Home study
Waived
Illinois skips the home study for a related child, which includes a stepchild, unless the court orders one.
750 ILCS 50/6
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$349
Complete Illinois package
1,101 Illinois families helped since 2001
Make Your Illinois Family Official.Illinois stepparent & adult adoption, done for you, 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 family until the judge signs the decree.
$349 complete Illinois package · documents in 24–48 hours
100% court acceptance, money-back guarantee · Unlimited revisions · No account needed to start
Residency
No waiting period
Illinois sets no residency period for a stepparent adoption. The 6-month rule does not apply to a related child.
750 ILCS 50/2Child's consent
Age 14
A child who is 14 or older must consent to the adoption, so we prepare that form for you.
750 ILCS 50/12Abandonment
12 months
Illinois sets a 12-month abandonment period, a ground that can move your case forward without the other parent's signature.
750 ILCS 50/1
100%Court acceptance
money-back guarantee
money-back guarantee
Why Illinois families choose us
We make your Illinois 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 Illinois Circuit Court and backed by our 100% court acceptance guarantee.
1,101 Illinois families helpedOver 34,000 families nationwide since 2001. We have seen every situation Illinois courts see.
Save thousands$349 for the complete package, without attorney fees.
- A Illinois 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 Illinois AdoptionNo account needed to start
Four stages. One Circuit Court. About 3-6 months.
In Illinois, a stepparent adoption is filed in the Circuit Court of your county and usually takes about 3-6 months from filing to decree.
Day one · online or by phoneTell us about your family
Day one · online or by phone
Tell us about your family
Answer our plain-language questions about you, your spouse, your stepchild and the other parent. There is no residency period to wait out in Illinois, so you can start today.
750 ILCS 50/224-48 hours laterFile with your county Circuit Court clerk
24-48 hours later
File with your county Circuit Court clerk
We deliver your court-ready documents within 24-48 hours, with filing instructions. You file them with the Circuit Court clerk in your Illinois county. The home study is waived for a related child.
750 ILCS 50/6After filingThe other parent signs, or the court proceeds
After filing
The other parent signs, or the court proceeds
If the other parent agrees, we prepare the consent. If not, we prepare the notice and the abandonment papers. Termination is handled in the same case, not a separate one.
750 ILCS 50/1Final hearingHearing, decree and new birth certificate
Final hearing
Hearing, decree and new birth certificate
You attend a short hearing and the judge signs the decree. We then help you request the new birth certificate from the Illinois Department of Public Health Division of Vital Records.
Illinois Department of Public Health Division of 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. Illinois law gives your case a clear path either way.
They agree
If the other parent is willing, the consent route is the quickest. We prepare the papers and you arrange for them to be signed.
- We prepare the consent form for the Circuit Court
- The other parent signs it
- Your case moves straight toward the final hearing
They won't sign, or can't be found
If the other parent will not sign, or cannot be found, Illinois gives the court a ground to proceed without that signature.
- Illinois sets an abandonment period of 12 months
- Abandonment is a ground for adoption under Illinois law
- The other parent's signature is not required when the ground applies
Notice to the other parent is a routine step, and we prepare it for you. In Illinois, termination is not a separate case, because it is part of the same adoption case.
750 ILCS 50/1Illinois families do this every day, and 1,101 of them have trusted us to prepare their papers.
What an Illinois stepparent adoption really costs
Our price is the $349 complete package, with $99 for each additional child, and it covers every document, plus filing instructions and support until the decree.
The same decree, the same court, without attorney fees.
Start for $349The same decree, the same court, without attorney fees.
What Illinois families tell us
★★★★★
I just wanted to let you guys know your service was exceptional. What a great service and you have my recommendation to everyone I know. The Judge and bailiff at the court house were also impressed when I told them what service we used after the Judge asked if my ex or myself where an attorney
★★★★★
Saw the Judge this morning. She signed the documents. Everything went fine, and am glad this is all behind us now. Couldn't have done this without your help. Your continued support throughout the process is the only way I could have completed this adoption. You render a valuable service over there. Thanks.
★★★★★
Just a quick note that with only a few hiccups, we were able to complete our adoption ourselves using your services. We are very pleased with the results and look forward to our son's new birth certificate arriving in a few weeks.
