Adopting a Child in Arizona

Any adult Arizona resident, married or single, may qualify to adopt, and a married couple may adopt jointly; nonresidents may adopt only in limited cases involving Arizona foster children. Before filing, prospective parents must be certified by the court as acceptable to adopt after an investigation and home study, including fingerprint clearance cards for adults in the household; certification lasts 18 months. Consent is generally needed from the birth mother, a legal father, a child 12 or older (in open court), and any guardian or agency with authority to consent; a consent is irrevocable unless obtained by fraud, duress or undue influence. A social study, including criminal and child-welfare record checks, must be filed before the adoption hearing.

A stepparent does not need preadoption certification. If the stepparent has been married to the child's parent for at least one year and the child has lived with them for at least six months, the social study is limited to criminal and child-welfare registry checks. The other legal parent's consent is still required unless that parent's rights have been terminated by court order or another exception applies.