Articles Adoption in Wyoming

Written by: Adoption.com Staff | Published on: May 26, 2026

Adoption in Wyoming

Wyoming is known as the Equality State, and Wyoming adoption laws are true to the name. Single or married, straight or LGBTQ; all state residents are welcome to grow their families through adoption. Relatively lenient consent laws make it even easier for birth mothers and adoptive families to pursue private and independent adoptions.

Despite these advantages, starting the adoption journey can be daunting. Choosing the right agency, meeting Wyoming home study guidelines, and preparing for the realities of adopting a child can sometimes feel too overwhelming to navigate.

If you’re interested in adoption in Wyoming but don’t know where to start, read on. We’ll cover everything you need to know about the adoption process, from how to adopt in Wyoming to selecting a local agency and passing the home study.

Wyoming Adoption Laws at a Glance

Who Can Adopt?	Adoptive parents must be over the age of 18.
Residency Requirements	Prospective parents must hold Wyoming residency for at least 60 days before applying to adopt.
Marital Status	Single adults and married couples, including LGBTQ individuals.
Birth Mother Consent	Consent forms can be signed any time after the baby is born.
Revocation Period	Adoptions are permanent and cannot be revoked, except in cases of fraud or duress, or if the court determines the revocation is in the child’s best interest.
Birth Father Rights	Unmarried fathers must submit an Affidavit Acknowledging Paternity to have legal rights in any adoption proceedings.

Adoption laws are complex. This is a summary for informational purposes only. Please consult with a qualified Wyoming adoption attorney for legal advice.

Paths to Adopting a Child in Wyoming

Most parents choose one of three paths to adoption in Wyoming: adopting a newborn privately, adopting a child from foster care, or adopting a stepchild or relative. Each process is different and is governed by slightly different legal statutes.

Private Infant Adoption

Many prospective parents use an agency to help them adopt a newborn. For a fee, adoption agencies guide families through parent training, the home study, and matching them with a birth mother.

Most families begin the process by submitting an application and attending a series of training sessions. Once they pass the training, they must undergo a home study. The Wyoming home study is a legally mandated examination ensuring that a family is capable of providing a child with a safe, loving, and stable environment.

After completing the home study, the prospective parents can create a profile on the agency’s website. The profile allows the agency to match adoptive parents with birth mothers, and adoptive parents and birth mothers to communicate. The agency completes all of the legal paperwork and represents the adoptive parents in court.

Some families match with a birth mother and come to an agreement on their own, without the help of an agency. They hire a social worker or specialist to perform the home study and an attorney to complete the legal aspects of the adoption. This is known as an independent adoption.

Adopting from Foster Care

When a foster child’s biological parents’ rights are terminated, the child becomes legally available for adoption. Adopting from foster care is rare in Wyoming, where most children are reunited with their biological families or adopted by relatives. Those parents who adopt from the foster care system typically do so through licensed adoption agencies instead of the Wyoming Department of Family Services.

Like other types of adoption in Wyoming, the foster care process includes a parent training program and a home study.

Stepparent or Relative Adoption

In Wyoming, a stepparent can legally adopt their spouse’s child if the noncustodial parent consents to the adoption. The child must also consent to the adoption if they are over the age of 14. The stepparent and spouse must file a petition and provide the child’s medical records. A family court judge determines if a home study is necessary or not.

A child can be adopted by any relative who has been a Wyoming resident for at least 60 days, and who is determined to be competent and capable. However, the biological parents’ rights must be terminated first. A home study may or may not be required, per the court.

A Deeper Look at Wyoming Adoption Laws

Who is Eligible to Adopt in Wyoming?

Adoptive parents must be over the age of 18, although some Wyoming adoption agencies may require parents to be over 21 or 25. The state has long been committed to equal rights, and singles and LGBTQ individuals and couples are permitted to adopt children, although Wyoming does not recognize “second parent” adoptions.

Wyoming has stricter residency requirements than many states. No one may adopt a child from Wyoming unless they have lived in the state for at least 60 days before submitting their application.

Parents who pursue private and foster care adoptions alike must pass a home study and background check. However, guidelines may differ among Wyoming adoption agencies. For example, some require prospective parents to belong to a certain religion.

Birth Parent Consent in Wyoming

Unlike most states, Wyoming does not have a waiting period, and birth mothers may consent to an adoption immediately after the baby is born. If the biological father is known, he must provide his consent. If not, the birth mother must sign a form stating that she does not know who the child’s father is.

