Home study
Waived
South Dakota waives the home study for stepparent adoptions, so there is no social worker visit to schedule.
SDCL § 25-6-10
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$349
Complete South Dakota package
187 South Dakota families helped since 2001
Make Your South Dakota Family Official.South Dakota stepparent & adult adoption, done for you, with court-ready documents for the Circuit Court in 24-48 hours.
We prepare every form, notice and decree request for your South Dakota family, and we stay with you until the judge signs.
$349 complete South Dakota package · documents in 24–48 hours
100% court acceptance, money-back guarantee · Unlimited revisions · No account needed to start
Residency wait
None required
South Dakota sets no residency waiting period, so you can start as soon as your family is ready.
South Dakota Codified Laws Chapter 25-6Child's consent
Age 12 and up
A child who is 12 or older must consent to the adoption, and we prepare that form for you.
SDCL § 25-6-5Abandonment period
6 months
A parent who has abandoned the child for 6 months can be set aside without signing consent.
SDCL § 25-6-4(2)
100%Court acceptance
money-back guarantee
money-back guarantee
Why South Dakota families choose us
We make your South Dakota 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 South Dakota Circuit Court and backed by our 100% court acceptance guarantee.
187 South Dakota families helpedOver 34,000 families nationwide since 2001. We have seen every situation South Dakota courts see.
Save thousands$349 for the complete package, without attorney fees.
- A South Dakota 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 South Dakota AdoptionNo account needed to start
Four stages. One Circuit Court. About 3-6 months.
South Dakota handles stepparent adoptions in the Circuit Court, with no home study and no residency wait, so most families move straight from paperwork to hearing.
Start here · OnlineTell us about your family
Start here · Online
Tell us about your family
You answer simple questions about you, your spouse, your stepchild and the other parent. We turn your answers into South Dakota forms. Your documents are ready in 24-48 hours.
South Dakota Codified Laws Chapter 25-6FilingFile with your Circuit Court clerk
Filing
File with your Circuit Court clerk
You file the petition with the Circuit Court clerk in your county. The clerk sets the filing fee. We give you clear filing instructions, and there is no home study to arrange.
SDCL § 25-6-10Consent or noticeThe other parent signs or is given notice
Consent or notice
The other parent signs or is given notice
If the other parent will sign, we prepare the consent. If not, we prepare the notice and the abandonment grounds. A child 12 or older signs a consent too.
SDCL § 25-6-5Final hearingHearing, decree and new birth certificate
Final hearing
Hearing, decree and new birth certificate
The judge reviews your case and signs the adoption decree. We then prepare your request to South Dakota Vital Records for a new birth certificate naming you as parent.
South Dakota 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 case is simple. They sign a written consent, we prepare it, and the Circuit Court moves ahead.
- We prepare the consent form for you
- Their rights end with the final adoption decree
- It is the quickest route to your hearing
They won't sign, or can't be found
If the other parent will not sign or cannot be found, South Dakota law gives the court a way forward based on abandonment.
- Abandonment for 6 months can allow the adoption without that parent's consent
- Abandonment is a ground the court recognizes under South Dakota law
- We prepare the petition language that sets out the facts
Notice to the other parent is a routine step, and we prepare it for you. In South Dakota, termination is not a separate case. It is handled within the same adoption.
SDCL § 25-6-4(2)In South Dakota, a parent who has abandoned the child for 6 months does not have to sign for your adoption to go forward.
One flat price, and no home study cost in South Dakota
A South Dakota family pays $349 for the complete document package, $99 for each additional child, plus the court's filing fee.
The same decree, the same court, without attorney fees.
Start for $349The same decree, the same court, without attorney fees.
What families tell us
★★★★★
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.
★★★★★
Just wanted to let you know that our adoption was finalized today! We never could have afforded an attorney, and your service made this possible for us. Everything went smoothly in court, and the judge even asked where we had gotten our paperwork because it was so well done. I’ll be recommending you to anyone I know looking to complete an adoption!
What arrives in 24–48 hours
Your South Dakota packet, in filing order, with instructions for your clerk.