What arrives in 24–48 hours
Your Illinois packet, in filing order, with instructions for your clerk.
See all 6 documents
- Petition for Adoption for the Circuit Court in your Illinois county
- Consent or surrender papers from the other parent, or the notice and abandonment papers if the other parent will not sign
- Child's consent form for a child who is 14 or older
- No home study papers needed, because Illinois waives the home study for a related child unless the court orders one
- Notice and hearing papers for the Circuit Court clerk
- Final decree of adoption and the new birth certificate request for the Illinois Department of Public Health Division of Vital Records
Adopting an adult
Adopting an adult stepchild in Illinois
Illinois permits adult adoption. An adult qualifies if the adult has lived in your home continuously for more than 2 years, or if you are related to the adult, and a stepparent counts as related. Only the adult's own written consent is required. The case is filed in the Circuit Court, in any county, and most adult cases take about 4-8 weeks.
Who qualifiesStepparents are related adopters
ConsentOnly the adult's consent
Home studyWaived unless court orders
Where filedCircuit Court, any county
Three steps. That's the whole thing.
Our detailed Illinois 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 Illinois adoption specialist first.
Not sure which route fits your family? Call us. Real people, no pressure, and we will tell you what Illinois courts will want to see.
(855) 924-0450Mon–Fri 8am–5pm MST
All 102 counties
Court-ready for all 102 Illinois counties
Illinois has 102 counties, and your stepparent adoption is filed in the Circuit Court of your county, from Chicago and Aurora to Rockford. We prepare your documents for your own Circuit Court clerk.
ChicagoAuroraNapervilleJolietRockford+ every county
Adoption AI Assistant
Illinois 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 Illinois families ask us
How do I adopt my stepchild in Illinois?
You file a petition in the Circuit Court of your county, get the other parent's consent or proceed on a legal ground, and attend a final hearing. Illinois has no residency period for a stepparent adoption. We prepare every document under Illinois Compiled Statutes 750 ILCS 50.
Can I adopt my adult stepchild in Illinois?
Yes. A stepparent is a related adopter, so your adult stepchild qualifies, and only the adult's own written consent is required. The home study is waived unless the court orders one. Adult cases typically take about 4-8 weeks. See 750 ILCS 50/10.
How much does a stepparent adoption cost in Illinois?
Our complete package is $349, with $99 for each additional child. The county clerk of the Circuit Court sets the court filing fee, so call the clerk to confirm it. The home study is waived for a related child, so that cost is $0.
What if the other parent in Illinois refuses to sign or can't be found?
Your case can still go forward. Illinois sets an abandonment period of 12 months under 750 ILCS 50/1, and termination is part of the same case. In our experience, about 80% of the stepparent adoptions we have completed went forward without the other parent's consent. We prepare the notice for you.
Does Illinois require a home study for a stepparent adoption?
No. The investigation is not made when the petition seeks to adopt a related child, such as a stepchild, unless the court in its discretion orders one. See 750 ILCS 50/6. No waiver request is needed.
Does my child have to agree to the adoption in Illinois?
If your child is 14 or older, yes. Illinois requires that child's consent under 750 ILCS 50/12. Younger children do not sign a consent form. We include the child's consent form in your packet when it applies.
Does child support end after a stepparent adoption in Illinois?
The other parent's duty to pay child support going forward ends once the adoption is final. Whether support that was already past due can still be collected depends on Illinois law.
How do I get a new birth certificate after adoption in Illinois?
After the judge signs the decree, a new birth certificate is requested from the Illinois Department of Public Health Division of Vital Records. Your packet includes that request.
Go deeper on Illinois adoption
Every guide is written from Illinois law.
How do I adopt my stepson or stepdaughter in Illinois?How do I adopt an adult in Illinois?How old do you have to be to adopt in Illinois?Does Illinois allow second-parent adoption for unmarried LGBTQ+ couples?
All Illinois adoption guides → · Compare requirements in every state →
Ready to make it official in Illinois?
Call (855) 924-0450 and let us prepare your Illinois adoption papers, so your family can make it official.
Start Your Illinois Adoption · $349Prefer to talk first? (855) 924-0450, Mon–Fri 8am–5pm MST