Procedures and information available differ for pre January 1, 1964, adoptions; January 1, 1964, to September 18, 1996; and September 18, 1996, and thereafter adoptions.

R.C. 3107.38 provides that for adoptions prior to January 1, 1964, the adopted person may submit a request to the ODJFS for a non-identifying copy of the adoption file or file a petition with the Probate Court pursuant to R.C. 3107.41.

R.C. 3107.41 provides that for adoptions between January 1, 1964, and September 18, 1996, an adopted person twenty-one years or older may file a petition with the Probate Court for the release of certain information.

R.C. 3107.45 to R.C. 3107.53, and R.C. 3107.66 liberalize access to post September 18, 1996, adoption records. An adopted person age twenty-one years or more, an adoptive parent of an adopted person eighteen to twenty-one years, a birth parent or sibling age twenty-one years or older, may obtain from the ODJFS information authorized by other parties.

For more information about Adoptions or Contact Us.