Home study
Waived
North Carolina waives the home study in stepparent adoptions, so there is no home visit and no study fee.
N.C.G.S. § 48-2-501(d)(1)
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Complete North Carolina package
914 North Carolina families helped since 2001
Make Your North Carolina Family Official.North Carolina stepparent & adult adoption, done for you: court-ready documents for the Superior Court in 24-48 hours.
We prepare every form, tell you exactly where to file, and stay beside your North Carolina family until the judge signs your adoption decree.
$349 complete North Carolina package · documents in 24–48 hours
100% court acceptance, money-back guarantee · Unlimited revisions · No account needed to start
Residency
Six months
Six months of North Carolina residency before filing, and then you can file in Superior Court.
N.C.G.S. § 48-2-100Child's consent
Age 12 and up
A child who is 12 or older must consent to the adoption. Younger children do not sign.
N.C.G.S. § 48-3-601Abandonment period
Six months
A parent who has abandoned the child for six months cannot hold up your adoption.
N.C.G.S. § 7B-1111(a)(7)
100%Court acceptance
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Why North Carolina families choose us
We make your North Carolina 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 North Carolina Superior Court and backed by our 100% court acceptance guarantee.
914 North Carolina families helpedOver 34,000 families nationwide since 2001. We have seen every situation North Carolina courts see.
Save thousands$349 for the complete package, without attorney fees.
- A North Carolina 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 North Carolina AdoptionNo account needed to start
Four stages. One Superior Court. About 3-6 months.
North Carolina hears stepparent adoptions in Superior Court, waives the home study, and handles the other parent's rights inside the same case.
Day one · onlineTell us about your family
Day one · online
Tell us about your family
You answer simple questions about you, your spouse, your child and the other parent. We turn your answers into North Carolina adoption documents and have them ready in 24-48 hours.
North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 48Within 24-48 hoursFile with your county's Superior Court
Within 24-48 hours
File with your county's Superior Court
You sign your papers and file them with the Superior Court in your North Carolina county. Our instructions tell you what to bring and what to say at the clerk's window. No home study slows you down.
N.C.G.S. § 48-2-501(d)(1)After filingThe other parent signs, or notice is served
After filing
The other parent signs, or notice is served
If the other parent agrees, they sign a consent. If not, and that parent has abandoned the child for six months, we prepare the notice and the abandonment papers, and the case goes forward in the same filing. This is routine for us.
N.C.G.S. § 7B-1111(a)(7)Hearing dayHearing, decree and new birth certificate
Hearing day
Hearing, decree and new birth certificate
You appear before the court for your hearing. Once the judge signs the decree, we help you request the new birth certificate from North Carolina Vital Records.
North Carolina Vital RecordsDoes the other parent have to agree?
No. Courts want a two-parent home for your 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, they sign a consent and your case is at its simplest. We prepare the form and give them plain signing instructions.
- We prepare the consent form for you
- Signing is voluntary and quick
- Nothing is left to argue about at the hearing
They won't sign, or can't be found
North Carolina lets your adoption go forward without the other parent's signature when that parent has abandoned the child.
- The abandonment period in North Carolina is six months.
- A parent who has abandoned the child for that long cannot block the adoption by refusing to sign.
- If the other parent cannot be found, the question is still whether they abandoned the child for six months.
Notice to the other parent is a routine step, and we prepare it for you. In North Carolina, termination is not a separate case. It is part of the same adoption, so you file once.
N.C.G.S. § 7B-1111(a)(7)Six months of abandonment is the line in North Carolina, and we prepare the notice so your case keeps moving.
One flat price, and no home study to pay for
A North Carolina family pays $349 for the complete court-ready document package, plus the clerk's filing fee, and nothing for a home study.
The same decree, the same court, without attorney fees.
Start for $349The same decree, the same court, without attorney fees.
What North Carolina families tell us
★★★★★
We did it! Our adoption was granted today, and we could not have done it without your help. The whole process was seamless, and the forms were accepted without any issues. My daughter now has the security of a legal father, and we couldn’t be happier. Thank you for providing such an affordable and professional service.
★★★★★
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.
★★★★★
I just wanted to let you know that Steve adopted Payton on Tuesday and I did give them your address to send a copy to. Thank you so much and when we get the paperwork and we have any questions we will give you a call.It was a very awesome day and we want to thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What arrives in 24–48 hours
Your North Carolina packet, in filing order, with instructions for your clerk.
