{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-199.470","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 199.470","heading":"Petition for adoption of child -- Parties -- Residence requirement --","body":"Approval of secretary -- Exceptions.\n(1) Any person who is eighteen (18) years of age and who is a resident of this state or\nwho has resided in this state for twelve (12) mon ths next before filing may file a\npetition for leave to adopt a child in the Circuit Court of the county in which the\npetitioner resides.\n(2) If the petitioner is married, the husband or wife shall join in a petition for leave to\nadopt a child unless the petitioner is married to a biological parent of the child to be\nadopted, except that if the court finds the requirement of a joint petition would serve\nto deny the child a suitable home, the requirement may be waived.\n(3) If a child is placed for adoption by the cabinet, by an agency licensed by the cabinet,\nor with written approval by the secretary of the cabinet, the petition may be filed at\nthe time of placement. In all other adoptions, the petition shall not be filed until the\nchild has resided continuou sly in the home of the petitioner for at least ninety (90)\ndays immediately prior to the filing of the adoption petition.\n(4) No petition for adoption shall be filed unless prior to the filing of the petition the\nchild sought to be adopted has been placed for adoption by a child -placing\ninstitution or agency, or by the cabinet, or the child has been placed with written\napproval of the secretary; but no approval shall be necessary in the case of:\n(a) A child sought to be adopted by a blood relative, includin g a relative of half -\nblood, first cousin, aunt, uncle, nephew, niece, and a person of a preceding\ngeneration as denoted by prefixes of grand, great, or great -great; stepparent;\nstepsibling; or fictive kin; however, the court in its discretion may order a\nreport in accordance with KRS 199.510 and a background check as provided\nin KRS 199.473(8);\n(b) A child received by the proposed adopting parent or parents from an agency\nwithout this state with the written consent of the secretary;\n(c) A child adopted under the provisions of KRS 199.585(1); or\n(d) A child who has been approved under KRS Chapter 615.","path":["KRS Chapter 199"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=48038","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:51:53Z","sha256":"04a48c49e05e1fb66b6d0e1dfc1ccdcaff3deda89626b667967f53f0d899a9b2","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-199.467","next":"us-ky/krs-199.471"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}