Home study
Waived
Missouri waives the home study in stepparent adoptions, so no social worker visit slows your case.
RSMo § 453.070
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$349
Complete Missouri package
971 Missouri families helped since 2001
Make Your Missouri Family Official.Missouri 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 where to file and what comes next, and stay on the phone with you until the Missouri judge signs your decree.
$349 complete Missouri package · documents in 24–48 hours
100% court acceptance, money-back guarantee · Unlimited revisions · No account needed to start
Residency wait
None required
Missouri sets no residency waiting period. You can file as soon as your paperwork is ready.
RSMo § 453.010Child's consent
Age 14
A child who is 14 or older must agree to the adoption. Younger children do not sign.
RSMo § 453.030Abandonment period
Six months
A parent who has abandoned the child for six months can lose the power to block your adoption.
RSMo § 453.040
100%Court acceptance
money-back guarantee
money-back guarantee
Why Missouri families choose us
We make your Missouri 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 Missouri Circuit Court and backed by our 100% court acceptance guarantee.
971 Missouri families helpedOver 34,000 families nationwide since 2001. We have seen every situation Missouri courts see.
Save thousands$349 for the complete package, without attorney fees.
- A Missouri 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 Missouri AdoptionNo account needed to start
Four stages. One Circuit Court. About 3-6 months.
In Missouri, your stepparent adoption is filed in the Circuit Court, and most families finish in about 3-6 months.
Day one · onlineTell us about your family
Day one · online
Tell us about your family
Answer simple questions about you, your spouse, your stepchild and the other parent. We turn your answers into Missouri-specific documents. Your complete set is ready in 24-48 hours.
Revised Statutes of Missouri Chapter 453Week one · filingFile with your Missouri Circuit Court
Week one · filing
File with your Missouri Circuit Court
You file your petition with the Circuit Court clerk. Missouri sets no residency waiting period, and venue options include the county where you live. We tell you exactly what to bring and what the clerk will ask for.
RSMo § 453.010Weeks to months · the other parentThe other parent signs or the court decides
Weeks to months · the other parent
The other parent signs or the court decides
If the other parent will sign, we prepare the consent. If not, we prepare the notice and the abandonment papers for the court. Missouri has no separate home study to wait on.
RSMo § 453.040Final step · hearing and decreeHearing, decree, new birth certificate
Final step · hearing and decree
Hearing, decree, new birth certificate
You attend a short hearing and the judge signs the adoption decree. We then help you request the new birth certificate from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Bureau of Vital Records.
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Bureau of Vital RecordsDoes the other parent have to agree?
No. Courts want a child to have a stable 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.
They agree
If the other parent is willing, the process is quick and simple. They sign a written consent, and we prepare it for you in Missouri's format.
- The other parent signs a written consent
- We prepare the form and the instructions
- A child 14 or older also gives consent
They won't sign, or can't be found
If the other parent will not sign or cannot be found, Missouri law gives the court a clear ground to move forward.
- A parent who has abandoned the child for six months can lose the right to block the adoption
- The other parent's signature is not required when this ground applies
- Missouri law, not the other parent's wishes, sets the rule
Notice to the other parent is a routine step, and we prepare it for you. In Missouri, termination is not a separate case. It is handled as part of the same adoption.
RSMo § 453.040In Missouri, a parent who has abandoned the child for six months does not get to stop your family from becoming official.
One flat price. No surprise bills.
For $349 you get your complete Missouri document package, ready in 24-48 hours, and each additional child is $99.
The same decree, the same court, without attorney fees.
Start for $349The same decree, the same court, without attorney fees.
What families tell us
★★★★★
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.
★★★★★
My experience with your company has been a pleasant one. They have worked with me, and have went as far as making changes for my forms 8 months later. They are a very pleasant group of people and very professional! So glad I choose them!!
★★★★★
WOW that was fast! THANK YOU! BTW -- my husband adopted my daughter on 8/23/08. The process was smooth and flawless thanks to your detailed adoption packet and instructions. THANK YOU for making our family complete. Wishing you the best.
What arrives in 24–48 hours
Your Missouri packet, in filing order, with instructions for your clerk.
