Important: This article provides general information about adult adoption in Indiana. It is not legal advice. Contact an attorney for guidance on your situation.

Adoption isn't only for children. Some of the most meaningful adoptions in Indiana involve adults — a stepparent finally adopting the stepchild they raised, now grown; a foster parent and a former foster youth making their bond permanent; a family putting on paper what has been true for decades. Indiana law allows it, and the process is usually refreshingly simple.

Here is how adult adoption works in Indiana, and why families choose it.

Yes, You Can Adopt an Adult in Indiana

Indiana's adoption statutes (IC 31-19) allow the adoption of a person who is already an adult. The result is the same as any adoption — a permanent legal parent-child relationship — but the path is different, because there is no minor child whose welfare the court must protect. That changes what the court focuses on and removes several of the steps that make child adoptions longer.

Common Reasons Families Do It

People pursue adult adoption for reasons that are practical, emotional, or both:

  • Formalizing a lifelong relationship — a stepparent or foster parent legally becoming the parent of the child they raised, after that child turns 18.
  • Inheritance and estate planning — creating a legal parent-child relationship can carry inheritance and benefit implications.
  • Recognition — for many families, it is simply making official a relationship that has always been real.

Whose Consent Is Required

Because the person being adopted is an adult, their consent is at the center of the case — it is their choice to be adopted. If the adult being adopted is married, the spouse's consent is also generally required. Notably, the consent of the adult's biological parents is generally not required, since the adoptee is no longer a minor and the biological parents' rights are not what the proceeding turns on.

A Streamlined Process

Adult adoptions usually skip the parts that make child adoptions involved. There is typically no home study, no minor's biological-parent consent to obtain, and no best-interests-of-a-child analysis. The case generally comes down to a petition, the required consents (the adult and, if applicable, their spouse), and a court hearing. It is still a formal legal proceeding under IC 31-19, but it is often one of the more straightforward matters a family-law attorney handles.

The Effect

Once granted, an adult adoption creates a permanent legal parent-child relationship, with the legal consequences that flow from it — including, in many cases, inheritance rights. A new birth certificate and a name change can be part of the outcome if desired. For the people involved, the paperwork is often the small part; the recognition is the point.

Adult Adoption Across Central Indiana

Hammond Legal handles adult adoptions across Central Indiana, including Madison, Hamilton, Marion, Hancock, Shelby, Delaware, and Henry counties. If you are ready to make a lifelong relationship official, contact Hammond Legal at 317-284-9944. For other adoption types, see our adoption page.

Common Questions

Can you adopt an adult in Indiana?
Yes. Indiana allows the adoption of an adult under its adoption statutes (IC 31-19). It is most common to formalize a long-standing parent-child relationship — for example, a stepparent or foster parent adopting the now-grown child they raised — and it is generally simpler than adopting a minor.
Why would someone adopt an adult?
Common reasons include making a lifelong parent-child relationship legally official, inheritance and estate-planning goals, and formalizing a relationship with a stepchild or foster child after they turn 18. For some families it is simply the recognition of a bond that has always been real.
Does the adult being adopted have to consent?
Yes. Because the person being adopted is an adult, their own consent is central to the process. If the adult is married, the spouse's consent is also generally required. The consent of the adult's biological parents is generally not required, since the adoptee is no longer a minor.
Is adult adoption simpler than adopting a child?
Usually, yes. Adult adoptions typically skip the home study and do not involve a minor's biological parents' consent or the best-interests-of-a-child analysis. The case centers on the consent of the adult being adopted (and their spouse) and a court hearing. It is still a formal legal proceeding under IC 31-19.

Make a Lifelong Bond Official

Adult adoption is often one of the simplest, happiest matters a family-law attorney handles. Emilee Hammond can guide you through it across Central Indiana.