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 1,205,528 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
676. Rodzmaw : I was born in Leavenworth, KS, just outside Ft. Leavenworth. BM’s name is Donna and she was 20 when I was born. According to Donna’s sister there may very well be more of us that were placed for adoption.
677. LAZakaluk1013 : All I know about my biological parents are the mom was 18 when she had me, 5’7" green eyes reddish blond hair, my dad was 19 5’8" green eyes and reddish blond hair. I was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa on Monday, Oct. 13, 1969 and my adopted parents got me from a Christian Home on the day I was born. That’s all I really know.
678. Meeshyella : I am looking for a Debbie Nolte
679. Radoslawpiwowarski : I’m looking for Barbara Lesiak (was born Barbara Lesiak) surname was surely changed for adoption. She was born in Gdansk, Poland. She was taken away as a child to U.S
680. AlBender1870august : I was born in Estherville Iowa August 18th 1970 at 3:24 p.m. in Emmet County at the Holy Family Hospital that’s all that I know wish I didn’t do more thank you
681. LHKinkade : We are looking for a child born around 1935-1940. The birth mother was Masako Fukumoto and she gave birth to a daughter (whose name we think was Reiko). Any help would be appreciated!
682. Concernedbro : Trying to find my niece. Her mother was forced to give her up for adoption immediately after birth. The baby girl was 7lbs and born in Selmer, TN on Aug 8-9th 1999 with brown hair and brown eyes.
683. Dartola : Christopher Kelsey, Anthony Michael Earl Taylor, Dena Taylor, Greg Taylor, 1987, 1988
684. Charvan : The baby girl was born at Broadlawn Hospital or Iowa Methodist in Des Moines, Iowa.
685. LadybugJodi : Wade Maternity Home
686. Dltred81 : My birth mother’s name is Arlene Imray. She lives in Sioux City Iowa, born in about 1942. She graduated from Morningside college in 1964. I was born August 1, 1964. I have no information about biological father or siblings if any. I was born at Mercy Hospital in Sioux City.
687. MeaganElizabeth : My name is Meagan. I am 44 and was born 6/2/74 in Iowa City, Iowa. I was then in foster care and adopted on July 10 1974. I know I was referred to as Dawn in the foster home. My parents lived in Sioux City, Iowa and that is where I have lived most of my life. I was told that my mother was a secretary and my father was a construction worker. I was placed with wonderful parents, and was very close to my adoptive mother. I have only positive feelings about being adopted. Now that I have children of my own, and my mother has passed away, Im just feeling that this is something I need to do.
688. Ashuff : This all started with a paper for comp 2 and I am now searching for any birth family for my Mother.
689. TiffanyB823 : Biological Mother Catherine Wendling Biological Father Ronald VanderHeiden
690. Haleydickens : I believe he was born in Souix city Iowa. He was born to Jennifer Lynn Parker and Timothy Scot Myers. He was adopted through the catholic charities to a pharmacist and librarian. He was born Jonathan Andrew Parker.
