Adopting Children and Adults

adoption family concept 1

Adoption is the process of taking full legal responsibility for another person.

Most times, this involves parents who wish to adopt a baby, child, or teenager, but adopting an adult is also an option. All states have laws specifying how adoption must take place.

Below are legal answers to who may adopt, be adopted, or place a child for adoption in Nevada. If you have additional questions, please visit our adoption page.

Who may adopt in Nevada?

In broad terms, any single adult or married couple jointly may be eligible to adopt.

Below are other adoption facts to be aware of:

A step-parent can adopt their spouse’s child if the spouse has legal custody.

About 20 states use the phrase “husband and wife” when defining married couples who can adopt. But Nevada, among others, specifies that “spouses and unmarried intimate partners” may adopt, leaving room for same-sex couples.

To adopt in Nevada, you must be at least 21 years of age, and the adopting parent must also be at least 10 years older than the adoptee.

The child’s consent is required if they are over 14 years old.

Who may be adopted in Nevada?

All states permit children to be adopted, and some allow adults to be adopted in certain situations.

Any child in need of caring parents can be adopted. If the child’s biological or legal parents are living, their consent is required unless the court has terminated their parental rights.

Nevada allows the adoption of any person, regardless of age. The only stipulation is that the adult to be adopted must be younger than the adoptive parent. Families may pursue adult adoption for many reasons, including formalizing the parent-child relationship, establishing inheritance rights, or setting up perpetual care for a disabled or cognitively delayed individual.

Who may place a child for adoption in Nevada?

Generally speaking, any person or entity with the right to determine a child’s care and custody may place that child for adoption. Such people and entities include:

  • The birth parent
  • The Legal Guardian or guardian ad litem
  • The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services
  • Licensed Nevada adoption agencies

Many states, including Nevada, allow non-agency child placement, also known as private adoption. One type of private adoption is the direct placement of a child by the birth parent with an adoptive family. Nevada has detailed statutory regulations regarding this to protect the interests of both parties.


Adoption Attorneys in Nevada

Smith Legal Group understands how the adoption process works. Contact our Henderson, NV office at 702-410-5001 to request a free consultation if you need help meeting the required standards to welcome a new child or adult into your family. Our team of adoption attorneys work to alleviate all the legal complexities associated with adoption, including terminating the parental rights of the child’s biological parents, a necessary step for adoption if the parents do not consent.

Disclaimer: The information in this blog post is provided for general informational purposes only, and may not reflect the current law in your jurisdiction. No information contained in this blog post should be construed as legal advice. No reader of this post should act or refrain from acting on the basis of any information included in this blog post without seeking the appropriate legal or other professional advice on the particular facts and circumstances at issue.