Prepare for a private, stepparent or relative adoption Family Matters Oregon preparation and procedure guide Source review: 2026-10-11 Scope: Shared Oregon or applicable federal procedure; confirm local requirements Identify individualized court documents, ODHS service, and ICWA, home-study and background-check requirements. Who this route is for People seeking an adoption of a minor who is not in ODHS custody. Adult adoption and ODHS foster-care adoption use different routes. Timing and notices ODHS says the petition and listed documents must be served on it within 30 days after filing. Waiting periods, studies and interstate approvals depend on the adoption; confirm them before placement or finalization. Prepare (conditional documents may have alternatives) [ ] Child and prospective-parent information [ ] Consent, parentage and existing-order records as applicable [ ] Petition and supplemental Adoption Summary/Segregated Information Statement [ ] Ancestry information and ICWA verification forms [ ] Home study, placement report or waiver materials as applicable [ ] Background-check materials requested by the appropriate agency [ ] Proof of service on ODHS How to proceed 1. Read the non-departmental adoption guidance and consult an adoption lawyer about consent, parentage, interstate placement and the correct court documents. 2. Use ODHS supplemental forms with a complete individualized adoption petition; they are not a stand-alone adoption packet. 3. Collect ancestry information and follow the ICWA/ORICWA inquiry and compliance requirements rather than assuming a waiver applies. 4. Arrange required home-study, placement-report and background-check steps or request any permitted waiver through the stated process. 5. After court filing, serve ODHS with the petition, summary, exhibits and amendments using a permitted service method. 6. Confirm that required ODHS reports and any waivers reach the court before finalization and follow the court's remaining hearing and judgment instructions. Open current instructions: https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/adoption/Pages/non-departmental.aspx Limits: OJD does not offer adoption petition forms and ODHS cannot supply a complete packet or legal advice. ICWA/ORICWA, contested consent and interstate placement require individualized review; waivers are not automatic. Publisher sources Oregon Department of Human Services : Non-Departmental Adoptions in Oregon : Adoption : State of Oregon https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/adoption/Pages/non-departmental.aspx Evidence type: publisher-html-snapshot SHA-256: eab3e01b90d7398e70d0437c8f942061ae910cf0f073e174e4d47eb23bdbbb67 Oregon Judicial Department : Adoption : Children & Families : State of Oregon https://www.courts.oregon.gov/programs/family/children/Pages/adoption.aspx Evidence type: publisher-html-snapshot SHA-256: d990669e718de96524194742afec1d9164b08c0b232404a6f26aa04c2a4f496d This site helps you prepare. It does not submit filings, calculate personal deadlines, decide eligibility or replace professional review. A complaint or help request does not pause another case or deadline. Start here Read the non-departmental adoption guidance and consult an adoption lawyer about consent, parentage, interstate placement and the correct court documents. Where and how to submit Read the linked publisher instructions to confirm the receiving office, accepted submission method and current forms. This page has not separately verified those details. A county filter does not decide the correct court or filing location. https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/adoption/Pages/non-departmental.aspx What will it cost? Fees and fee-waiver eligibility have not been separately verified for this route. Check the current provider instructions. For a court filing, ask the court about its fee-waiver or deferral forms. After submission Keep a copy of what you send and its confirmation or receipt. Ask the receiving office how to track it, when to expect a response and how it will request missing information. These follow-up details have not been separately verified for this route. Corrections, denials and appeals Read any returned filing, correction request or denial notice promptly. Ask the responsible office for the correction, review or appeal instructions and the deadline that applies to your notice. This guide does not verify a route-specific appeal process. Language, disability and offline help Ask the receiving office about language assistance, disability accommodations and an alternative to online submission. Available options have not been separately verified for this route.