Home study
Not waived
Washington does not waive the home study for a stepchild under 18. We help you prepare for it.
RCW 26.33.220
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Complete Washington package
1,104 Washington families helped since 2001
Make Your Washington Family Official.Washington stepparent & adult adoption, done for you: court-ready documents for the Superior Court in 24-48 hours.
We prepare every form, tell you where to file and what comes next, and stay with your family until the judge signs your decree.
$349 complete Washington package · documents in 24–48 hours
100% court acceptance, money-back guarantee · Unlimited revisions · No account needed to start
Residency
No requirement
Washington sets no residency waiting period. You file in the Superior Court of the proper county.
RCW 26.33.030Child's consent
Age 14 and up
A child who is 14 or older must consent to the adoption. We prepare that form.
RCW § 26.33.160Abandonment
No fixed months
Washington sets no month count. The court looks at the other parent's overall conduct.
RCW § 26.33.120
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Why Washington families choose us
We make your Washington 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 Washington Superior Court and backed by our 100% court acceptance guarantee.
1,104 Washington families helpedOver 34,000 families nationwide since 2001. We have seen every situation Washington courts see.
Save thousands$349 for the complete package, without attorney fees.
- A Washington 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 Washington AdoptionNo account needed to start
Four stages. One Superior Court. About 3-6 months.
Washington handles stepparent adoption in the Superior Court of your county, and most families finish in about 3-6 months.
Step one · A short questionnaireTell us about your family
Step one · A short questionnaire
Tell us about your family
You answer simple questions about you, your spouse, your stepchild and the other parent. We use your answers to build your Washington packet. You review every page before you file it.
Revised Code of Washington Chapter 26.33Step two · Within 24-48 hoursFile with your county Superior Court
Step two · Within 24-48 hours
File with your county Superior Court
Your court-ready documents arrive in 24-48 hours, with filing instructions for the Superior Court clerk. Washington has no residency waiting period. The county clerk sets the filing fee.
RCW 26.33.030Step three · After filingThe other parent signs or the court decides
Step three · After filing
The other parent signs or the court decides
If the other parent will sign, we prepare the consent. If not, we prepare the notice, which is a routine step. In Washington, abandonment depends on the parent's overall conduct, with no fixed number of months.
RCW § 26.33.120Step four · Hearing and decreeHearing, decree and new birth certificate
Step four · Hearing and decree
Hearing, decree and new birth certificate
The judge holds a short hearing and signs your decree. We then prepare your request for a new birth certificate. You send it to the Washington State Department of Health Center for Health Statistics.
Washington State Department of Health Center for Health StatisticsDoes 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. Of the 1,104 Washington families we have helped, many started with this same question.
They agree
If the other parent is willing, the process is simple. They sign a consent, and we prepare it for you in the form the Superior Court expects.
- We prepare the consent form
- The signing is quick and clear
- The court then schedules your hearing
They won't sign, or can't be found
If the other parent will not sign, is absent or cannot be found, Washington law gives the court a clear path.
- Washington sets no fixed number of months for abandonment.
- The court looks at the parent's overall conduct toward the child.
- When that conduct shows abandonment, the court has grounds to approve the adoption.
Notice to the other parent is routine, and we prepare it for you. In Washington, termination is not a separate case. It is part of the same adoption case.
RCW § 26.33.120Most families we help finish stepparent adoptions without the other parent's signature, and we prepare the papers for exactly that situation.
One flat price. No surprises along the way.
A Washington family pays $349 for the complete 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 Washington families tell us
★★★★★
Today we had our hearing for a step parent adoption. Our case was unusual in that my wife had adopted our daughter 5 years ago from Guatemala and now that we are married I wanted to adopt her as well. I was worried that because this child was adopted and the re-adopted that I would have some issues that I would have needed an attorney to sort out. Your staff did a fine job of making sure my paperwork addressed the situation correctly. I am extremely satisfied with the results as my hearing went off without a hitch. I would recommend your service to anyone needing to do a step parent adoption. Please feel free to place these comments on your web site if you wish. 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.