See all 6 documents
- Petition for stepparent adoption, prepared for the North Carolina Superior Court
- Other parent's consent, or the notice and abandonment papers if the other parent does not sign
- Consent form for a child who is 12 or older
- North Carolina residency statement showing your six months
- Filing instructions and a hearing checklist for your county's Superior Court clerk
- Final decree of adoption and the new birth certificate request for North Carolina Vital Records
Adopting an adult
Adopting an adult in North Carolina
An adult may adopt another adult in North Carolina, except the adopter's own spouse. There is no age-gap rule and no requirement of a prior relationship. The adult being adopted consents, and birth parents do not. Notice goes to the adopter's adult children and to any parent, spouse or adult child of the adoptee listed in the petition. The case is a special proceeding before the clerk of superior court, with a closed hearing at least 30 days after filing unless the court waives that for cause, and it often finishes in 4-8 weeks.
Spouses excludedYou cannot adopt your spouse
No age gapNo required age difference
Adult consentsBirth parents do not sign
No home studyNot required for competent adults
Three steps. That's the whole thing.
Our detailed North Carolina 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 North Carolina adoption specialist first.
Not sure which route fits your family? Call us. Real people, no pressure, and we will tell you what North Carolina courts will want to see.
(855) 924-0450Mon–Fri 8am–5pm MST
All 100 counties
All 100 North Carolina counties covered
North Carolina has 100 counties, and your adoption is filed in the Superior Court of your county. Whether you live near Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, Durham or Winston-Salem, we prepare your packet for your local clerk.
CharlotteRaleighGreensboroDurhamWinston-Salem+ every county
Adoption AI Assistant
North Carolina 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 North Carolina families ask us
How do I adopt my stepchild in North Carolina?
You file a petition in your county's Superior Court after meeting the six-month residency rule in N.C.G.S. § 48-2-100. The home study is waived, and most stepparent cases take about 3-6 months. We prepare every document for you in 24-48 hours.
Can I adopt my adult stepchild in North Carolina?
Yes. North Carolina allows an adult to adopt another adult, except the adopter's own spouse, with no age-gap rule (N.C.G.S. 48-5-101). The adult being adopted consents. Your spouse also consents, unless the court waives that for cause (N.C.G.S. 48-5-102). Birth parents do not consent, and a closed hearing is required. These cases often take 4-8 weeks.
How much does a stepparent adoption cost in North Carolina?
Our complete package is $349, and each additional child is $99. The clerk of Superior Court sets the filing fee, so call your county clerk to confirm it. There is no home study fee, because North Carolina waives it.
What if the other parent refuses to sign or can't be found in North Carolina?
Your adoption can still go forward. A parent who has abandoned the child for six months cannot block it (N.C.G.S. § 7B-1111(a)(7)), and we prepare the routine notice. In our experience, about 80% of the stepparent adoptions we have completed went forward without the other parent's consent.
Does North Carolina require a home study for a stepparent adoption?
No home study is needed. North Carolina waives it for stepparent adoptions under N.C.G.S. § 48-2-501(d)(1). Your packet lists anything else your county clerk asks you to file.
Does my child have to agree to the adoption in North Carolina?
A child who is 12 or older must consent, under N.C.G.S. § 48-3-601. We include the consent form in your packet. Children younger than 12 do not sign.
Does child support end after a stepparent adoption in North Carolina?
The other parent's duty to pay support going forward ends when the adoption is final. Past-due support is handled under North Carolina law. We can point you to the right place to ask.
Will my stepchild get a new birth certificate in North Carolina?
Yes. After the judge signs the decree, a new birth certificate naming you as the parent is requested from North Carolina Vital Records. Your packet includes the request, and we show you how to file it.
Go deeper on North Carolina adoption
Every guide is written from North Carolina law.
How old do you have to be to adopt in North Carolina?How do I adopt my stepson or stepdaughter in North Carolina?Can I adopt my adult stepchild in North Carolina?How much does adult adoption cost in North Carolina?
All North Carolina adoption guides → · Compare requirements in every state →
Ready to make it official in North Carolina?
Join the 914 North Carolina families we have helped and start your adoption papers today.
Start Your North Carolina Adoption · $349Prefer to talk first? (855) 924-0450, Mon–Fri 8am–5pm MST