ADOPTION GENERALLY

Nev. Rev. Stat. 127A
in effect

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.010 Definitions.

As used in chapters 127A to 127E, inclusive, of NRS, unless the context otherwise requires, the words and terms defined in NRS 127A.015 to 127A.140, inclusive, have the meanings ascribed to them in those sections.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.015 “Adoption” defined.

“Adoption” means a legally recognized procedure that creates a parent-child relationship.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.020 “Adoption services” defined.

“Adoption services” means services provided by an agency which provides child welfare services or a child-placing agency, including, without limitation: 1. Identifying a child for adoption and arranging an adoption; 2. Securing a specific consent to adoption, relinquishment or termination of parental rights; 3. Performing a home study on a prospective adoptive parent and reporting on the home study; 4. Making a determination of the best interest of the child and the appropriateness of an adoptive placement for the child; 5. Conducting post-placement monitoring of a case until final adoption; or 6. Assuming custody and providing child care or any other social services pending an alternative placement, if made necessary by a disruption before final adoption.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.030 “Adult adoption” defined.

“Adult adoption” means a type of adoption where the person being adopted is an adult.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.035 “Agency adoption” defined.

“Agency adoption” means a type of adoption performed by an agency which provides child welfare services or a child-placing agency, where the agency which provides child welfare services or the child-placing agency: 1. Accepts temporary custody of a child until final adoption; and 2. Assists in and arranges the placement of a child for adoption by matching birth parents with adoptive parents and providing adoption services.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.040 “Agency which provides child welfare services” defined.

“Agency which provides child welfare services” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 432B.030.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.045 “Arrange the placement of a child” defined.

“Arrange the placement of a child” means to make preparations for or bring about any agreement or understanding concerning the adoption of a child.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.050 “Best interest of the child” defined.

“Best interest of the child” means the legal standard used to ensure every decision made in the adoption process prioritizes stability, safety and permanency of the child to be adopted.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.065 “Child-placing agency” defined.

“Child-placing agency” means a nonprofit corporation organized pursuant to chapter 82 of NRS and licensed by the Division to place children for adoption.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.070 “Child with special needs” defined.

“Child with special needs” means a child for whom placement with an adoptive parent is, in the opinion of the Administrator of the Division or the designee of the Administrator, made more difficult because of the age, race or number of siblings of the child, or because the child suffers from a severe or chronic medical, physical, mental or emotional condition.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.075 “Close-family adoption” defined.

“Close-family adoption” means a type of adoption where a petitioner or the spouse of a petitioner is related to the child to be adopted within the third degree of consanguinity.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.080 “Confirmatory adoption” defined.

“Confirmatory adoption” means a type of adoption where the petitioner is already a parent of a child either through a court order or presumptively and is asking the court to confirm parentage through an adoption or readoption.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.085 “Division” defined.

“Division” means the Division of Child and Family Services of the Department of Human Services.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.095 “Holder of a valid registry identification card” defined.

“Holder of a valid registry identification card” means a person who holds a valid registry identification card as defined in NRS 678C.080 that identifies the person as: 1. Exempt from state prosecution for engaging in the medical use of cannabis; or 2. A designated primary caregiver as defined in NRS 678C.040 .

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.100 “Identified adoption” defined.

“Identified adoption” means an adoption where: 1. None of the prospective adoptive parents are related within the third degree of consanguinity to the child to be adopted; and 2. The prospective adoptive parents and at least one of the parents of the child to be adopted are known to each other and such knowledge was not caused by the actions of a child-placing agency.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.110 “Marital partner” defined.

“Marital partner” means two persons, regardless of gender, who are at least 18 years of age, not nearer of kin than second cousins or cousins of the half blood, and not having a spouse living, who are joined in marriage.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.120 “Putative parent” defined.

“Putative parent” means a person who is alleged or reputed to be a parent of a child but whose parentage has not been legally established.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.125 “Readoption” defined.

“Readoption” means a type of adoption where the petitioner has previously obtained an order of adoption on the child at issue from a court of another country.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.135 “Spouse” defined.

“Spouse” means a marital partner, domestic partner, civil partner, registered partner, reciprocal beneficiary or other partner who has the same rights, protections and benefits, and is subject to the same responsibilities, obligations and duties under law, whether derived from statute, regulation, court rule, administrative policy, common law or any other provision or source of authority, as are granted to and imposed upon marital partners.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.140 “Third degree of consanguinity” defined.

“Third degree of consanguinity” means the familial relationship between two persons who share a common ancestor within three generations, including, without limitation, a parent, stepparent, sibling, grandparent, great-grandparent, aunt or uncle.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.150 Applicability of provisions to various types of adoptions governed by other chapters of NRS.

