Considering adoption in the Sunshine State? Our guide will walk you through everything you need to know about adoption in Florida.

Unlike some states, Florida allows you to adopt regardless of whether you are married or single. In this guide, we’ll cover Florida’s adoption laws, eligibility requirements for adoptive parents, different paths to adoption, the Florida home study process, and how to find licensed Florida adoption agencies in your area. For expectant parents, we’ll detail the laws about consent to terminate parental rights, timelines for revoking this consent, and the rights of birth mothers during adoption. 

Finally, we’ll share important resources for both parents considering adopting a child and expectant parents so that you have the tools to make confident, informed decisions about what’s best for your family. 

Who Can Adopt in Florida? 

Here’s a quick look at the basics of adoption in Florida. 

Who Can Adopt?	Adoptive parents in Florida must meet these conditions:At least 18 years old.Can be  married, single, divorced, or widowedAll sexual orientationsPrivate agencies may have additional regulations about age, income, and other factors.
Residency Requirements	Adoptive parents must have lived in Florida for at least 90 days.
Marital Status	Marital status is not a factor in Florida adoption.
Birth Mother Consent	Birth mothers must wait 48 hours after the minor’s birth, or until the day she has been discharged from the birth center, whichever is earlier.
Revocation Period	For children over six months old, the birth mother has three days to revoke consent.For children under six months old, there is no three-day revocation period, and birth mothers can only withdraw consent if they can prove they gave it under “fraud or duress.”
Birth Father Rights	Unmarried birth fathers in Florida can protect their paternity rights by filing paperwork with the state’s Putative Father Registry. We dive deeper into birth father rights in a later section.

Types of Adoption Available in Florida 

Florida offers several different legal routes to adoption. Each option meets different family situations and needs. 

Private Infant Adoption

In private infant adoptions, the adoptive family uses a licensed adoption agency or adoption attorney to manage the process. Birth parents voluntarily choose to place their child for adoption and select the adoptive family themselves or with the help of an agency. This type of adoption usually involves a newborn or infant child.

For adoptive parents, the process involves creating an adoption plan and completing home visits and background checks, followed by legal proceedings to finalize the adoption in court. 

Private adoption can be more complicated and costly than state adoptions from foster care. 

Adopting from Foster Care

Foster care adoption involves adopting a child from the state’s child welfare program. The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) runs the state’s foster care system, which cares for children whom the state determined shouldn’t be with their birth families, at least temporarily. 

While the state’s goal is always to reunite children with their birth families, that isn’t always possible. Sometimes, the state has to terminate birth parents’ parental rights. In those cases, when DCF determines it isn’t in a foster child’s best interest to return to their birth parents, they become eligible for adoption.

Foster care adoption is often the most affordable adoption option since the state of Florida will incur all fees associated with the adoption process. Families may also qualify for subsidies, benefits, and other resources to help with the child’s ongoing needs. 

Children eligible for adoption through foster care range in age from infants to teenagers, and many are older children or part of sibling groups. Adoptive families must undergo training, home studies, and background checks to ensure they can provide a safe, stable, and loving home. However, the overall process is generally more streamlined than private adoptions. 

Stepparent or Relative Adoption

Stepparent or relative adoption allows you to legally adopt your spouse’s child from a previous relationship, or a child who is a relative, such as a grandchild, niece, nephew, or sibling. These adoptions are often used to strengthen legal bonds with stepparents, or in cases where the biological parents are unable to care for the child. 

In stepparent and relative adoptions, the parental rights are terminated for the biological parent who is no longer a primary caregiver for the child. The stepparent or relative then assumes full legal rights and responsibility for the child’s care.

The process for this type of adoption is usually simpler than private or foster care adoptions.  In Florida, stepparents can often skip preliminary home studies and don’t have to submit some reports and recommendations. 

A Deeper Look at Florida Adoption Laws

 Here’s a deeper dive into Florida adoption laws. 

Who is Eligible to Adopt in Florida?

The state of Florida has very few regulations about who can adopt in its legal statutes. Anyone who is age 18 or older may adopt, whether they are single, married, divorced, or widowed. Also, following a court ruling in 2010, members of the LBGTQ+ community are allowed to adopt without restrictions. 

Those with physical disabilities are legally allowed to adopt, unless the court finds that their handicap prevents them from being an effective parent. 

