your child is 12 or older, we include the consent form in your packet.
Does the other parent still owe child support after a Florida stepparent adoption?
The duty to pay support going forward ends when the adoption is final. Whether past-due support is still owed depends on Florida law. The adoption makes you the child's legal parent (Fla. Stat. § 63.172).
How do I get a new birth certificate after adopting in Florida?
After the judge signs the decree, you request an amended birth certificate from the Florida Department of Health Office of Vital Statistics. Your packet includes that request, so you know what to send. The certificate then lists you as the child's parent.
Go deeper on Florida adoption
Every guide is written from Florida law.
How old do you have to be to adopt in Florida?How do I adopt my stepson or stepdaughter in Florida?Is a home study required for stepparent adoption in Florida?
All Florida adoption guides → · Compare requirements in every state →
Ready to make it official in Florida?
Join the 1,228 Florida families we have helped, and let us handle the paperwork while you get ready to call your stepchild your own.
Start Your Florida Adoption · $349Prefer to talk first? (855) 924-0450, Mon–Fri 8am–5pm MST