How Long Does Adoption Take in North Carolina?

Each adoption in North Carolina unfolds on its own schedule. No two cases move at the same pace because each family and every child’s situation differs in various ways. Many prospective adoptive parents ask, “How long does adoption take in North Carolina?” The right next step is to have a direct conversation with an experienced North Carolina adoption lawyer.

Raleigh, North Carolina adoption attorney Bobby Mills has worked with adoptive parents and birth parents to assist these parties for more than 35 years. His extensive experience with North Carolina family law helps him to identify potential problems many prospective adoptive parents, adoption agency personnel, and adoption attorneys never anticipate.

Below is an overview of how North Carolina law frames the process and what factors often influence timing. To explore the likely duration of the process in your unique North Carolina adoption scenario, schedule a free 15-minute consultation today with MIlls Adoption Law to discuss your goals, interests, and concerns with compassionate guidance. We will seek to identify any challenges that may be involved on your path to a legally-recognized adoption. By asking the right questions and planning properly, you can prepare for the applicable steps and help to prevent delays.

Adoption is an Individualized Process

Are you wondering how long the adoption process will take in North Carolina? Have you been searching online for an “nc adoption attorneys,” “adoption attorneys in NC,” or “adoption in NC?”

Read moreAfter Obergefell – Same-Sex Stepparent Adoption & Second-Parent Adoption

The length of an adoption is shaped by many factors, which can include:

• The type of adoption pursued
• The legal status of the child
• Court scheduling in the county
• Any consents or relinquishments that must be signed
• Home study completion and post-placement visits
• Interstate or international requirements, if applicable

Because these pieces rarely line up the same way twice in the North Carolina adoption process, timelines vary significantly. Some adoptions conclude in a few months, while others may take a year or more.

Types of Adoption and Factors Affecting Adoption Process Timelines

Your goals, circumstances, type of adoption, and various factors specific to the parties involved will affect the duration of the adoption process in North Carolina. Let’s briefly address factors affecting several types of adoption below:

Stepparent Adoption

Stepparent adoption is pursued by a spouse of the child’s parent. Key steps for a stepparent adoption include:

• Consent of the other parent (or termination of parental rights if required)
• Background check
• Court petition

If all consents are signed and no contest exists, many stepparent adoptions resolve in several months. Contested matters add time for hearings and findings.

Relative (Kinship) Adoption

People pursuing relative adoption may include grandparents, aunts, uncles, adult siblings, or other relatives. Steps for relative adoption include:

• Home study (unless waived by the court for close relatives)
• Filing the petition
• Legal clearance

The timeline for relative adoption is often similar to stepparent adoptions, although waivers and the court’s approach can shorten or lengthen the process.

Agency Adoption

Many times, families work through a licensed child-placing agency. The matching stage for agency adoption is unpredictable.

The steps in agency adoptions include:

• Orientation
• Training
• Home study
• Matching
• Placement
• Post-placement supervision
• Finalization

Once a placement occurs, a North Carolina family generally requires at least 90 days of post-placement supervision before finalization.

Independent or Private Adoption

Independent and private adoption involve birth parents and adoptive parents working directly, often with legal counsel. Steps for independent or private adoption can include:

• Identifying the birth mother
• Consent procedures
• Home study
• Court petition

Matching can be swift or prolonged. Once placement occurs and required consents are signed, courts typically require a minimum of 90 days of placement before the decree.

Foster Care Adoption

Foster parents sometimes adopt a child already placed in their care. Steps for foster care adoption can include:

• Termination of parental rights if not already completed
• Post-termination waiting period
• Agency supervision

Many children in foster care are legally free for adoption, while others are still undergoing reunification efforts. The process can take many months if legal status is unresolved.

International Adoption

International adoption involves families adopting a child from another country. If you have adopted internationally, you must finalize the adoption through the international re-adoption process in order to qualify for citizenship. Steps for international adoption involve:

• Federal immigration processing
• Compliance with the Hague Convention (if applicable)
• North Carolina re-finalization/re-adoption

International adoptions can span 12–24 months or longer due to federal and foreign government requirements.

