Differs by state or province
Most people who ask whether they are eligible to adopt are worried about one specific thing: their age, being single, renting rather than owning, income, or something in their past. The short answer is that the barriers are usually lower than people expect, and that the rules are set where you live rather than nationally.
This page explains what is typically required and, just as importantly, what is not.
Things people believe are required, that usually are not
AdoptUSKids puts it plainly: you do not need to own your home, be wealthy, already have children, hold a degree, or be a stay-at-home parent.
- You do not need to be married. Single people adopt. Texas, Illinois, New York and California all confirm this in their own guidance, and Illinois explicitly includes people who are divorced or separated. In Canada, British Columbia states that marital status and sexual orientation do not matter.
- There is no income threshold. What is assessed is whether you can support your household without relying on adoption assistance to do it.
- You do not need to own your home. What is assessed is space and safety, adequate sleeping arrangements and a home that passes inspection.
- There is usually no upper age limit. In most US states, adults of any age can adopt.
Minimum age: it depends where you live
There is no national minimum in either country. Verified examples:
| Where | Minimum age |
|---|---|
| California | 18 |
| Texas | 21 |
| Washington | 21 |
| Illinois | 21 |
| New York | Over 21 |
| Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan | 18 |
| British Columbia, Nova Scotia | 19 |
In the US it is most commonly 21. In Canada it is 18 or 19 depending on the province. Check your own, this is a one-line question your local agency can answer immediately.
Criminal record checks
Everyone adopting is checked, and in the US federal law sets a floor that every state must apply.
- Permanent bar: a felony conviction for child abuse or neglect, spousal abuse, a crime against children including child pornography, or a violent crime including rape, sexual assault or homicide.
- Five-year bar: a felony conviction for physical assault, battery or a drug-related offence, where a court has determined it happened within the past five years.
States may add further bars on top of this. Note what is not on the federal list: an old conviction that is not in those categories is not automatically disqualifying, and it is worth asking rather than assuming.
The home study
The home study is an assessment, not an exam, and the caseworker who writes it is generally trying to help you succeed. It usually involves joint and individual interviews, one or more home visits, documentation and reference checks, commonly three or four references who are not relatives.
Expect a physical examination within the previous twelve months for each prospective parent, and tuberculosis testing for everyone in the household. The written report recommends the age range and number of children the placement would suit.
In Canada the frameworks differ by province and are not interchangeable. Ontario uses the SAFE home study, described as four to six interviews over four to six months, alongside the 27-hour PRIDE training. British Columbia does not use PRIDE, it uses LEAP, a five-hour introductory course followed by a ten-week programme at roughly six to eight hours a week. Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia use PRIDE. Quebec uses a psychosocial assessment through the Director of Youth Protection rather than a home study in the usual sense.
How long it takes
Timelines vary by state and in some places by county. Broad ranges reported by AdoptUSKids and individual state agencies:
- Pre-service training: four to ten weeks
- Home study: three to six months
- Getting approved overall: roughly six to twelve months, though some sources say four to twelve
- Post-placement supervision before finalisation: at least three months in New York, commonly three to twelve
Treat these as an approximate range rather than a promise. The two national figures for overall approval do not agree with each other, which is itself a fair indication of how much local practice varies.
What to do next
Eligibility is finally confirmed by the licensed agency for your area, but you do not have to approach that on your own. We can tell you how the rules above apply to your situation, what an agency will ask you, and how to prepare for it, 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 and home study
- AdoptUSKids: Frequently asked questions
- 42 U.S.C. §671(a)(20)(A): criminal record bars
- Texas DFPS: adoption and foster care requirements
- New York OCFS: foster care requirements
- Illinois DCFS: foster care
- Ontario: public adoption, SAFE home study and PRIDE training
- Adopt BC Kids: LEAP education requirement
- Quebec: about adoption, psychosocial assessment
- Nova Scotia: agency 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.