privateadoption.orgHow private domestic adoption works, step by step
Seven checkpoints, in the order most families meet them. Each one ends when a specific thing is done, not on a date.
Private domestic adoption means adopting a child born in the United States through a licensed agency or an attorney, rather than through foster care. Some families work with an agency from start to finish. Others work mainly with an adoption attorney, and some add a consultant who helps them find and compare agencies.
This checkpoint is done when you know which professional is leading your adoption and you have read their agreement and fee schedule.
Every state requires a home study before a child is placed with you, though who may do it and what it covers is set by each state. It usually includes interviews, background checks, references, and at least one visit to your home.
This checkpoint is done when you have a completed, approved home study in hand.
Most agencies and attorneys ask for a family profile. It is an introduction, written in your own words, with photos of your everyday life.
This checkpoint is done when your profile is finished and your agency or attorney has it.
There is no honest average for how long waiting takes, so we do not give one. What you can do is keep your home study current, since many expire, and keep your documents organized for the day things move.
This checkpoint is done when an expectant mother has chosen your family.
A match is not a placement. Until consent is given and becomes final under the law of the state where the birth happens, the expectant mother keeps every choice. Many states limit what expenses adoptive families may help with, and some require a court to approve them.
This checkpoint is done when the baby is born and placement begins.
After the birth, consent is signed under the rules of the birth state. If the birth is in a different state from yours, the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) requires both states' compact offices to approve before you bring the baby home. Families usually wait in the birth state while that happens.
This checkpoint is done when the baby is home with you and any interstate approval is in place.
After any post-placement visits your state requires, a court in your state finalizes the adoption. You then receive a decree, and later an amended birth certificate.
This checkpoint is done when you have the final decree.
Who to ask
Rules differ by state. An adoption attorney licensed in your state, and in the birth state if it is different, can tell you how they apply to your family.
- Child Welfare Information Gateway - Home Study Requirements for Prospective Parents in Domestic Adoption · as of 2026-10-21
- Child Welfare Information Gateway - Consent to Adoption · as of 2026-10-21
- Child Welfare Information Gateway - Regulation of Private Domestic Adoption Expenses · as of 2026-10-21
- APHSA - ICPC Regulation No. 12 (not a .gov page) · as of 2026-10-22
The PrivateAdoption guide app
The whole adoption, step by step
The guide app walks you through every stage in order. It keeps your document checklist, estimates your costs, reminds you of key dates, suggests questions for your attorney, and lays out the interstate steps if the birth is in another state. Every state rule comes with its official source.
Now covering 11 states: Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah. More being added.
Get the guide app - $199One time, no subscription. You can also give the guide app as a gift for the same $199.
A short note when pages change
Occasional, and only when a state page or article is added or updated. No other mail, and you can leave any time.