Adoptee Rights Law

Legal representation and advocacy for adoptees

Adoption Registry

Adoption registries are registration and matching systems used primarily for search and reunion. At least 20 states maintain state-funded and/or state-operated adoption registries, and some states require the use of a registry in order to access an OBC.

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Illinois

Illinois does not provide all adult adoptees unrestricted access to their own original birth certificates. The state uses tiered-access and redactions to limit unrestricted access to certain adult adoptees.

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West Virginia

West Virginia does not provide adult adoptees with unrestricted access to their original birth certificates. A court order, requiring good cause, is required before the release of an OBC.

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Vermont

Vermont does not allow adult adoptees unrestricted access to their own original birth certificates. Access may be obtained through a probate court order or by adoptees who are at least 18 years of age and who have already obtained identifying information from Vermont’s Adoption Registry.

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Utah

Utah does not allow adult adoptees access to their own original birth certificates, except by court order. A petition for release must show good cause in order for the court to unseal the original birth certificate.

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Texas

Texas law does not provide adult adoptees unrestricted access to their own original birth certificates. An adult adoptee must petition the court in which the adoption occurred for release of an OBC, though adoptees who are at least 18 years of age may obtain a non-certified copy of their OBC if they already know the names of their birth parents.

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South Dakota

Adult adoptees in South Dakota do not have access to their original birth certificates except by court order. It is believed, however, that most court petitions for release of an OBC in South Dakota are successful.

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South Carolina

South Carolina does not give adult adoptees unrestricted access to their original birth certificates. It’s actually unclear how the state may respond to requests for access. Pending legislation in 2017 is seeking to amend the law to allow unrestricted access.

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Rhode Island

Adult adoptees in Rhode Island have unrestricted access to their own original birth certificates. You must be 25 years of age to request an OBC.

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New York

Until November 14, 2019, New York was one of the most restrictive states in the country for releasing an OBC. That has now completely changed.

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Nevada

Nevada law does not provide adult adoptees unrestricted access to their own original birth certificates. Access to an OBC in Nevada is available only by court order.