Adopting a Child in Iowa

An unmarried adult, or a married couple together, may adopt; a married person may adopt alone only in limited situations, such as a stepparent adoption. The petition is filed in the juvenile court or district court of the county where the petitioner or the child's guardian lives. Except for stepparent, adult and standby adoptions, parental rights must be terminated before the adoption petition is filed. Written consent is needed from the child's guardian and from a child 14 or older (given in court). A preplacement home investigation, including criminal and child abuse record checks, must approve the home before an agency places a child, and a postplacement investigation with at least three visits follows. A minor must live with the petitioner for at least 180 days before the adoption is final, though the court may waive this for a stepparent or close relative or shorten it for good cause.

A stepparent may adopt without first going through a separate termination case: the rights of the parent who is not married to the stepparent can be ended within the adoption case when that parent files a written consent. The stepparent's spouse must also consent, and so must a child 14 or older. If a required person refuses or cannot be found, the court decides at the hearing whether that consent is unnecessary in the best interests of the child and the petitioner. The home investigation and report are not required in a stepparent adoption, although the court may order one, and the 180-day residence period may be waived.