Adult Adoption Forms

Learn How to Adopt Your Adult Stepchild in Florida


With fewer adult adoption forms to fill out, adopting your adult stepchild in Florida is easier than a minor stepchild adoption.

We explain the process to file the Petition for Adoption of Adult by Stepparent and provide links to all the supporting forms.

The process for the adoption of an adult by another adult (not a stepparent) is similar and they share many of the same supporting forms.

Adult Adoption Forms (Stepparent)


So you can follow along, go ahead and download the Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.981(c)(1) from the state court's website.

Petition for Adoption of Adult by Stepparent, Form 12.981(c)(1)Petition for Adoption of Adult by Stepparent
Form 12.981(c)(1)

Purchase our premium PDF fillable adult adoption form shown above. 
► Petition for Adoption of Adult by Stepparent ($3.00)


Adult Adoption by Stepparent Forms Packet

FP981C1 - Petition for Adoption of Adult by Stepparent (2017)

This stepparent adoption forms packet is suitable for a Stepparent Adoption of an Adult Stepchild with or without all required consents.

PDF Fillable Adult Adoption by Stepparent Forms Packet(FP981C1)Stepparent Adoption Forms
  • Over 15 PDF fillable forms including all required and procedural forms.
  • All forms are PDF format with fillable form fields. Unlimited saving & editing.
  • Step by step instructions for filing Pro Se (self-representing) .
  • Helpful links and resources for Pro Se litigants.
  • 100% Money Back Guarantee

Now only $9.95

Adult Adoption Packet

FP981C1 - Joint Petition for Adoption by Stepparent (2017)

This stepparent adoption forms packet is suitable for a Stepparent Adoption of an Adult Stepchild with or without all required consents.

  • Over 15 PDF fillable forms including all required and procedural forms.
  • All forms are PDF format with fillable form fields with unlimited saving & editing.
  • Step by step instructions for filing Pro Se (self-representing) .
  • Helpful links and resources for Pro Se litigants.
  • 100% Money Back Guarantee

Now only $9.95

Read more about our exclusive forms packet for an Adult Stepchild Adoption. 
► Adult Adoption Forms Packet (Stepparent)


This is the adult adoption form used when a stepparent is adopting their spouse’s adult child (Adoptee) in Florida.

The name to be given to the Adoptee after the adoption should be used in the heading of the adult adoption petition.

The stepparent is the Petitioner, because he or she is the one who is asking the court for legal action.

You must attach all necessary consents or acknowledgments that apply to your case.

A certified copy of the Adoptee's birth certificate should also be attached with the initial filing.

Visit the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics website to order certified Florida birth certificates.


Required Consents for Adult Adoption by Stepparent

Required Consents

Florida Statutes require that consent to an adult adoption be obtained from:

1. the adult adoptee, and

2. if married, the adoptee's spouse.

Required Notice

Florida Statutes require that notice of the final hearing must be given to the following persons:

• The adult adoptee

• The spouse of the adult adoptee if they didn’t sign a consent

• The birth parent(s) of the adult adoptee if they were not previously personally served or are deceased (even if previously served, the court could still require you to send notice of hearing).

Required Consents 

Florida Statutes require that consent to an adult adoption be obtained from:


1. the adult adoptee, and

2. if married, the adoptee's spouse.


Required Notice

Florida Statutes require that notice of the final hearing must be given to the following persons:

• The adult adoptee

• The spouse of the adult adoptee if they didn’t sign a consent

• The birth parent(s) of the adult adoptee if they were not previously personally served or are deceased (even if previously served, the court could still require you to send notice of hearing).

Consent is required from the adoptee and his or her spouse if married.

For your adult adoption by stepparent case to proceed, you do not need the consent of the birth parents.

However, you are required to give the birth parents notice of the final hearing. 


Notice of Final Hearing

There are two ways to accomplish this notice requirement.

The first is "certifying" that you have given notice of the final hearing. 

The Notice of Hearing (form 12.923) allows you to certify that you delivered notice of the hearing to the birth parent.

This is the section of that form where it asks you if you mailed, hand-delivered, etc...

The second way of providing the required notice is by Service of Process.


Service of Process

Service of Process is done by either "Personal Service" or "Constructive Service".

In general, Personal Service is used when you know the location of the person being served, and Constructive Service is used when you cannot locate this person.

In most cases where location of the birth parent is known, written notice is accomplished by delivering the Notice of Hearing form and certifying how it was done on the form itself.

The court may choose not to require consent to an adoption in some circumstances.

