Iowa Adoption Records
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Accessing Iowa Adoption Records
Iowa adoption records are sealed, and you can only access them with a court petition. However, Iowa recently began allowing adoptees to obtain copies of their original birth certificates. This document usually lists the birth parents’ names, unless they’ve requested to remain anonymous.
Like in many other states, accessing adoption records in Iowa can be a long and overwhelming process. At Adopted.com, we created a better way to quickly connect family members through mutual consent.
When you join Adopted.com, you can search for biological relatives in Iowa and across the country. You don’t need to fill out a complicated form or plead your case to a court. You just need to answer ten easy questions about the adoption, which most people already know.
We have the largest voluntary adoption reunion registry in the United States. Whether you’re in Dubuque, Sioux City, or anywhere in between, you have the opportunity to reunite with your birth family on Adopted.com.
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4,422 Are Iowa Adoption Records Public?
No. Iowa seals all records once an adoption is finalized. These records aren’t accessible without a court order showing good cause to open them.
While Iowa adoption records are sealed, adult adoptees can request some information from their files, including medical histories. This information won’t include the birth parents’ names.
How to Find Adoption Records in Iowa
In 2022, a new state law went into effect that allows an adult adoptee born in Iowa to get a non-certified copy of their original birth certificate. This document will have the names of the adoptee’s biological parents. However, birth parents can request to redact their names if they don’t want them released.
If you want to obtain your original birth certificate, complete an application with the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH). Your application must be notarized. Submit the notarized application, a copy of a government-issued photo ID, and a fee to IDPH Bureau of Health Statistics in Des Moines. You can mail the form or submit it to the bureau in person.
Only adoptees over the age of 18 can request original birth certificates in Iowa. However, other relatives can get these records if an adoptee has died. These include an adoptee’s spouse, children, grandchildren, and their adoptive parents, siblings, and grandparents.
After making your request, the state estimates it will take six to eight weeks to get an original birth certificate.
How to Unseal Adoption Records in Iowa
For adoption records besides the original birth certificate, you need to petition the court for access. Complete an adoption affidavit form, which requires you to provide a reason for the request. Have the form notarized and file it with the court that handled the adoption.
If you’re trying to locate a birth relative, you have one other option through the state. Iowa has a Mutual Consent Voluntary Adoption Registry for adoptees, birth parents, and biological siblings. If you and one of your family members both join the registry, the state will notify you of the match. There’s no guarantee there will be a match, and the state will not conduct a search for your birth relatives.
You can register with the country registrar’s office where you live. Country registrars usually work in county courthouses or county administration offices. You must pay a fee and provide a copy of your birth certificate to join the registry.
Are Adoptions Closed in Iowa?
In Iowa, adoptions can be open or closed. An open adoption means the adoptive family knows the birth parents’ identities. The birth mother or both birth parents may have ongoing contact with the child through phone calls, social media, or in-person visits. In a closed adoption, the birth parents’ identities remain confidential, and they have no contact with the child after the adoption.
Whether an adoption is open or closed, Iowa seals all adoption records. You can only access them by petitioning the court.
Let Adopted.com help you find your lost family today!
Adopted.com is a powerful adoption reunion registry designed to help you reconnect with your birth parents. By registering, you gain access to a growing database of over 1,205,521 profiles, increasing your chances of finding your biological relatives. The platform respects your privacy and allows you to update your profile anytime.
Registration is free, and the unique search tool ensures measurable match results. When you find your birth parents, remember to approach the reunion with an open heart and understanding, as it can be an emotionally significant experience for everyone involved.
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A Few of Our Members Currently Searching Within Iowa Who Chose To Be Featured
541. NikiMarie : I am searching my for my older brother whom I recently found out about. He was born in 1979 in Dubuque, Iowa at Xavier hospital. His mother was only 15/16 at the time of his birth and my father was 17. He was adopted shortly after his birth. I do not know his name.
542. Shellymarie69 : Homer and Beaulah Wills, Des Moines, Polk County
543. JenniferVolpe : Informed birth mother was from California and in high school ( age 17) and was sent to live with a family in Des Moines Iowa during the pregnancy and to give birth. I was delivered by Dr. James Kelso at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa. I was told my birth mother’s father was the Principal of a school. Parents who adopted me were from Minnesota. This was a private adoption, and I am not at all sure about the accuracy of this information.
544. JenniferVolpe : I am adopted and seeking potential siblings. I was told my birth mother was from California, in high school (age 17) and was sent to live with a family in Des Moines Iowa during the pregnancy and to give birth. I was delivered by Dr. James Kelso at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa. Parents who adopted me are from Minnesota. This was a private adoption, and I am not sure about the accuracy of this information.
545. LarrywayneLoose : Muscatine Iowa Lived in Davenport iowa Adopted to Chester and Dorothy Loose
546. Countrystrikes : The person I am looking for is a woman would have been born in approximately 1955 in Des Moines‚ Iowa at the Willkie House. She was immediately placed for adoption. Birth parents had the last names Noojin (birth father) and Larson (birth mother).
547. Kimmer66 : I am searching for my birth mother.I was born October 17,1966 at Finley Hospital in Dubuque,Iowa and my adoption was handled by Hillcrest Children’s Services. I was placed in a foster home until August 1967. My given birth name was Pauline Kathryn S. My birth mother was not married to my birth father. My birth mother was 20 years old at the time of my birth and was working as a Secretary.
548. AnastasiaNicole : His name prior to adoption was Brent David Jennings Jr.
549. Fall3nang3l2 : I was born at st. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids Iowa My adoptive parents names are Kevin Kyle hand and Christy Lynn hand her maiden name is gray
550. MJC278 : Our mother was Martha Jackson born in Illinois in 1957 or 1958. You were her first baby (October 1984), I was her third (February 1988).
551. Rosander : Born at St. Lukes Hospital in Davenport Iowa. Hillcrest Family Services.
552. KendraBoelman : I am trying to locate my long lost cousin.
553. Kwright7125 : Looking for male born in 1982 or 1983 in the DFW metroplex area, most likely Tarrant county. Not sure if the adoption was done in Texas or not. He is said to be biracial, mother is caucasian was 16 at the time father was african american or hispanic. Possible DOB 12/28.
554. JeanneRLewis : My sister in law Tamara "Tammy" was adopted and has always wanted to meet her birth parents. It is my understanding that her birth mom was very young and knew the people that were going to adopt her when she was pregnant. Her adoptive parents are Lavon and Philbert (Frank Philbert) Tomas of Oxford, Johnson & Iowa Counties, in Iowa. They had 2 sons Donald and Steven. Tammy has searched for her biological parents before with no results and I would love to help her.
555. Jaodko : Itay, jane, Michael ray