A married person may petition for adoption without their spouse in two situations: if the spouse is the birth parent of the child being adopted (a stepparent adoption), or if the court excuses the spouse from petitioning because it is in the child’s best interest.

While there are no state statutes about income level, a home study will assess the ability of the adoptive parent to provide for the child. Private agencies may have additional regulations, such as maximum age requirements. 

Birth Parent Consent in Florida

Birth parents are expected to follow state-specific laws in order to give their consent for adoption in Florida. The birth mother must wait at least 48 hours after her baby is born before she can sign adoption papers, or she may sign once discharged from the hospital if that occurs sooner. Birth fathers can sign the papers anytime after the baby is born.

In the case of newborns, once the birth parents sign the adoption papers, they cannot change their minds and revoke the consent. If the child is older than six months when the papers are signed, the birth parents have three days to revoke consent. 

However, consent may be reversed at any time if a judge finds that the adoption papers were signed under duress or fraud—that is, if someone forced, threatened, or tricked the birth parents. 

If the birth father is married to the mother at the time of conception or birth, he must also consent to termination of parental rights.

Unmarried fathers are able to terminate their rights before the child’s birth. They must register their intent as soon as possible with Florida’s Putative Father Registry.

The Home Study Process in Florida

Adopting in Florida requires a preliminary home visit before the child is placed in the adoptive parents’ custody, followed by several more after placement. 

Before a child can be placed, hopeful adoptive parents must complete a preliminary home study. This study must be done by a licensed child-placing agency, a registered child-caring agency, or a licensed professional. 

The Florida home study includes several key parts: interviews with the prospective adoptive parents, criminal background and abuse registry checks, a report on the home’s physical environment, verification of financial stability, and documentation of adoptive parenting education and counseling. A preliminary home study is valid for one year. 

After placement, at least three additional home visits are required to make sure that everything is going smoothly. This first one happens within a week of placement. 

Note that home studies are not always required in the case of stepparent or relative adoptions. 

Find Florida Adoption Agencies and Professionals

If you’re interested in adoption in Florida, an agency or professional can help guide you through the process. Here is a list of statewide, national, and regional agencies to get you started. Florida also provides a comprehensive list of private domestic agencies through DCF. 

Statewide and National Agencies Serving Florida

• Foster Care Adoption: Florida has Community Based Care lead agencies throughout the state that handle foster care adoptions at no cost. Find your local agency atthis DCF directory or call 1-800-96-ADOPT.
• Alliance for Children: National agency with an office in Miami that offers international and domestic adoption services.
• Abiding Love Adoptions: Private agency that specializes in services for birth mothers with offices in Gainesville, Jacksonville, Miami, Stuart, Boca Raton, and Panama City Beach. 
• America World Adoption: Licensed and Hague-accredited Christian international adoption agency able to provide home study services in Florida.
• Bethany Christian Services: One of the nation’s largest Christian nonprofits providing adoption, foster care support, and Safe Families programs.
• Gladney Center for Adoption: Operating for 135+ years, Gladney provides domestic infant, foster care, and international adoption services.
• Heart of Adoptions, Inc.: Private domestic and international adoption agency with offices in Tampa, Orlando, Naples, Coconut Creek, and Merritt Island.

Miami Area Agencies

• ACF Adoptions: Private domestic adoption agency serving South Florida families since 1992.
• Adoption by Shepherd Care: The oldest Florida-based adoption agency. Provides domestic and international adoption services.
• Jewish Adoption and Family Care Options: Provides adoption services and support for foster and adoptive families in Broward County.

Tampa Area Agencies

• Gift of Life Adoptions, Inc.: Provides domestic adoption services and support groups in Pinellas Park.
• AmericanKidz Adoption Services, Inc.: Offers domestic adoption services as well as legal services. 
• Adoption Advocates, Inc.: Private domestic adoption agency serving the Tampa Bay area from Largo.
• Lifetime Adoptions, Inc.: Provides domestic adoption services and support groups in New Port Richey.

Orlando Area Agencies

• A Chosen Child, Inc.: Private domestic adoption agency serving Central Florida.
• Adoption Support Services of Florida, Inc.: Provides adoption services and support groups in Oviedo.
• Connecting Hearts Adoption Services: Private domestic adoption agency serving the Orlando area, as well as South Florida. 
• Heart to Heart Adoption Service, Inc.: Offers domestic adoption services and birth family support.

