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 1,205,515 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
1321. JStumo1105 : My mother was adopted and we were reunited with her birth mother. Both have since passed and we never knew anything about the father. Seeking information regarding her biological father’s side of the family
1322. Michellehorning : I was born November 12 1965. In Iowa city, Iowa . I was adopted through the hillcrest adoption agency. I was given away at birth. Was told the birth mom was only 16. I am female. Jayne is the last name of the people who adopted me.
1323. LittleLaz9298 : I was born in Des Moines, Iowa on November 12th, 1967 and was released on November 17th, 1967 to Iowa Children’s Home Society known as Iowa Children’s and Family Services in 1967 located at 1101 Walnut Street in Des Moines, Iowa. My birth mother’s maiden name is Ellen Marie Hicks who resided in Polk County in Iowa. My adopted parents got me at 10 days old and are Peter and Joan Lazorenko who at the time lived in Waterloo, Iowa.
1324. JasonH7777 : Please help me to find her.
1325. Dianemazzie : I want to find you ilove youi named you jetimiah
1326. MichelleFrisbie : Héllo I’m in search for my son Dakotah Herrington he is 25 now. He has 2 sisters Janelle is older 29 and emmilie 19. He was adopted in 2003 in Muscatiñe, Iowa. My son is my heart and soul and I’d Love tó contàct him, I miss him Soo bad. my healthy is géttíñg poor añd I’d like our family tó recónneçt as for health añd medícal reasons as wéll fór his fúture médicaly, Any Hélp fiñding him I’d be honored. Gód Bless Yóu.
1327. Beccadiane3782 : His name at adoption was Alexander Lee Minninger. I have since married and have a daughter born in 2005. I would love to find my son and introduce my two children.
1328. BB1067 : Born in Methodist Hospital in Des Moines, IA. October 1, 1967. Adoption was done through Lutheran Social Services. Wanting to know background info only. Race, Possibly Asian/ White. Seeking Family medical history if known.
1329. Christinag88 : BIRTH MOTHER IS JUDITH
1330. Maracia : The mother name of the adopted child was Teresa m good and the father name was David L Bonner
1331. Maracia : The mother name was Teresa m good the father name was David l Bonner the social worker name was Christy nooks. Teresa’s sister’s name was Christine Blackman
1332. Sjfrazier : My dad adopted name: Steve Taxon was adopted after birth, he is now 77 years. I, myself would like to know my heritage.
1333. Member236026 : I was born in Iowa City, Iowa and adopted through Lutheran Services.
1334. Member236026 : I am looking for any members of my biological family. I was born in Iowa City, Iowa and adopted through Lutheran services of Iowa.
1335. Skalla_J : Born in Sioux City Woodbury County Iowa Adopted in Greene County Iowa Birth Mother believed to be Marilyn Ruth Foley
