How much does an adoption cost in Madison County?

The Probate fee schedule (Local Rules Appendix A) lists a $300.00 deposit to adopt a minor or for placement proceedings, $300.00 for an adult adoption, and $200.00 to register a foreign birth record. The Clerk may demand up to $150.00 in additional deposit if the initial amount is insufficient. Confirm the current amount in the Probate Local Rules before you file.

Can I fax-file an adoption in Madison County?

No. Madison County's Probate Local Rules do not allow adoption (or mental-illness) cases to be fax-filed. You file an original and a copy of every petition and decree in person or by mail, and you should not staple the filing.

How long do I have to be married before a stepparent adoption?

Madison County will not approve a stepparent adoption unless the petitioning stepparent has been married to the child's parent for more than one year (Probate Local Rule 75.1(E)). The other legal parent's consent is generally required unless it is excused under R.C. 3107.07.

Do I need the other birth parent's consent — and does the child consent?

Usually you need the consent of the child's other legal parent (Form 18.3), unless the court finds consent is not required under R.C. 3107.07 (for example, when a parent failed without justifiable cause to support or communicate with the child for at least a year). In Madison County a child who is 12 or older must also consent.

Will I need a home study?

A home study is generally required and is completed by a qualified member of the court's staff; the court appoints an outside assessor only for good cause. For a private placement, a pre-placement application must be filed before placement (at least 5 days before if you live in Madison County, 30 days before if you do not).

Can I adopt an adult in Madison 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). The Probate fee schedule lists a $300.00 deposit for an adult adoption.

Do I need a lawyer to adopt in Madison County?

You are not required to hire a lawyer, and the court provides the forms to file on your own. Because contested consents, agency placements, and foreign-adoption recognition can be complex, many families work with an Ohio family-law attorney to make sure the decree holds up.

Adoption in Madison County Probate Court

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 17, 2026

You file a petition for adoption in the Madison County Probate Court at the Madison County Courthouse, 1 N. Main Street, London, OH 43140; adoptions cannot be fax-filed and you file an original and a copy of every petition and decree. A minor adoption begins with Form 18.0 (Petition for Adoption of Minor); an adult adoption uses Form 19.0; and a foreign adoption is recognized with Form 19.2. You file the child's birth record and the required consents (Form 18.3) — a child age 12 or older must also consent — the court sets a hearing and orders notice, checks the Ohio Putative Father Registry, and a home study by a court assessor is generally required. A stepparent adoption is not approved unless you have been married to the child's parent for more than one year. After the hearing the judge enters an interlocutory order and a final decree (Forms 18.5–18.7), or a single final order for an adult adoption (Form 19.1).

Madison County Probate Court

Madison County Courthouse, 1 N. Main Street, London, OH 43140. Phone (740) 852-0756. Probate fax (740) 852-7353 (not accepted for adoption cases). Open Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Court website. Probate forms. Probate Local Rules (Appendix A).

Who this is for

You are a stepparent adopting your spouse's child and have been married to that parent for more than one year (Madison requires this before approving a stepparent adoption).
You are adopting a minor through a licensed agency — including Madison County DJFS — or a private placement and need to file in Madison County.
You want to adopt an adult, for example to formalize a long-standing parent-child relationship.
You finalized an adoption abroad and need Ohio to recognize it and register an Ohio birth record.
A relative or kinship caregiver wants to adopt a child already living in their home.
You need to confirm whose consent is required, or ask the court to find that consent is not required under R.C. 3107.07.

Ohio standardized probate forms

Adoption of a minor (18.x forms)

These are the core Ohio standardized forms for adopting a child. Madison County also posts its probate forms here: https://www.co.madison.oh.us/departments/court_system/juvenile_probate/probate.php

Form 18.0 Petition for Adoption of Minor — The petition that opens a minor 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
Form 18.3 Consent to Adoption — Consent from a parent or party whose agreement the law requires; a child age 12 or older must also consent.
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.

Recognizing a foreign adoption (19.2–19.3)

Use these to have Ohio recognize an adoption completed in another country and to register an Ohio birth record (Madison charges a separate $200 registration deposit).

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 Madison County Probate Court's fee schedule (Probate Local Rules Appendix A) lists a deposit of $300.00 for a petition to adopt a minor or for placement proceedings, $300.00 for an adult adoption, and $200.00 to register a foreign birth record; pleadings filed by a party are $50.00. The Clerk may demand up to $150.00 in additional deposit if the initial amount is insufficient. Confirm the current amount in the Probate Local Rules (https://www.co.madison.oh.us/document_center/Juvenile%20Probate/Probate/Madison%20County%20Probate%20Court%20Local%20Rules.pdf) before you file.