See all 6 documents
- Petition for Adoption for the South Dakota Circuit Court
- Consent or surrender papers, or notice and abandonment papers if the other parent will not sign
- Child's consent form for a child age 12 or older
- Checklist of every document your Circuit Court clerk needs
- Filing instructions for your county Circuit Court clerk
- Final adoption decree and the new birth certificate request for South Dakota Vital Records
Adopting an adult
Adopting an adult in South Dakota
In South Dakota, an adult may adopt another adult. The adoptee must have lived in the adopter's home for at least 6 months while under age 21, and the petition must say so. That requirement is waived if the adoptee is the adopter's biological child. The adoptee gives written consent, the petition includes a written agreement to treat the adoptee as a natural child, and you file in Circuit Court. A hearing is not expressly required, and the judge enters an order upon a showing of good cause.
Who qualifiesAn adult who lived in your home under 21
Time in home6 months before age 21, waived for a biological child
Consent neededWritten consent of adoptee
Where filedYour Circuit Court
Three steps. That's the whole thing.
Our detailed South Dakota 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 South Dakota adoption specialist first.
Not sure which route fits your family? Call us. Real people, no pressure, and we will tell you what South Dakota courts will want to see.
(855) 924-0450Mon–Fri 8am–5pm MST
All 66 counties
Your county Circuit Court, anywhere in South Dakota
South Dakota has 66 counties, and your adoption is filed with the Circuit Court clerk in yours. Whether you live in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Aberdeen, Brookings or Watertown, we prepare your documents for your local court.
Sioux FallsRapid CityAberdeenBrookingsWatertown+ every county
Adoption AI Assistant
South Dakota 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 South Dakota families ask us
How do I adopt my stepchild in South Dakota?
You file a petition in your county Circuit Court, and we prepare all the documents in 24-48 hours. South Dakota requires the adopter to be at least 10 years older than the child unless the court finds the adoption is in the child's best interest (SDCL 25-6-2). Most stepparent cases take about 3-6 months.
Can I adopt my adult stepchild in South Dakota?
Yes. An adult may adopt another adult under SDCL 25-6-18. Your stepchild must have lived in your home for at least 6 months while under age 21, and must give written consent. These cases often take about 4-8 weeks.
How much does a stepparent adoption cost in South Dakota?
Our complete package is $349, and each additional child is $99. The Circuit Court clerk in your county sets the filing fee, so call the clerk to confirm it. There is no home study cost because South Dakota waives it.
What if the other parent refuses or can't be found in South Dakota?
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. South Dakota recognizes abandonment for 6 months (SDCL § 25-6-4(2)), and we prepare the notice and the petition language. Termination is handled in the same case.
Does South Dakota require a home study for a stepparent adoption?
No home study is required. South Dakota waives it for stepparent adoptions under SDCL § 25-6-10. That means no social worker visit and no extra wait.
Does my child have to agree to the adoption in South Dakota?
If your child is 12 or older, yes. South Dakota requires that child's consent under SDCL § 25-6-5. We prepare the consent form for the child to sign.
Does child support end after a stepparent adoption in South Dakota?
The other parent's duty to pay support going forward ends when the adoption is final. Past-due support depends on South Dakota law. The adoption makes you the child's legal parent.
Will my stepchild get a new birth certificate in South Dakota?
Yes. After the judge signs the decree, we prepare your request to South Dakota Vital Records. The new certificate lists you as the child's parent.
Go deeper on South Dakota adoption
Every guide is written from South Dakota law.
How do I adopt my stepson or stepdaughter in South Dakota?How old do you have to be to adopt in South Dakota?How do I adopt an adult in South Dakota?Can I afford stepparent adoption in South Dakota without an attorney?Do I have to wait after getting married before I can adopt my stepchild in South Dakota?How much does stepparent adoption cost in South Dakota?What are South Dakota's adoption laws?
All South Dakota adoption guides → · Compare requirements in every state →
Ready to make it official in South Dakota?
Join the 187 South Dakota families we have helped, and let us handle the paperwork while you focus on your child.
Start Your South Dakota Adoption · $349Prefer to talk first? (855) 924-0450, Mon–Fri 8am–5pm MST