Key Legal Milestones Affecting Timing in the Legal Process for Adoption in North Carolina

In order to fulfill the legal requirements for these and various other types of adoption, adoptive families must complete several milestones.

Home Study and Pre-Placement Assessment

Adoptive families need to demonstrate that they are a good fit. Home Study and Pre-Placement Assessments review background checks, check references, and involve interviews and home visits. These are conducted by a licensed agency or county DSS, and they are valid in North Carolina for 18 months once approved.

The preparation of this report often requires several weeks or months depending on document readiness and scheduling.

Consents and Relinquishments

Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 48-3-601, required consents must be properly executed before finalization. Delays may arise if a parent is unreachable, contests the adoption, or if termination of parental rights is needed.

Placement Period

North Carolina requires at least 90 days of placement before the final decree in the majority of cases. During this time, agencies may conduct supervisory visits and prepare post-placement reports.

Court Scheduling

Petitions are filed with the Clerk of Superior Court in the county of residence or placement. Hearing dates vary by county, court backlog, and complexity of the matter.

Factors That Commonly Extend or Shorten the North Carolina Adoption Process

Some factors tend to lead to delays due to lack of preparation or understanding — or due to complicated circumstances in a particular case. These underscore how important it is for adoptive families to work with experienced attorneys when pursuing adoption in North Carolina:

• Availability of required documents: Birth certificates, background checks, financial records
• County procedures: Some clerks finalize without a hearing if paperwork is complete, while others set formal hearings
• Interstate Compact (ICPC) requirements: If placement crosses state lines, each state must approve before placement
• Birth parent involvement: Rapid consent can shorten the timeline; legal contests can lengthen it
• Agency caseloads and staffing: Scheduling assessments and supervision can affect timing

Practical Steps to Move Forward

While no one controls every variable, early planning helps keep the process on track. The following considerations can help to avoid delays:

• Gather key documents early (marriage certificate, prior divorce decrees, employment verification, references)
• Schedule the home study as soon as possible
• Discuss potential consents or contested issues with an adoption lawyer before filing
• Stay in communication with your agency or legal team about deadlines

An experienced adoption lawyer like Bobby Mills can spot potential delays—whether procedural or practical—and address them proactively.

Contact Mills Adoption Law: Experience for What Matters Most – Family

Adoption in North Carolina is rewarding, but you need to understand that it is rarely identical from one family to the next. Timelines depend on the child’s situation, the type of adoption, legal steps, and the court’s calendar. Talking directly with a seasoned North Carolina adoption lawyer who has worked through hundreds of cases is the right way to understand what your specific path may look like.

With 35-plus years representing all sides of the adoption triad in North Carolina, attorney Bobby Mills brings extensive insight to every case. He has argued cases at the Court of Appeals and the North Carolina Supreme Court, served on adoption-related committees, and advocated for legislative change. This background translates into practical strategies that prioritize ethical standards for clients who wish to adopt without compromising the achievement of their ultimate goal of giving children loving, stable homes.

Contact Mills Adoption Law today at (919) 306-2899 or complete our online form to schedule a free, 15-minute consultation.

Copyright © 2025. Mills Adoption Law. All rights reserved.

The information in this blog post (“post”) is provided for general informational purposes only and may not reflect the current law in your jurisdiction. No information in this post should be construed as legal advice from the individual author or the law firm, nor is it intended to be a substitute for legal counsel on any subject matter. No reader of this post should act or refrain from acting based on any information included in or accessible through this post without seeking the appropriate legal or other professional advice on the particular facts and circumstances at issue from a lawyer licensed in the recipient’s state, country, or other appropriate licensing jurisdiction.

Mills Adoption Law
Raleigh, NC 27612
(919) 306-2899
https://www.millsadoptionlaw.com/