Depending upon the state you live in, the language describing the paperwork a birth mother and father would sign making a legal adoption plan for their child may be different. This paperwork may be referred to as a surrender or a consent. It may also be referred to as TPR or termination of parental rights.
Adoption laws vary from state to state and some mandate various minimum time periods after the birth before a consent or surrender can be signed.
Some states require waiting periods that range from 48 hours to 10 days after birth before a biological parent can sign paperwork committing to an adoption plan. States also have varying laws governing whether or not birth parents are permitted to change their minds for a period of time after giving consent. Some states make the consents immediately irrevocable upon signing; others allow birth parents to revoke consents for short periods such as 15 to 30 days from the date of signing.
Click here to obtain a brief overview of every state and their requirements regarding obtaining consents/surrender and laws regarding revocation periods.
For more information on your state’s adoption laws, contact Adoption STAR by a toll free phone call 866-691-3300 or via email
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