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How to Access Adoption Records: 12 Steps (with Pictures)

Three Parts:Preparing to Request InformationSubmitting a Request to an Adoption RegistryPetitioning the Court for AccessQuestions and Answers

Often children who are placed for adoption will eventually want to locate their birth parents. Also, many birth parents will want to find the children they have given up, and siblings will want to find their long-lost siblings. The reasons for wanting to find each other can be as varied as curiosity to a need for family medical information. In most states, adoptions are closed, which means that there are special procedures required in order to access records. These procedures will vary from state to state.

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Part 1 of 3: Preparing to Request Information

  1. Image titled Access Adoption Records Step 1 Image titled Access Adoption Records Step 1

    1
    Find the state where the adoption took place. You should ask your adoptive parents in what state you were adopted. You should also ask for the name of the adoption agency that they worked with. Your ability to access adoption records will depend on the state that the adoption took place.

    • If you are a birth mother who is searching for a child, then you should go through your paperwork and locate what adoption agency you went through.

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  2. Image titled Access Adoption Records Step 2 Image titled Access Adoption Records Step 2

    2
    Decide if you want “identifying” or “non-identifying” information. In many states, it is much easier to access non-identifying information than it is to access identifying information. Identifying information includes things like current or past names, addresses, and employment information. Getting identifying information is critical if you want to find your birth parents. Non-identifying information is helpful if you are curious about your race or ethnicity, or want medical information about your birth parents. Non-identifying information includes:[1]

    • Date and place of the adopted person’s birth
    • Age of the birth parents and general physical description such as eye and hair color
    • Race, ethnicity, religion, and medical history of the birth parents
    • Medical description of the child’s birth and of time in the hospital following birth
    • Education level of the birth parents at the time of adoption
    • The reason for the adoption
    • Existence of other children born to the birth parents

  3. Image titled Access Adoption Records Step 3 Image titled Access Adoption Records Step 3

    3
    Find the relevant state laws. To find out how to access adoption records, you will need to find the relevant state laws for the state in which the adoption occurred. You can find the laws by searching for “adoption” and then your state.

    • The Child Welfare Information Gateway has also created a summary of state laws, which is available at their website. These summaries are current as of 2013. Because states frequently update their laws, you should still perform a web search to make sure you have the most up-to-date statute.
    • Find the laws for the state in which the adoption occurred. Each state’s summary should tell you how to get non-identifying information as well as how to get identifying information.

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