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How to Adopt an Adult in Connecticut

Reviewed by DocDraft Legal Team · Connecticut · Last updated October 7, 2026

Connecticut will not approve an adult adoption on the strength of two signatures. Before approving anything, a Probate Court judge must decide that you and the adult you want to adopt already share a relationship similar to that between a parent and an adult child, and that the adoption is in the best interests of both of you (C.G.S. 45a-734(b)). Adult adoption is a court proceeding that permanently makes one adult the legal parent of another, with the inheritance and next of kin consequences that follow. The eligibility rule itself is broad. Any person 18 or older may adopt any other person who is at least 18 and younger (45a-734(a)). No disability is required, no prior foster placement, and no minimum number of years between you. One flat bar applies: the adult you adopt cannot be your spouse, brother, sister, uncle or aunt, of the whole or half blood. Signatures are split by statute. You and the adult sign a single written adoption agreement. A married petitioner's husband or wife must join that agreement rather than merely approve it, unless the judge finds sufficient reason why they should not (45a-734(e)). If the adult being adopted is married, that spouse signs a written consent (45a-735). Birth parents consent to nothing, and one parent of the adult may join the agreement to keep their own legal tie alive. You file form PC-603A in the probate district where you live and pay $250. No home study attaches. Attorney review of your paperwork is available through DocDraft.

Find out where you stand in Connecticut

Who are you hoping to adopt?

DocDraft provides document preparation, not legal advice.

Who can be adopted as an adult in Connecticut?

Any person at least 18 and younger than the adopting adult, so long as they are not that adult's spouse, brother, sister, uncle or aunt of the whole or half blood (C.G.S. 45a-734(a)). Connecticut attaches no disability, foster care or stepchild category to adult adoption.

Does a Connecticut judge have to find anything before approving an adult adoption?

Yes. The Probate Court approves the agreement only if it finds the proposed adoptive parent and the adult share a relationship similar to that between a parent and an adult child, and that the adoption is in the best interests of both of them (C.G.S. 45a-734(b)).

Which spouse signs an adult adoption in Connecticut, and how?

Two different acts. A married petitioner's spouse must join the adoption agreement as a party, unless the court finds sufficient reason why they should not (C.G.S. 45a-734(e)). The spouse of the adult being adopted instead gives separate written consent (C.G.S. 45a-735).

What does it cost to file an adult adoption in Connecticut?

Connecticut sets a statewide $250 fee to approve an adult adoption, its own line item in the Probate Court fee statute (C.G.S. 45a-106a(b)(6)). Fees are uniform across every probate district (45a-105). Notice, publication and copy expenses are billed separately at actual cost (45a-109).

Connecticut adult adoption at a glance

Adult adoption in Connecticut is a Probate Court order that permanently makes one adult the legal parent of another, carrying the full rights, duties and inheritance consequences of a parent and child (C.G.S. 45a-731). Eligibility is wide open on its face: any adult may adopt any younger adult (45a-734(a)). What makes Connecticut unusual is the finding the judge must make. The court approves the agreement only on deciding that the two already share a relationship similar to that between a parent and an adult child. Connecticut also bars adopting your own spouse, brother, sister, uncle or aunt, and it alone lets one parent of the adult join the agreement so that parent keeps their legal tie while the other parent's ends (45a-734(c)). There is one statewide form, PC-603A, and a $250 fee.

Keeping one birth parent in the picture under 45a-734(c)

The decision that drives this case belongs to the adult's own mother. Picture a New Haven household where your wife's son is 37, you have been in his life since he was twelve, and he now wants your name recorded as his father. His mother will not surrender her own legal standing to make that possible, and C.G.S. 45a-734(c) means she does not have to. She joins the adoption agreement beside you and keeps every parental right, while the son's other parent sees his legal relationship end on approval. The three of you sign PC-603A, the judge weighs 25 years of your acting as a parent against the 45a-734(b) relationship finding, and you file in the New Haven probate district for $250. Attorney review of the agreement is available through DocDraft.

Relevant Laws

C.G.S. 45a-734 (adoption of adults; the relationship finding)

The whole adult adoption scheme. Sets who may adopt whom, the barred relationships, the probate district, the notice the court must and may give, the parent and adult child relationship finding, spousal joinder, and the parent joinder routes in subsections (c) and (d).

C.G.S. 45a-735 (consent of the adoptee's spouse)

A single sentence providing that an adoption agreement between persons of the age of majority shall not be approved without the written consent of the husband or wife, if any, of the adopted person. It carries no waiver clause and no good cause escape.

C.G.S. 45a-731 (effects of the decree; inheritance)

Incorporated into every adult adoption by 45a-734(b). Creates the full parent and child relation, two way inheritance through each other and the adoptive parent's relatives, sibling inheritance, and the rule reading adopted persons into class gifts in wills and trusts.

C.G.S. 45a-106a (Probate Court filing fees)

Subsection (b)(6) sets the fee to approve an adult adoption at two hundred fifty dollars, a separate line item from the minor child adoption fee in (b)(1). Fees are uniform statewide under 45a-105, and 45a-109 bills notice and copy expenses on top at actual cost.

Form PC-603A, Petition and Agreement of Adult Adoption

The one statewide form, published by the Connecticut Probate Courts. Combines petition and agreement, carries signature blocks for the adult, the adoptive parents, a joining parent, a joining spouse and the adoptee's consenting spouse, and includes name change and birth certificate requests.

