Who May Adopt, Be Adopted, or Place a Child for Adoption - Connecticut

Date: January 2020

Who May Adopt

Citation: Gen. Stat. §§ 45a-732; 45a-734

Any adult person may adopt, with the following stipulations:

  • A husband and wife must adopt jointly, unless excepted by the court.
  • A married person and the married person's spouse may join in an adoption agreement.
  • In the case of the adoption of an adult, the person is older than the adopted person and has received the applicable approval of the probate court under § 45a-734. A person may not adopt an adult who is his or her wife, husband, brother, sister, uncle, or aunt of the whole- or half-blood.

Who May Be Adopted

Citation: Gen. Stat. §§ 45a-725; 45a-734

Any minor child who is legally free for adoption may be adopted. A child shall be considered free for adoption if either of the following apply:

  • The child has no living parents.
  • All parental rights have been terminated.

Any person age 18 or older may be adopted by another person who is at least age 18 but older than himself or herself, provided the following conditions have been met:

  • The adoptee has agreed to the adoption in writing and the written agreement has been approved by the probate court for the district in which the adopting parent resides, or if the adopting parent is not an inhabitant of this State, for the district in which the adoptee resides.
  • In the case of a married adoptive parent, the spouse of that person joins in the adoption agreement when the surviving birth parent has remarried and the spouse of that parent wishes to become an adoptive parent, he or she may do so with the consent of the surviving birth parent.

Who May Place a Child for Adoption

Citation: Gen. Stat. §§ 45a-724; 45a-726;; 45a-724a

A child may be placed for adoption only by one of the following:

  • Any parent or statutory parent
  • The child's guardian(s)
  • The Commissioner of Children and Families
  • A child-placing agency

Upon the termination of parental rights by the court, the court, at the request of the commissioner as statutory parent, may order any child-placing agency to place the child for adoption.

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