State rankings
Adoption Requirements by State
Adoption Requirements by State: compare 51 US states on 2 metrics.
Minimum Age
13 values across 37 entries
Data
Click a column to sort.
42 states
 Alabama | Adult | — |
 Alaska | Adult (single parent adoption) | — |
 Arizona | Adult | Must be a resident of Arizona |
 Arkansas | Adult (single parent adoption) | — |
 California | Adult and at least 10 years older than adoptee | — |
 Colorado | 21 | — |
 Delaware | 21 | Must be a resident of Delaware |
 Florida | Adult (single parent adoption) | — |
 Georgia | 25 and at least 10 years older than adoptee | Must be a Georgia resident for 6+ months |
 Hawaii | Adult (single parent adoption) | — |
 Idaho | 25 or at least 15 years older than adoptee | — |
 Illinois | Adult | Must be an Illinois resident for 6+ months |
 Indiana | — | Must be a resident; exceptions apply |
 Iowa | Adult (single parent adoption) | — |
 Kansas | Adult | — |
 Kentucky | 18 (waived if residence requirement met) | Must be Kentucky resident for 12+ months (waived if age requirement met) |
 Louisiana | 18 (single parent adoption) | — |
 Maryland | Adult | — |
 Massachusetts | Adult | — |
 Minnesota | — | Must be a Minnesota resident for 12+ months |
 Mississippi | Adult (single parent adoption) | Must be a Mississippi resident for 6+ months |
 Montana | 18 (single parent adoption) | — |
 Nebraska | Adult | — |
 Nevada | Adult and at least 10 years older than adoptee | — |
 New Hampshire | Adult (single parent adoption) | — |
 New Jersey | 18 and at least 10 years older than adoptee | — |
 New Mexico | — | Must be a resident; exceptions apply |
 New York | Must be an adult (at least 18 years old) | — |
 North Carolina | Adult | — |
 North Dakota | Adult (single parent adoption) | — |
 Ohio | Adult (single parent adoption) | — |
 Oklahoma | 21 | — |
 Oregon | — | Must be an Oregon resident for 6+ months |
 Rhode Island | Adult | — |
 South Carolina | — | Must be a resident; exceptions apply |
 South Dakota | Must be at least 10 years older than adoptee | — |
 Tennessee | 18 | Must be a Tennessee resident for 6+ months |
 Texas | Adult | — |
 Utah | Adult and 10 years older than adoptee | Unmarried cohabiting couples cannot adopt |
 Washington | 18 | — |
 Wisconsin | Adult (single parent adoption) | — |
 Wyoming | Adult | Must be a Wyoming resident for 60+ days |
Quick answers
- Where does this adoption requirements by state data come from?
- Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: Requirements to Adopt a Child - American Adoptions.