How long does it take to adopt from foster care?
Differs by state or province
Nobody can give you a date. What can be given is honest
ranges per stage, and an explanation of why the published totals do not
agree with each other.
Stage by stage
| Stage | Range |
|---|---|
| Pre-service training | Four to ten weeks, or four to ten sessions |
| Home study | Three to six months. New York says generally within four |
| Licensing overall (Washington) | About 120 days |
| Getting approved overall | Six to twelve months |
| First contact to completion | Four to twelve months on average |
| Visits to placement (Washington) | Two weeks to several months, depending on the child |
| Placement to finalisation (New York) | At least three months, commonly three to twelve |
Why the totals conflict
What actually causes delay
- Waiting on medicals, references or record checks. This is the
most common cause and the most within your control. - Training cohorts running on a schedule rather than on
demand. - Matching, which has no timetable at all and depends on children
whose needs fit what your home study recommends.
The matching stage is the one that most often stretches beyond
expectations, and it is not a queue. Selection is made on the needs of
the child, not on who applied first.
Getting the answer for your area
Eligibility, timelines and money are set locally, and
they are finally confirmed by the licensed agency for your state or
province. We can tell you what those rules currently say where you
live, what they will mean in practice for your household, and what
to have ready before you speak to anyone.
Talk to us first. Tell us which state or province you
are in and what you are trying to decide, and we will explain what applies
where you live, what the next step is, and what to expect from it. There is
no cost and no obligation. Contact Foster Care
Adoption Home, or start your application
when you are ready.
Everything on this page is checked against the official source for each
jurisdiction, and those sources are listed below so you can read the wording
for yourself. We would rather you have both: our explanation of what it
means, and the original to confirm it against.
United States. AdoptUSKids publishes a page for every
state, plus DC, Guam, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands and Cherokee
Nation, naming the responsible agency in each.
Read the state pages.
Canada. There is no national system, so the rules are
published province by province:
- Ontario, Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. Local body: a children’s aid society.
- British Columbia, Adopt BC Kids, MCFD.
- Alberta, Children and Family Services.
- Quebec, Director of Youth Protection, via the Banque mixte programme.
- Manitoba, Department of Families.
- Saskatchewan, Ministry of Social Services.
- Nova Scotia, Department of Community Services.
If your province is not listed here we have not finished verifying it, and
we would rather say so than guess. Ask us and we will find the current
answer for you. The Adoption Council of Canada
is the national umbrella body, though it is not a regulator.
Sources
- AdoptUSKids, getting approved
- AdoptUSKids, frequently asked questions
- AdoptUSKids, the home study
- AdoptUSKids, getting started
- New York OCFS, the adoption process
- Washington DCYF, the licensing process
- Washington DCYF, steps to adoption
Facts on this page were checked against the sources above on 20 August 2026. Rules change. If you are making a decision, confirm the detail with the agency responsible for your area.
