Home study
Waived for stepparents
Kentucky waives the home study for stepparent adoptions, so there are no social worker visits to schedule.
KRS § 199.473
Start today
$349
Complete Kentucky package
501 Kentucky families helped since 2001
Make Your Kentucky Family Official.Kentucky stepparent & adult adoption, done for you: court-ready documents for the Circuit Court in 24-48 hours.
We prepare every form your Kentucky Circuit Court needs, check each one, and stay with you until the judge signs and your family is official.
$349 complete Kentucky package · documents in 24–48 hours
100% court acceptance, money-back guarantee · Unlimited revisions · No account needed to start
Residency
No waiting period
Kentucky residents can file right away. Only non-residents must have lived in the state for 12 months.
KRS § 199.470Child's consent
Age 12 and up
A child who is 12 or older must agree to the adoption. Younger children do not sign.
KRS § 199.500Abandonment
3 months
Kentucky sets the abandonment period at three months, which matters when the other parent has been absent.
KRS § 199.502
100%Court acceptance
money-back guarantee
money-back guarantee
Why Kentucky families choose us
We make your Kentucky 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 Kentucky Circuit Court and backed by our 100% court acceptance guarantee.
501 Kentucky families helpedOver 34,000 families nationwide since 2001. We have seen every situation Kentucky courts see.
Save thousands$349 for the complete package, without attorney fees.
- A Kentucky 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 Kentucky AdoptionNo account needed to start
Four stages. One Circuit Court. About 3-6 months.
In Kentucky, your stepparent adoption is filed in the Circuit Court of the county where you live, and a stepparent does not need a home study.
Day 1 · OnlineTell us about your family
Day 1 · Online
Tell us about your family
Answer simple questions about you, your spouse, your stepchild and the other parent. We turn your answers into Kentucky-specific documents. Kentucky residents have no waiting period, so you can start today.
Kentucky Revised Statutes Chapter 199Within 24-48 hoursFile with your county Circuit Court
Within 24-48 hours
File with your county Circuit Court
Your documents arrive ready to sign. You file them with the Circuit Court clerk in the Kentucky county where you live. The clerk sets the filing fee, and we tell you exactly what to bring.
KRS § 199.470After 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, which is a routine step. Kentucky's three-month abandonment rule often applies when a parent has been absent. A child who is 12 or older also gives consent.
KRS § 199.502Around 3-6 monthsHearing, decree and new birth certificate
Around 3-6 months
Hearing, decree and new birth certificate
The hearing is held in chambers, and at least one adopting parent attends. After the judge signs the decree, we help you request the new birth certificate from the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics.
KRS 199.515Does 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. Kentucky's rules give your family a clear path either way.
They agree
When the other parent is willing, the consent route is the quickest. We prepare the consent papers, and the parent signs them.
- We prepare the consent form for you
- The other parent signs it
- Your filing and hearing move ahead quickly
They won't sign, or can't be found
When the other parent will not sign or cannot be found, Kentucky law gives the court a ground to go forward without that signature.
- Kentucky sets the abandonment period at three months.
- A parent who has abandoned the child for that period can have parental rights ended by the court.
- No signature from that parent is needed once the ground is shown.
Notice to the other parent is routine, and we prepare it for you. In Kentucky, ending the other parent's rights is not a separate lawsuit. It is handled within your adoption case.
KRS § 199.502We have helped 501 families in Kentucky. When the other parent has abandoned the child for three months (KRS § 199.502), your adoption can move forward without that parent's signature.
One flat fee for your documents. The clerk sets the court fee.
A Kentucky family pays $349 for the complete document package, plus $99 for each additional child, and the court fee goes to the clerk.
The same decree, the same court, without attorney fees.
Start for $349The same decree, the same court, without attorney fees.
What families tell us
★★★★★
I was nervous about doing this without an attorney, but after working with your team, I knew I was in good hands. Every question I had was answered promptly, and the forms were exactly what the court needed. Today, we finalized our adoption, and it was an emotional, beautiful moment for our family. Thank you for making this possible.
★★★★★
Hello, I would love to write you a testimonial! We filed the papers on June 14th and by August 1st we were granted a full and complete step parent adoption. Everything went beautifully thanks to your company and help and I greatly appreciate it and would recommend your company to anyone! Thank you again.
