Adoption in NC: A Step-by-Step Guide for Families

How do I begin adoption in North Carolina?

Contact the Clerk of Superior Court (Adoption Clerk or Special

Proceedings) in the county where you reside.

Inquire how to start the adoption process or have your attorney do so.

Out-of-State Adoptions

It is up to you or your attorney to send NCOVR the out-of-state court order for your

adoption. Photocopies cannot be accepted, the court order must be a certied original

with seal.

If your application does not include the court order, NCOVR will send a letter to you or

your attorney.

The birth certicate must contain the same information required by NCGS 48-9-107

(see above). Application to NCOVR required. See application QR code above. Fees

apply, see next page.

DSS does not send NCOVR out-of-state court orders for adoptions.

Therefore, this process will vary based on how NCOVR receives the

court order.

ADOPTION IN NC:

A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE FOR FAMILIES

FEE INFORMATION ON NEXT PAGE

In-State Adoptions

Parents do not need to send NCOVR their court order (although application with identication

and fees is still required, please see last bullet in this section). The COSC will send the court

order to DSS (this applies to in-state adoptions only). Within 40 days of receiving a court

order, DSS sends NCOVR a document titled Report to Vital Records for each adoption. NCOVR

then prepares new adoptee birth certicates based on information in each report.

Per NC General Statute (NCGS) 48-9-107, the adoptee’s new birth certicate must have the

following information:

• Adoptee’s full adoptive name, sex, date of birth, and state of birth.

• Full name of the adoptive father, if applicable.

• Full maiden name of the adoptive mother, if applicable.

• Any other pertinent information as may be determined by the State Registrar.

The Report to Vital Records must be a certied true original with seal. It must not be missing

any dates or the COSC’s signature.

Before the North Carolina Ofce of Vital Records (NCOVR) can create a new

adoptee birth certicate, the Clerk of Superior Court (COSC) must grant your

adoption with a certied court order. The COSC will then send your court

order to the Division of Social Services (DSS), where it is indexed/reviewed.

Once NCOVR receives the report from DSS for an adoption,

adoptive parents must submit an application to NCOVR to

obtain their child’s new birth certicate. This is because NCOVR

is required by law to verify identication and collect fees each

time we create a new birth certicate. Visit our website to access

the application (see QR code). Fee information on next page.

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Foreign-Born Adoptions

For adopted children who are readopted in North Carolina, DSS sends a report to

NCOVR. These reports are sent in the same manner as in-state cases (see light blue

section on previous).

If the adoption took place out of the United States and the child was NOT

readopted in North Carolina, DSS will not send anything to NCOVR. NCOVR can still

create a Certicate of Identication, however.

vitalrecords.nc.gov

For international adoptions, we create a Certifcate of Identication for

Child of Foreign Birth (not a birth certicate), per NCGS 130A-108.

Certicate of Identication must contain the information required by NCGS 48-9-107

(see previous), except the country of birth will be listed in lieu of the state of birth.

Who can request a copy of an adoptee’s birth certicate?

Adoptee

Adoptee’s spouse and children

Adoptive parent(s), brothers, and sisters

A signed application with valid identication is also required.

Visit our website to access the required worksheet and application.

(Fees apply, see below.)

Attorneys may request a copy of a certicate if they provide a notarized letter from

one of the individuals listed above authorizing release of the record. Please send

NCOVR the original notary statement with a seal.

Per 48-9-107(c), the State Registrar shall provide certied copies to the:

NCOVR cannot accept cash, credit cards, or personal checks.

Payment must be in the form of a certied check or money order

made payable to NC Vital Records.

NCGS 130A-93.0 (1) requires a fee of $24.00 for routine search

of les and includes one (1) certifed copy of a birth certicate.

If more copies are desired, additional application and fees are

required. See website for more information.

NC Administrative Code 10A 41H.0704 requires a processing fee of

$15.00 to process an adoption.

Visit our website to access the required worksheet and application for

requesting a Certicate of Identication. (Fees apply, see below.)

vr[email protected]

Please complete an application (see QR code above) and send payment with a copy of

your valid photo identication.

Associated Fees:

(919) 733-3000

Send fees &

applications to:

N.C. Vital Records

Attn: Special

Registrations

1903 Mail Service

Center

Raleigh, NC

27699-1903