★★★★★
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!!
What arrives in 24–48 hours
Your Washington packet, in filing order, with instructions for your clerk.
See all 6 documents
- Petition for adoption for the Washington Superior Court
- Consent or notice papers for the other parent, or the papers for the court to decide the matter
- Child's consent form for children 14 and older
- Stepparent and spouse declarations for the Superior Court
- Hearing request, notice forms and filing instructions for your county clerk
- Final adoption decree and the new birth certificate request for the Washington State Department of Health Center for Health Statistics
Adopting an adult
Adopting an adult stepchild in Washington
Washington law says any person may be adopted, regardless of age or residence. There is no relationship or age-gap condition. The adoptee must consent if 14 or older, and parental consent is needed only for adoptees under 18. If you are married, your spouse must join the petition. You file in the Superior Court of the county where you live or the adoptee is domiciled. The home study is waived for an adoptee who is 18 or older, and the court schedules a hearing. Adult adoptions often finish in 4-8 weeks.
Any ageNo age-gap condition
Adoptee consentsRequired at 14 and older
Spouse joinsIf the petitioner is married
Home study waivedFor adoptees 18 or older
Three steps. That's the whole thing.
Our detailed Washington 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 Washington adoption specialist first.
Not sure which route fits your family? Call us. Real people, no pressure, and we will tell you what Washington courts will want to see.
(855) 924-0450Mon–Fri 8am–5pm MST
All 39 counties
Filed in your county's Superior Court
Washington has 39 counties, and each has its own Superior Court. We prepare your packet for your county, whether you live in Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver, Bellevue or a small town.
SeattleSpokaneTacomaVancouverBellevue+ every county
Adoption AI Assistant
Washington 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 Washington families ask us
How do I adopt my stepchild in Washington?
You file a petition in the Superior Court of your county. The other parent consents, or the court addresses their rights in the same case. Then the judge holds a hearing and signs the decree. We prepare every document, and most families finish in about 3-6 months.
Can I adopt my adult stepchild in Washington?
Yes. Washington says any person may be adopted, regardless of age or residence (RCW 26.33.140). The adult must consent, and your spouse must join the petition. The home study is waived for adoptees 18 or older, and these cases often finish in 4-8 weeks.
How much does a stepparent adoption cost in Washington?
Our complete package is $349, plus $99 for each additional child. The county clerk sets the Superior Court filing fee, so call the clerk to confirm it. Home study costs, where one applies, vary.
What if the other parent in Washington refuses to sign or can't be found?
You can still adopt. In our experience, about 80% of the stepparent adoptions we have completed went forward without the other parent's consent. Washington sets no fixed months for abandonment and looks at the parent's overall conduct (RCW § 26.33.120). We prepare the notice, and termination is handled in the same case.
Is a home study required for a stepparent adoption in Washington?
Washington does not waive the home study for a stepchild under 18 (RCW 26.33.220). It is waived only when the adoptee is 18 or older. We tell you what to expect and prepare your documents around it.
Does my child have to agree to the adoption in Washington?
A child who is 14 or older must consent (RCW § 26.33.160). We prepare the consent form for you to sign with your child.
Does my stepchild still get child support after a Washington adoption?
Yes, your stepchild is still supported. The other parent's duty to pay child support going forward ends when the adoption is final. As the child's legal parent, you take on a parent's duty of support. Support already past due is a separate matter under Washington law.
How does my stepchild get a new birth certificate in Washington?
After the judge signs the decree, you send a request to the Washington State Department of Health Center for Health Statistics. We prepare that request with your final papers.
Go deeper on Washington adoption
Every guide is written from Washington law.
How old do you have to be to adopt in Washington?How do I adopt my stepson or stepdaughter in Washington?How do I adopt an adult in Washington?
All Washington adoption guides → · Compare requirements in every state →
Ready to make it official in Washington?
Join the 1,104 Washington families we have helped, and let us prepare your Superior Court papers today.
Start Your Washington Adoption · $349Prefer to talk first? (855) 924-0450, Mon–Fri 8am–5pm MST