Jacksonville Area Agencies

• Jewish Family & Community Services: Provides adoption services and support for foster and adoptive families.
• Saving Grace Adoption Services: Agency specializing in education, therapy, and home visits to guide you through the adoption experience.  

Florida Adoption Attorneys

An adoption attorney can help guide you through the complex legal process of adoption so that you have more time to plan for your new family. To find an attorney in Florida, start with the Florida directory of the Academy of Adoption & Assisted Reproduction Attorneys. 

Foster Care Adoption in Florida

Recent data shows that there are more than 17,000kids in Florida’s foster care system, including 1,657 children eligible for adoption.

DCF oversees the state’s child welfare system,working through a network of Community Based Care lead agencies—nonprofit organizations that provide foster care and adoption services throughout the state. 

In Florida, there is no cost to adopt a child from foster care. Adoptive families may also qualify for ongoing financial support, including monthly maintenance payments, medical assistance, and college tuition waivers at in-statepublic universities.

To adopt from foster care in Florida, you must be at least 21 years old. There are no restrictions based on marital status, race, religion, or sexual orientation. If you are a foster parent hoping to adopt your foster child, a home study will assess the depth of your relationship, the length of time they’ve lived with you, and whether or not adoption would be in their best interest. 

Children eligible for adoption often include older children and teenagers, sibling groups who want to stay together, and children with special physical, emotional, or developmental needs. 

Visit Adopt Florida to view profiles of children waiting for adoption, learn about the process, and access support resources. You can also contact Florida’s Adoption Information Center at 1-800-96-ADOPT (1-800-962-3678) to speak with an adoption specialist who can answer your questions and guide you through the process.

Florida Adoption Agencies and Resources

Making an adoption plan as an expectant parent is deeply personal, and sometimes overwhelming. Just know that you have rights and resources. Only you can choose what’s best for you and your child, but that doesn’t mean you have to go it alone. 

In Florida, you must wait at least 48 hours after your child’s birth or until the hospital or birth center discharges you before you can sign the adoption papers and consent to terminate your parental rights. Once you do, it’s difficult to go back. In the case of newborns, the decision is final, unless you were forced to sign or misled by someone. If your child is over six months old, you have three days to change your mind before the decision becomes final. 

When making your adoption plan, you have the right to choose the adoptive family, and you can decide how much contact you want with the child. To get clarity and feel confident in your decision, it may help to make an adoption plan and outline what you do and don’t want. 

For example, what would the ideal adoptive family look like? How much, if any, contact do you want with them? A trained counselor can walk you through the plan, help you navigate your emotions, and give you a better idea of what to expect. 

Adoptive parents can help with living expenses, medical costs, and counseling during pregnancy and up to six weeks after birth. These payments do not force you to proceed with adoption.

If you’re expecting a child and not sure yet what to do, that’s completely normal. Florida offers resources for expecting parents who are still deciding, including a network of pregnancy support centers and a 24/7 confidential hotline. Through these resources, you can find experienced, nonjudgmental counselors to help explore your options and understand the process. 

FAQs About Adoption in Florida

https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0000-0099/0063/0063.html

https://adoptflorida.org

https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/who-may-adopt-be-adopted-or-place-child-adoption-florida

https://law.justia.com/cases/florida/third-district-court-of-appeal/2010/3d08-3044.html

https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/consent-adoption-florida

https://www.floridahealth.gov/certificates/certificates/birth/Putative_Father/index.html

https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/home-study-requirements-prospective-parents-domestic-adoption-florida

https://www.myflfamilies.com/services/licensing/child-placing-agency-licensing

https://www.myflfamilies.com/services/child-family/child-and-family-well-being/community-based-care/lead-agency-information=

Florida Adoption Attorneys

https://tableau-public.acf.gov/views/afcars_dashboard_main_page/mainpage?:embed=y&:isGuestRedirectFromVizportal=y

https://www.myflfamilies.com

https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2024/0063.097

Locations

Florida Adoption Guide

The information contained on this website is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional legal advice. Always seek the advice of a licensed and qualified professional. While the content of this website is frequently updated, information changes rapidly and therefore, some information may be out of date, and/or contain inaccuracies, omissions or typographical errors.