Adoption in Hardin County Probate Court

Hardin County Probate Court

One Courthouse Square, Suite 200, Kenton, OH 43326. Phone (419) 674-2230, fax (419) 674-2274. Open Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Court website. Probate fee schedule.

Who this is for

• You are a stepparent adopting your spouse's child and need the court to make it legal and permanent.
• You are a grandparent or relative (kinship) adopting a child already living in your home.
• You have been married to the child's parent for at least one year and are ready to file a stepparent adoption.
• You need to confirm whose consent is required, or ask the court to find consent is not required under R.C. 3107.06–.07.
• You want to adopt an adult — for example, to formalize a long-standing parent-child relationship.
• You finalized an adoption abroad and need an Ohio court to recognize it and issue an Ohio birth record.

Ohio standardized probate forms

Stepparent & kinship adoption of a minor (18.x forms)

These are the core Ohio standardized forms for adopting a child. The Hardin County Probate Court may also post these (and any local supplements) on its own site: https://www.hardincountyprobatecourt.com/

• Form 18.0 Petition for Adoption of Minor — The petition that opens a stepparent or kinship adoption case.
• Form 18.1 Judgment Entry Setting Hearing and Ordering Notice — Sets the hearing date and orders notice to the parties.
• Form 18.2 Notice of Hearing on Petition for Adoption — Advises of the right to counsel and that the parent-child relationship terminates on adoption.
• Form 18.3 Consent to Adoption — Consent from a parent or party whose agreement the law requires (a minor 12+ consents in the court's presence).
• Form 18.4 Judgment Entry Finding Consent Not Required — Used when the court finds a consent is not required (e.g., under R.C. 3107.07).
• Form 18.5 Interlocutory Order of Adoption
• Form 18.6 Final Decree of Adoption (After Interlocutory Order)
• Form 18.7 Final Decree of Adoption (Without Interlocutory Order)
• Form 18.8 Adoption Certificate for Parents
• Form 18.9 Petitioner's Account

Adoption of an adult (19.0–19.1)

Adult adoptions use a shorter set of forms and are decided with a single final order.

• Form 19.0 Petition for Adoption of Adult
• Form 19.1 Final Order of Adoption of Adult

Recognizing a foreign adoption (19.2–19.3)

Use these to have Ohio recognize an adoption completed in another country and to obtain an Ohio birth record.

• Form 19.2 Petition to Recognize Foreign Adoption
• Form 19.3 Order for Ohio Birth Record for Foreign Born Child

Child support agency notice

Filed when an adoption changes who is responsible for a child's support.

• Form 19.4 Notice to the Child Support Enforcement Agency

The Hardin County Probate Court's published fee schedule lists adoptions at $200.00, plus an additional $100.00 for publication in any case where it is required. Confirm the current amount on the court's fee page (https://www.hardincountyprobatecourt.com/fees.php) or by calling (419) 674-2230 before you file.

Step by step

1. Confirm you can file a stepparent or kinship adoption Stepparent rules also apply to grandparents, and a stepparent (or grandparent) petitioner must have been married at least one year before filing. The Probate Court requires that you be represented by an attorney for an adoption.
2. Gather the birth record and required consents File the child's birth record with the petition and the consent of each birth parent or party whose agreement the law requires (Form 18.3) — unless the court finds consent is not required under R.C. 3107.06–.07 (Form 18.4).
3. File the petition and pay the $200 fee File the Petition for Adoption of Minor (Form 18.0) at the Hardin County Probate Court, One Courthouse Square, Suite 200, Kenton, OH 43326, and pay the $200.00 adoption fee (plus $100.00 if publication is required).
4. Complete an assessment if required An assessment or home study is generally required, though stepparent and kinship cases may have reduced requirements. The court will tell you what your case needs and may appoint an assessor.
5. Attend the hearing The court sets a hearing and orders notice (Forms 18.1–18.2). At the hearing the judge reviews the petition, the consents, and any assessment, decides whether the child has lived in the home as the law requires, and whether the adoption is in the child's best interest.
6. Receive the decree and a new birth record The judge enters an interlocutory order and then a final decree (Forms 18.5–18.7), issues the adoption certificate (Form 18.8), and a new birth record can be ordered.

Good to know about Hardin County

• File at the Hardin County Probate Court, One Courthouse Square, Suite 200, Kenton, OH 43326. The Probate Court office is open Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM; you can reach it at (419) 674-2230 (fax (419) 674-2274).
• The Probate Court (Judge Steve Christopher) is a separate division from the Domestic Relations Division that handles divorces and custody — bring adoption and name-change questions to the Probate Court at (419) 674-2230.
• Hardin County's Probate Court uses the Supreme Court of Ohio's standardized probate forms, and may also post local supplements on its own site (https://www.hardincountyprobatecourt.com/). Always download the current version before you file, and confirm any county-required local supplements with the Probate Court.
• Probate filing fees are published on the court's fee schedule (https://www.hardincountyprobatecourt.com/fees.php). The amounts below come from that schedule; confirm the current figure with the Probate Court before you file.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I file a stepparent adoption in Hardin County?

Adoptions are filed in the Hardin County Probate Court (Suite 200), not the Domestic Relations Division, at One Courthouse Square, Suite 200, Kenton, OH 43326, before Judge Steve Christopher. The office is open Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM, and you can reach it at (419) 674-2230.

How much is an adoption in Hardin County?

The court's fee schedule lists adoptions at $200.00, plus an additional $100.00 for publication if it is required. Confirm the current amount on the court's fee page or by calling (419) 674-2230.

Do I need to be married a certain length of time to adopt my stepchild?

Yes. A stepparent (or grandparent) petitioner must have been married for at least one year before filing, according to the Hardin County Probate Court. Stepparent rules also apply to grandparents.

Do I need a lawyer to adopt in Hardin County?

Yes. The Hardin County Probate Court requires that you be represented by an attorney for an adoption, because the case is complex and the result is permanent. An Ohio family-law attorney can prepare the petition, handle consent issues, and make sure the decree holds up.

Can a stepparent adopt without the other birth parent's consent?

Sometimes. The court generally needs the consent of the child's other legal parent (Form 18.3) unless it finds that consent is not required — for example, under R.C. 3107.06–.07, when a parent has failed, without justifiable cause, to communicate with or support the child for at least one year (Form 18.4). The court decides.

Which forms do I need to adopt a child in Hardin County?

A minor adoption starts with Form 18.0 (Petition for Adoption of Minor) plus the consent forms (Form 18.3) and the entry setting the hearing (Form 18.1). Hardin County uses the Supreme Court of Ohio's standardized probate forms; confirm any county-required local supplements with the Probate Court before you file.

Can I adopt an adult in Hardin County?

Yes. Adult adoptions are filed with Form 19.0 (Petition for Adoption of Adult), and the court enters a single Final Order of Adoption of Adult (Form 19.1). Confirm the current fee and any requirements with the Probate Court.