Regional Variances

Connecticut adult adoption rules at a glance

Who may be adopted

Any person at least 18 and younger than the adopting adult, with no eligibility categories (C.G.S. 45a-734(a)). Barred: the petitioner's spouse, brother, sister, uncle or aunt, of the whole or half blood. The age of majority is 18 (C.G.S. 1-1d).

The judicial finding

The court approves only if it finds the proposed adoptive parent and adopted person share a relationship similar to that between a parent and an adult child, and that the adoption is in the best interests of both (C.G.S. 45a-734(b)). Added by P.A. 14-104.

Age relationship

Age order only. The adoptee must be at least 18 and younger than the adopting adult (C.G.S. 45a-734(a)). No minimum number of years between them appears anywhere in the section, and the minor adoption track sets none either.

The adoptee's agreement

Given by signing the written adoption agreement, not by a separate consent form. The word consent does not appear in C.G.S. 45a-734. Form PC-603A records it as a signature under the line agreeing to be adopted.

Adopting person's spouse

Must JOIN the agreement as a party, not merely consent, unless the Probate Court finds sufficient reason why the other should not join (C.G.S. 45a-734(e)). A spouse who is not a party must still be given notice of the hearing (45a-734(b)).

Adoptee's spouse

Written CONSENT required, with no waiver clause and no good cause escape (C.G.S. 45a-735). Form PC-603A carries a dedicated consent signature block separate from the joinder blocks.

Birth parents

No consent required. Notice to them is discretionary under C.G.S. 45a-734(b). One parent may instead JOIN the agreement and keep all parental rights, in which case the non joining parent's relationship ends under 45a-731(5) to (7) (C.G.S. 45a-734(c), (d)).

Court and district

The Probate Court for the district where the proposed adoptive parent resides, or where the adult being adopted resides if the petitioner lives out of state (C.G.S. 45a-734(a)). Connecticut has no family court or surrogate's court adoption jurisdiction.

Residency

No durational requirement, and Connecticut residence is not required of the petitioner at all. Residence only picks the probate district (C.G.S. 45a-734(a)). No month or year count appears in the section.

Filing fee

$250 to approve an adult adoption, its own statutory line item (C.G.S. 45a-106a(b)(6)), uniform across districts (45a-105), payable at filing (45a-106a(k)), waivable under 45a-111. Notice, publication, service and copy expenses are extra at actual cost (45a-109).

Investigation

None attaches. C.G.S. 45a-734 contains no investigation provision, and the study machinery in 45a-727 and 45a-733 is written around a child and a child placing agency. This is a scope limit in the text rather than an express exemption for adults.

Name change

The Probate Court may change the name of the person adopted as part of approving the agreement, on the adoptive parent's request (C.G.S. 45a-736). Note that 45a-737, which forces schools and hospitals to update records, reaches only minor track adoptions under 45a-727.

Inheritance

Full, with no age based downgrade. C.G.S. 45a-734(b) applies 45a-731: two way inheritance through each other and the adoptive parent's relatives, sibling rights, and 45a-731(4) reading adopted persons into class gifts in wills and trusts unless the document says otherwise.

Form

One statewide form, PC-603A, Petition and Agreement of Adult Adoption, revised October 2021. The minor track forms PC-603, PC-603CI, PC-681 and PC-680 are a different process and should not be used for an adult.

Suggested Compliance Checklist

Check the barred relationships and the ages

Before you draft anything days after starting

Verify the adult is at least 18 and younger than you, and is not your spouse, brother, sister, uncle or aunt, of the whole or half blood (C.G.S. 45a-734(a)). Connecticut's age of majority is 18 (C.G.S. 1-1d).

Assemble proof of the parent and adult child relationship

Before filing days after starting

The court must make the 45a-734(b) finding before it can approve anything. Collect dates of shared residence, school and medical records naming you, evidence of support, and anything showing how each of you has described the relationship over time.

Decide whether a parent of the adult joins

Before drafting the agreement days after starting

Under C.G.S. 45a-734(c) and (d) one parent of the adult may join and keep every parental right, while the non joining parent's legal relationship ends. Weigh that against the inheritance effects in 45a-731(5) to (8) before choosing.

Complete form PC-603A

First document to prepare days after starting

Fill the petition page, then the Adult Adoption Agreement page, and list any other persons interested in either party's welfare who should receive notice. Add the name change and birth certificate requests if wanted. Attorney review of the completed form is available through DocDraft.

Collect the joinder and the consent

Before filing days after starting

If you are married, have your spouse sign the joinder block, or state on the petition why they are not joining (C.G.S. 45a-734(e)). If the adult being adopted is married, get that spouse's written consent in the separate block (C.G.S. 45a-735).

File in your probate district and pay $250

When every signature is in days after starting

File PC-603A in the probate district where you reside, or where the adult resides if you live out of state (C.G.S. 45a-734(a)). The $250 fee is payable at filing (C.G.S. 45a-106a(b)(6) and (k)) and may be waived under 45a-111.

Attend the hearing and request certified copies

On your hearing date days after starting

Notice goes to every party, and to a non joining spouse (C.G.S. 45a-734(b)). After approval, order certified copies for the records you plan to update. Certification runs $5 for the first two pages and $2 per page after (C.G.S. 45a-109).

Frequently Asked Questions

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