★★★★★
Great News!! Our adoption was granted last week. Thank you for your tremendous support throughout this process and helping to make our dreams come true.
What arrives in 24–48 hours
Your Kentucky packet, in filing order, with instructions for your clerk.
See all 6 documents
- Petition for adoption for the Circuit Court in your Kentucky county
- Consent from the other parent, or the notice and termination papers if that parent will not sign
- Child's consent form for children who are 12 or older
- Information sheets and cover forms for the Circuit Court clerk
- Hearing preparation sheet for the in-chambers hearing
- Final decree of adoption and the new birth certificate request for the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics
Adopting an adult
Adopting an adult in Kentucky
Kentucky allows an adult over eighteen to be adopted in the same manner as a child, with the same legal effect, and no relationship between you is required. Only the adult's own consent is needed, so no parent has to sign. You file in the Circuit Court of the county where you live, and the hearing is held in chambers with at least one adopting parent present. For inheritance, an adoptee counts as the adopters' child only if adopted and living in their household before age 18.
ConsentThe adult's alone
Filed inYour county Circuit Court
HearingIn chambers
RelationshipNone required
Three steps. That's the whole thing.
Our detailed Kentucky 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 Kentucky adoption specialist first.
Not sure which route fits your family? Call us. Real people, no pressure, and we will tell you what Kentucky courts will want to see.
(855) 924-0450Mon–Fri 8am–5pm MST
All 120 counties
Filed in your Kentucky county Circuit Court
Kentucky has 120 counties, and each one has a Circuit Court that hears adoptions. We prepare your papers for the county where you live, from Louisville and Lexington to Bowling Green, Owensboro and Covington.
LouisvilleLexingtonBowling GreenOwensboroCovington+ every county
Adoption AI Assistant
Kentucky 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 Kentucky families ask us
How do I adopt my stepchild in Kentucky?
You file a petition in the Circuit Court of your Kentucky county, and the other parent consents or the court proceeds without that consent. Kentucky residents have no waiting period, and the home study is waived for stepparents. Stepparent cases usually take 3-6 months. We prepare all of your documents in 24-48 hours.
Can I adopt my adult stepchild in Kentucky?
Yes. Kentucky allows an adult over eighteen to be adopted in the same manner as a child, with the same legal effect, and no relationship is required. Only the adult's own consent is needed. These cases often take 4-8 weeks. The statute for this is KRS 405.390.
How much does a stepparent adoption cost in Kentucky?
Our complete package is $349, and each additional child is $99. The Circuit Court clerk sets the filing fee, so call your county clerk to confirm it. The home study costs $0 because Kentucky waives it for stepparents.
What if the other parent refuses to sign or can't be found in Kentucky?
Your adoption can still go forward when the other parent has abandoned the child for three months, the period Kentucky sets (KRS § 199.502). Notice to the other parent is a routine step we prepare. In our experience, about 80% of the stepparent adoptions we have completed went forward without the other parent's consent.
Does Kentucky require a home study for stepparent adoption?
Kentucky waives the home study for stepparent adoptions under KRS § 199.473. That means no home visits by a social worker. Your packet from us is built around that waiver.
Does my child have to agree to the adoption in Kentucky?
If your child is 12 or older, yes. Kentucky requires the child's consent at that age under KRS § 199.500. A younger child does not sign. We include the consent form for older children in your packet.
Does child support end after a stepparent adoption in Kentucky?
After the adoption, the other parent's duty to pay child support going forward ends. Whether support that was already past due can still be collected depends on Kentucky law. Your adoption gives your stepchild a legal parent in you.
Will my stepchild get a new birth certificate in Kentucky?
Yes. After the judge signs the decree, you request an amended birth certificate from the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics. We prepare the request with your final decree.
Go deeper on Kentucky adoption
Every guide is written from Kentucky law.
How do I adopt an adult in Kentucky?How do I adopt my stepson or stepdaughter in Kentucky?How old do you have to be to adopt in Kentucky?Can a stepparent adopt without the father's permission in Kentucky?How much does adult adoption cost in Kentucky?
All Kentucky adoption guides → · Compare requirements in every state →
Ready to make it official in Kentucky?
Join the 501 Kentucky families we have helped, and call (855) 924-0450 to start your adoption today.
Start Your Kentucky Adoption · $349Prefer to talk first? (855) 924-0450, Mon–Fri 8am–5pm MST