Requirements to Adopt a Baby

How old do you have to be to adopt a baby?

At least 21 in most states, and 25 in a few. There is no legal maximum age for domestic infant adoption; the home study looks at health and the ability to parent for the long term, not a birthday.

Families in their late 30s, 40s, and beyond adopt infants every year. Some expectant mothers prefer older parents; others prefer younger. What matters to a home study provider is whether you can meet a child's needs for the next two decades, and what matters to an expectant mother is who you are.

Do you have to be married to adopt?

No. Single adults, unmarried couples, and married couples can all adopt a baby through a licensed agency. The home study evaluates stability and support, not marital status.

For single applicants the home study pays extra attention to your support network and your plan for childcare and finances. That is about readiness, not a hurdle. Single women and single men adopt through our program.

Can LGBTQ+ couples adopt a baby?

Yes. We are a non-denominational agency and welcome LGBTQ+ individuals and couples. Expectant mothers choose the family, and many choose same-sex couples.

Requirements are identical for every family: the home study, background checks, and a profile that lets an expectant mother get to know you honestly.

Is there an income requirement to adopt?

No specific income threshold. Home studies look for financial stability: that you can meet your obligations and absorb a child's costs. Teachers, nurses, tradespeople, and small-business owners adopt every day.

You will be asked for proof of income, a basic budget, and sometimes a statement of assets and debts. Debt itself is not disqualifying; an unmanageable budget is the concern, and the provider will tell you plainly if something needs attention before approval.

Do you need to own a home to adopt?

No. Renting is fine. The home visit checks that the home is safe and has room for a child, not whether you own it or how it's decorated.

Apartments, townhomes, and houses all pass. A baby does not need its own room at placement. The provider looks for working smoke detectors, safe storage of medications and firearms, and a plan for where the baby will sleep.

What background checks are required to adopt?

State and FBI criminal history checks and a child-abuse registry check for every adult in the home, fingerprinted. Offenses involving children or recent serious crimes are disqualifying; an old, unrelated record often is not.

Disclose everything up front. Providers find undisclosed history anyway, and the non-disclosure is usually the bigger problem. If you have a record, call us before applying and we'll tell you honestly where you stand.

Are there health, weight, or BMI requirements to adopt?

There is no BMI cutoff or specific health standard in U.S. domestic infant adoption. The home study asks for a physician's statement that you are healthy enough to parent long term. Managed chronic conditions are not disqualifying.

The physician's form asks about life expectancy and the ability to care for a child, not about perfection. Conditions like diabetes, depression under treatment, or a past cancer that is in remission are routinely approved. A terminal diagnosis or an untreated condition that affects parenting would be discussed honestly with you.

Can you adopt if you already have children?

Yes. Many families who adopt already have biological or adopted children. There is no limit, and the home study simply includes them.

Older children are interviewed age-appropriately as part of the home study, and some expectant mothers specifically hope for a family where their baby will have siblings.

Do you have to be a certain religion to adopt?

No. We are a non-denominational agency. Families of all faiths and none adopt through our program, and the expectant mother decides what matters to her.

Your profile can say as much or as little about faith as you like. Some expectant mothers look for a family that shares their faith; many do not consider it at all.

What is the home study, and how long does it take?

The home study is the formal assessment every adoptive family completes with a state-licensed provider: interviews, background clearances, references, adoption education, and a home visit. Most families finish in three to six months.

Almost every requirement on this page is verified through the home study, which is why it is the real requirement. Our complete home study guide walks through each document and stage.

Read the complete home study guide, and see where it fits in the family adoption process.

Do we have to live in Utah to adopt through your agency?

No. Families in most states adopt through us. Your home study is completed by a licensed provider in your home state, and interstate placements go through the ICPC process, which we handle.

A few states have restrictions on out-of-state agency placements, and we will tell you on the first call whether yours is one of them.

Our state-by-state adoption guides cover what applies where you live.