Consents to an Adult Adoption

For more information about consenting to adoption, you should refer to Chapter 63, Florida Statutes, and the following sections:

§ 63.062 - Persons required to consent to adoption; affidavit of nonpaternity; waiver of venue.

§ 63.063 - Responsibility of parents for actions; fraud or misrepresentation; contesting termination of parental rights and adoption.

§ 63.064 - Persons whose consent to an adoption may be waived.

§ 63.082 - Execution of consent to adoption or affidavit of nonpaternity; family social and medical history; revocation of consent.

Stepparent Adoption of Adult Consent Forms

Stepparent Adoption: Consent of Adoptee, Form 12.981(a)(2)

Stepparent Adoption: Consent of Adult Adoptee's Spouse, Form 12.981(c)(2)


Supporting Adult Adoption Forms (Stepparent)

After completing the petition for stepparent adult adoption form, you (Petitioner Stepparent) must sign it before a notary public or deputy clerk.

You should then file the original petition and 1 copy with the clerk of the circuit court in the county where you or the adult adoptee resides unless the court changes the venue.

You  must also file all the required supporting forms.

Once your petition, consents and supporting forms are filed, you may then ask for a final hearing to be set.

See Chapter 63, Florida Statutes, and Florida Family Law Rule 12.200(a)(2) Case Management for Adoption Proceedings for further information.


Now it's time to set the final hearing

Contact the case management office at the courthouse or the Judicial Assistant for your case to get a final hearing scheduled. 

In some circumstances your case will first be assigned to a case management hearing. The purpose of a case management hearing is to ensure all the documentation is in order and any issues are addressed.

Once your final hearing date is issued, you must certify that a Notice of Hearing has been served to the birth parent(s) and the Adoptee.

This is done by mailing, faxing, hand delivery of the Notice of Hearing and certifying how it was served (the "Certificate of Service" is found on the last page of the form).

Form 12.923 Notice of Hearing for Adoptions - Certificate of ServiceForm 12.923 Notice of Hearing for Adoptions - Certificate of Service


You should check with the clerk, family law intake staff, or judicial assistant to see if you need to bring a final judgment Form with you to the hearing.

If so, you should type or print the heading, including the circuit, county case number, division, and the Adoptee’s name, and leave the rest blank for the judge to complete at your hearing.

You should decide how many certified copies of the final judgment you will need and be prepared to obtain them after the hearing. 

The file will be sealed after the final hearing, and then it will take an order from a judge to open the file and obtain a copy of the final judgment.

Adult Adoption by Stepparent Forms Packet

FP981C1 - Petition for Adoption of Adult by Stepparent (2017)

This stepparent adoption forms packet is suitable for a Stepparent Adoption of an Adult Stepchild with or without all required consents.

PDF Fillable Adult Adoption by Stepparent Forms Packet(FP981C1)Stepparent Adoption Forms
  • Over 15 PDF fillable forms including all required and procedural forms.
  • All forms are PDF format with fillable form fields. Unlimited saving & editing.
  • Step by step instructions for filing Pro Se (self-representing) .
  • Helpful links and resources for Pro Se litigants.
  • 100% Money Back Guarantee

Now only $9.95

Adult Adoption Packet

FP981C1 - Joint Petition for Adoption by Stepparent (2017)

This stepparent adoption forms packet is suitable for a Stepparent Adoption of an Adult Stepchild with or without all required consents.

  • Over 15 PDF fillable forms including all required and procedural forms.
  • All forms are PDF format with fillable form fields with unlimited saving & editing.
  • Step by step instructions for filing Pro Se (self-representing) .
  • Helpful links and resources for Pro Se litigants.
  • 100% Money Back Guarantee

Now only $9.95



Stepparent Adult Adoption Documents Service


Florida Court Forms' Petition Preparer Service
Your legal documents ready to file at a price you can afford!

Our documents service can have all your stepparent adult adoption forms professionally prepared after a brief interview with our trained Florida Legal Document Specialists.

Your court papers will be in your hands and ready to file at the courthouse in as little as three days! We guarantee our work.  Just ask us for a quote...


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Stepparent Adult Adoption Documents Service


Florida Court Forms' Petition Preparer Service
Your legal documents ready to file at a price you can afford!

Our documents service can have all your stepparent adult adoption forms professionally prepared after a brief interview with our trained Florida Legal Document Specialists.

Your court papers will be in your hands and ready to file at the courthouse in as little as three days! We guarantee our work. Just ask us for a quote.

Please enter the word that you see below. If you cannot read the word just refresh the page.

  


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Page last updated 08/29/2017
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