Step by step

Decide which kind of adoption you are filing A minor adoption (stepparent, agency, or private placement) starts with Form 18.0; an adult adoption uses Form 19.0; and a foreign adoption is recognized with Form 19.2. The forms, fees, and steps differ, so identify your path first. A stepparent adoption is not approved in Madison County unless you have been married to the child's parent for more than one year.
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). A child age 12 or older must also consent. If a parent's consent is excused under R.C. 3107.07, the court can find consent is not required (Form 18.4).
File the petition with an original and a copy Adoptions cannot be fax-filed in Madison County. File an original and a copy of every petition, interlocutory decree, and final decree (plus extra copies for service) at the Madison County Probate Court in the Madison County Courthouse, 1 N. Main Street, London, OH 43140, and pay the deposit from the Probate fee schedule ($300 minor or adult, $200 to register a foreign birth record). Do not staple the filing.
Complete a home study or assessment A home study is generally required and is done by a qualified member of the court's staff (the court appoints an outside assessor only for good cause). For a private placement, a pre-placement application must be filed at least 5 days before placement if you are a Madison County resident, or 30 days if you are not.
Attend the hearing The court sets a hearing and orders notice (Forms 18.1–18.2), checks the Ohio Putative Father Registry, and at the hearing the judge reviews the petition, the consents, and the assessment and decides whether the adoption is in the child's best interest.
Receive the decree and a new birth record The judge enters an interlocutory order and then a final decree (Forms 18.5–18.7) — or a single final order for an adult adoption (Form 19.1) — issues the adoption certificate (Form 18.8), and a new birth record is issued.

Good to know about Madison County

File at the Madison County Probate Court (the Probate Division of the Madison County Probate & Juvenile Court), in the Madison County Courthouse, 1 N. Main Street, London, OH 43140. The Probate Court is open Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM before Judge Christopher J. Brown.
You can reach the Madison County Probate Court at (740) 852-0756; the Probate fax ((740) 852-7353) is not accepted for adoption cases. The Probate forms page is https://www.co.madison.oh.us/departments/court_system/juvenile_probate/probate.php, and case records can be searched at https://www.co.madison.oh.us/departments/court_system/juvenile_probate/index_search.php.
Madison County's Probate division uses the Supreme Court of Ohio's standardized probate forms and asks filers to supplement its own probate forms page with that set. Always download the current version before you file.
Probate filing deposits come from the Probate Local Rules Appendix A (effective Nov. 13, 2025): https://www.co.madison.oh.us/document_center/Juvenile%20Probate/Probate/Madison%20County%20Probate%20Court%20Local%20Rules.pdf. The Clerk may demand up to $150.00 in additional deposit if the initial amount is insufficient, and any deposit balance of $5.00 or less is not refunded. Confirm the current figure with the Probate Court before you file.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I file an adoption in Madison County?: Adoptions are filed in the Madison County Probate Court — the Probate Division of the Madison County Probate & Juvenile Court — in the Madison County Courthouse, 1 N. Main Street, London, OH 43140, before Judge Christopher J. Brown. The Probate Court is open Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM, and you can reach it at (740) 852-0756.
How much does an adoption cost in Madison County?: The Probate fee schedule (Local Rules Appendix A) lists a $300.00 deposit to adopt a minor or for placement proceedings, $300.00 for an adult adoption, and $200.00 to register a foreign birth record. The Clerk may demand up to $150.00 in additional deposit if the initial amount is insufficient. Confirm the current amount in the Probate Local Rules before you file.
Can I fax-file an adoption in Madison County?: No. Madison County's Probate Local Rules do not allow adoption (or mental-illness) cases to be fax-filed. You file an original and a copy of every petition and decree in person or by mail, and you should not staple the filing.
How long do I have to be married before a stepparent adoption?: Madison County will not approve a stepparent adoption unless the petitioning stepparent has been married to the child's parent for more than one year (Probate Local Rule 75.1(E)). The other legal parent's consent is generally required unless it is excused under R.C. 3107.07.
Do I need the other birth parent's consent — and does the child consent?: Usually you need the consent of the child's other legal parent (Form 18.3), unless the court finds consent is not required under R.C. 3107.07 (for example, when a parent failed without justifiable cause to support or communicate with the child for at least a year). In Madison County a child who is 12 or older must also consent.
Will I need a home study?: A home study is generally required and is completed by a qualified member of the court's staff; the court appoints an outside assessor only for good cause. For a private placement, a pre-placement application must be filed before placement (at least 5 days before if you live in Madison County, 30 days before if you do not).
Can I adopt an adult in Madison 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). The Probate fee schedule lists a $300.00 deposit for an adult adoption.
Do I need a lawyer to adopt in Madison County?: You are not required to hire a lawyer, and the court provides the forms to file on your own. Because contested consents, agency placements, and foreign-adoption recognition can be complex, many families work with an Ohio family-law attorney to make sure the decree holds up.

Call (844) 694-2885 or email support@gavvl.com.