See all 6 documents
- Petition for Adoption for your Missouri Circuit Court
- Other parent's consent, or the abandonment papers and notice if they will not sign
- Stepchild's consent form for a child 14 or older
- Cover sheet and filing instructions for your county clerk
- Hearing preparation sheet for the Circuit Court
- Final adoption decree and the new birth certificate request for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Bureau of Vital Records
Adopting an adult
Adopting an adult in Missouri
Missouri lets any person who wants to adopt another person as his or her child file a petition. No relationship, disability or age-gap conditions appear in the statute. The adult's own written consent alone is enough, and a spouse may join the petition. The case is filed in the juvenile division of the circuit court, the judge holds a hearing, and adult cases often finish in 4-8 weeks.
Own consentAdult's written consent is enough
No home studyNot required for adults
No age gapNone found in statute
Hearing requiredJudge finalizes the adoption
Three steps. That's the whole thing.
Our detailed Missouri 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 Missouri adoption specialist first.
Not sure which route fits your family? Call us. Real people, no pressure, and we will tell you what Missouri courts will want to see.
(855) 924-0450Mon–Fri 8am–5pm MST
All 115 counties
Every Missouri county, one clear process
Missouri has 115 counties, and each one has a Circuit Court that hears adoptions. Whether you live in Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, Columbia, Independence or a small town, we prepare your papers for your county.
Kansas CitySt. LouisSpringfieldColumbiaIndependence+ every county
Adoption AI Assistant
Missouri 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 Missouri families ask us
How do I adopt my stepchild in Missouri?
You file a petition for adoption in the Missouri Circuit Court, get the other parent's consent or show abandonment, and attend a hearing. Missouri has no residency waiting period and waives the home study. Most families finish in about 3-6 months. We have helped 971 Missouri families.
Can I adopt my adult stepchild in Missouri?
Yes. Missouri allows any person to adopt another person as his or her child, and the adult's written consent alone is enough. A spouse may join. The case goes to the juvenile division of the circuit court, and adult cases often take 4-8 weeks.
How much does a stepparent adoption cost in Missouri?
Our complete Missouri package is $349, and each additional child is $99. The county Circuit Court clerk sets the court filing fee, so call the clerk to confirm it. There is no home study cost because Missouri waives it.
What if the other parent refuses to sign in Missouri?
Your adoption can still go forward. In our experience, about 80% of the stepparent adoptions we have completed went forward without the other parent's consent. A parent who has abandoned the child for six months can lose the right to block it under RSMo § 453.040, and we prepare the notice.
Does Missouri require a home study for stepparent adoption?
No. Missouri waives the home study in stepparent adoptions under RSMo § 453.070. That means no social worker visit to schedule and no wait for a report, and your case moves faster.
Does my child have to agree to the adoption in Missouri?
A child who is 14 or older must consent under RSMo § 453.030. Younger children do not sign. We include the child's consent form in your packet when it applies.
Does child support end after a stepparent adoption in Missouri?
Going forward, the other parent's duty to pay child support ends when the adoption is final. Whether past-due support is still owed depends on Missouri law.
How do I get a new birth certificate after adoption in Missouri?
After the judge signs the decree, you request an amended birth certificate from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Bureau of Vital Records. We include the request in your packet and tell you how to send it.
Go deeper on Missouri adoption
Every guide is written from Missouri law.
How do I adopt my stepson or stepdaughter in Missouri?How do I adopt an adult in Missouri?How old do you have to be to adopt in Missouri?How much does stepparent adoption cost in Missouri?How much does adult adoption cost in Missouri?What are the court filing fees for adoption in Missouri?What is the adult adoption process in Missouri?What counts as abandonment for adoption purposes in Missouri?Can I adopt my stepchild if I have a criminal record in Missouri?
All Missouri adoption guides → · Compare requirements in every state →
Ready to make it official in Missouri?
Join the 971 Missouri families we have helped, and let us prepare your documents today. Call (855) 924-0450.
Start Your Missouri Adoption · $349Prefer to talk first? (855) 924-0450, Mon–Fri 8am–5pm MST