Once the consent forms are signed, the adoption cannot be revoked unless the biological father contests the process or the court determines that the adoption papers were signed under duress. In rare cases, the court may revoke an adoption if it is in the child’s best interests.

A birth father must establish paternity to have a say in the adoption process. To do so, he must go to his county’s Office of Vital Records and submit a form called an Affidavit Acknowledging Paternity. This can be done before or after the baby is born.

The Home Study Process in Wyoming

Home studies ensure that adoptive families are physically, mentally, and financially stable enough to provide a safe and loving home environment. The Wyoming home study consists of a series of reports and interviews with the prospective parents and a background check.

First, the adoptive parents must provide official statements detailing any psychiatric conditions they may have, along with their criminal history, if relevant. If the Wyoming Department of Family Services is conducting the home study, the parents are also required to provide their financial and medical information, five references from people they have known at least two years, and proof of residency, along with an autobiography from each individual.

Finally, the prospective parents must submit their fingerprints and undergo a central registry background check.

Find Wyoming Adoption Agencies and Professionals

Statewide and National Agencies Serving Wyoming

Nightlight Christian Adoptions: This agency specializes in domestic, international, and embryo adoption.
Adoption Life: Based in Lyman, Adoption Life serves families in Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah.
Lifetime Adoption: A national agency facilitating open adoptions in Wyoming.
Hope Adoptions & Consulting: Hope provides placement, counseling, and home study services statewide.

Cheyenne Area Agencies

Wyoming Children’s Society: A full-service adoption agency that also performs advocacy work for birth families.
Lifeline Children’s Services: This Christian agency facilitates domestic, international, and foster care adoptions.
Bethany Christian Services: Wyoming’s branch of the nation’s largest child and family organization, Bethany specializes in foster care adoptions.

Wyoming Adoption Attorneys

If you’re considering an independent adoption, finding the right attorney is crucial. The Academy of Adoption & Assisted Reproduction Attorneys website features a comprehensive list of lawyers who specialize in adoption.

Adopting from Foster Care in Wyoming

According to the Wyoming Department of Family Services (DFS) website, very few children in the state are adopted from foster care. This is because most are eventually reunited with their biological families or taken in by relatives. A few children are adopted by their foster parents when their birth families’ rights are terminated, but this is not as common as it is in other states.

The foster care adoption process in Wyoming is also slightly different than in many other locations. If a foster child does become available for adoption, they are usually referred to an adoption agency in the state. DFS maintains a list of licensed agencies in Wyoming that specialize in foster care adoptions.

DFS also works with an adoption exchange called Raise the Future. Raise the Future highlights foster children across the American West who are waiting to find a permanent home. Visitors to the organization’s website can explore the profiles of kids who are available for adoption and contact Raise the Future directly to inquire about a child.

If you’re a Wyoming resident and interested in adopting a child from foster care, contact Raise the Future to get started.

Resources for Expectant Parents in Wyoming

It’s natural to feel a range of emotions when you’re faced with an unexpected pregnancy, and choosing the right path can seem like an overwhelming task. If you’re considering placing your child for adoption in Wyoming, there are people and organizations that can help you.

Agencies like Wyoming Children’s Society offer unbiased help for women who are pregnant and unsure of what path to take. Most reputable adoption agencies also provide free pre- and post-adoption counseling for birth mothers. An adoption counselor can work with you to develop a birth plan that puts you in control every step of the way. You are in charge of the adoption process, up until the moment you sign the consent forms.

Often, an adoptive family pays for some of the birth mother’s expenses. Unlike most states, Wyoming does not regulate what the adoptive parents can pay for, or how much they can spend. However, they may choose to cover costs such as:

Medical care for you and the baby
Your living expenses, including rent
Transportation to and from doctor’s appointments
Necessities such as food
Counseling, if not offered through the adoption agency

If you choose to place your baby through an agency, your counselor can work with the adoptive family to determine what costs they will cover and for how long.

Sources

Accessed on April 11, 2026. https://dfs.wyo.gov/
Accessed on April 11, 2026. https://www.wyomingcs.org/
Accessed on April 13, 2026. https://familyequality.org/resource/parentage-by-state/#:~:text=Any%20adult%20resident%20of%20the%20state%2C%20whether,the%20stepparent%20for%20at%20least%20six%20months.