Utah

Utah Code imposes no minimum duration of Utah residency for a Utah resident to file an adoption petition in the judicial district where the petitioner resides (81-13-102(1)(a)). Under 81-13-102(1)(b), a nonresident of Utah may file an adoption proceeding in a Utah court if the adoptee was born in Utah, if the adoptee resides in Utah on the day the petition is filed, or if a parent of the proposed minor adoptee resides in Utah on the day the petition is filed (and under 81-13-402(4), a nonresident finalizing in Utah must comply with the preplacement and postplacement evaluation requirements of 81-13-403 through 81-13-405). Under 81-13-204(2), if the child was born in another state, the petition and final decree must state that the Interstate Compact on Placement of Children (Title 80, Chapter 2, Part 9) was complied with. Under 26B-2-127(18)-(19) (effective May 6, 2026), a private licensed child-placing agency may not transport a birth mother to Utah who is at 36 or more weeks of gestation or under age 18, and must ensure return transportation if she chooses not to remain in Utah.

Utah Code 81-13-102(1); 81-13-204(2); 81-13-402(4); 26B-2-127(18)-(19) (formerly 78B-6-105; 78B-6-107; 78B-6-118) · as of 2026-10-22

Under Utah Code 81-13-403(2)(c) and (6)(a) (formerly 78B-6-128) and 81-13-404(3), both the preplacement home study and the postplacement adoptive evaluation must be conducted by an adoption service provider who is licensed in Utah (or in the state where the prospective adoptive parent resides) as: (1) an expert in family relations approved by the court; (2) a certified social worker; (3) a clinical social worker; (4) a marriage and family therapist; (5) a psychologist; (6) a social service worker supervised by a certified or clinical social worker; (7) a clinical mental health counselor; or (8) a trained employee of the DHHS Office of Licensing.

Utah Code 81-13-403(2)(c), (6)(a); 81-13-404(3) (formerly 78B-6-128; 78B-6-129) · as of 2026-10-22

The Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Vital Records and Statistics maintains the confidential Putative Father Registry of notices of commencement of parentage proceedings (81-13-207(3)(e)-(f); 81-13-213(4)(c)). To register, an unmarried biological father must initiate a court parentage action under Title 81, Chapter 5 (Uniform Parentage Act) and file a Notice of Commencement of Paternity Proceedings with the Office of Vital Records and Statistics (81-13-207(3)(c)). Unless the child was conceived or born within a marriage, the petitioner in every adoption proceeding must file a certificate from the Office of Vital Records and Statistics before the final decree is entered stating that a diligent search of the registry was made and reporting the result (81-13-213(12)).

Utah Code 81-13-207(3)(c)-(f); 81-13-213(4)(c), (12) (formerly 78B-6-110(3); 78B-6-121(3)(c), (8)) · as of 2026-10-22

Adoption petitions may be brought in the District Court (or in the Juvenile Court if the juvenile court has jurisdiction over the child in a child welfare or termination proceeding under 78A-6-103(2)(a)(xiv)-(xv) and 78A-6-350). Under 81-13-102(1)(a)-(b), venue in district court is in the judicial district where the prospective adoptive parent resides, or - if the prospective adoptive parent is not a Utah resident - in the judicial district where the adoptee was born, where the adoptee resides on the day the petition is filed, or where a parent of the minor adoptee resides on the day the petition is filed.

Utah Code 81-13-102(1)-(2); 78A-5-102; 78A-6-103(2)(a)(xiv)-(xv); 78A-6-350 (formerly 78B-6-105) · as of 2026-10-22