The requirements prescribed by NRS 127A.160 to 127A.430, inclusive, are applicable to: 1. Adoptions of children who are placed with agencies which provide child welfare services governed by chapter 127B of NRS; 2. Agency adoptions, identified adoptions and, as applicable, adult adoptions governed by chapter 127C of NRS; 3. Close-family adoptions governed by chapter 127D of NRS; and 4. Confirmatory adoptions and readoptions governed by chapter 127E of NRS.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.160 State Register for Adoptions: Establishment; contents; release of information.

1. The Division shall maintain the State Register for Adoptions, which is hereby established, in its central office to provide information to identify adults who were adopted and persons related to them within the third degree of consanguinity. 2. The State Register for Adoptions consists of: (a) Names and other information, which the Administrator of the Division deems to be necessary for the operation of the Register, relating to persons who have relinquished a child for adoption or have consented to the adoption of a child, or whose parental rights have been terminated by a court of competent jurisdiction, and who have submitted the information voluntarily to the Division; (b) Names and other necessary information of persons who are 18 years of age or older, who were adopted and who have submitted the information voluntarily to the Division; and (c) Names and other necessary information of persons who are related within the third degree of consanguinity to adopted persons, and who have submitted the information voluntarily to the Division. Ê Any person whose name appears in the Register may withdraw it by requesting in writing that it be withdrawn. The Division shall immediately withdraw a name upon receiving a request to do so, and may not thereafter release any information to identify that person, including the information that such a name was ever in the Register. 3. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 5, the Division may release information: (a) About a person related within the third degree of consanguinity to an adopted person; or (b) About an adopted person to a person related within the third degree of consanguinity, Ê under the circumstances described in subsection 4. 4. The Division may release the information described in subsection 3 if: (a) The names and information about both persons are contained in the Register; and (b) Written consent for the release of such information is given by the parent or the Division determines that extenuating circumstances exist to justify the release of the information. 5. An adopted person may, by submitting a written request to the Division, restrict the release of any information concerning the adopted person to one or more categories of relatives within the third degree of consanguinity.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.200 Jurisdiction of district courts.

Except as otherwise provided in NRS 125E.270, the district courts of this State have original jurisdiction in adoption proceedings.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.210 Adoption of two or more children.

The same petitioners may, in one petition, petition for the adoption of two or more children, if the children are siblings.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.220 Entitlement of petitions; reports and orders.

All petitions, reports and orders in adoption proceedings shall be entitled only in the names of the adopting parties.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.230 Confidentiality of hearings, files and records.

1. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 239.0115 , all hearings held in proceedings under chapters 127A to 127E , inclusive, of NRS are confidential and must be held in closed court, without admittance of any person other than the petitioners, their witnesses, the director of an agency which provides child welfare services or a child-placing agency, or their authorized representatives, attorneys and persons entitled to notice by chapters 127A to 127E , inclusive, of NRS except by order of the court. 2. The files and records of the court in adoption proceedings are not open to inspection by any person except: (a) Upon an order of the court expressly so permitting pursuant to a petition setting forth the reasons therefor; (b) If a parent and the child are eligible to receive information from the State Register for Adoptions pursuant to NRS 127A.160 ; or (c) As provided pursuant to subsections 3 to 6, inclusive. 3. An adoptive parent who intends to file a petition pursuant to NRS 127B.630 , 127B.650 , 127C.630 , 127C.650 , 127D.430 or 127D.450 , as applicable, to enforce, modify or terminate an agreement that provides for postadoptive contact may inspect only the portions of the files and records of the court concerning the agreement for postadoptive contact. 4. A parent who intends to file a petition pursuant to NRS 127B.630 , 127C.630 or 127D.430 , as applicable, to prove the existence of or to enforce an agreement that provides for postadoptive contact or to file an action pursuant to NRS 41.509 may inspect only the portions of the files or records of the court concerning the agreement for postadoptive contact. 5. Upon the request of a sibling or adoptive child who wishes to enforce, modify or terminate an order for visitation included in an order of adoption pursuant to NRS 125B.780 or 127C.890 , as applicable, the court shall provide the case number of the adoption proceeding to the sibling and allow the sibling to inspect only the portions of the files or records of the court concerning the order for visitation. 6. The portions of the files and records which are made available for inspection by an adoptive parent, parent or sibling pursuant to subsection 3, 4 or 5 must not include any confidential information, including, without limitation, any information that identifies or would lead to the identification of a parent if the identity of the parent is not included in the agreement for postadoptive contact or order for visitation, as applicable.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.240 Order or decree of adoption constitutes final judgment.

An order of adoption and decree of adoption are both final judgments from judicial proceedings of a court granting a petition for adoption.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.250 Effect of order of adoption on parental rights and inheritance.

1. Upon the entry of an order of adoption, the child shall become the legal child of the persons adopting the child, and they shall become the child’s legal parents with all the rights and duties between them of parents and child. 2. By virtue of an adoption, the child shall inherit from the adoptive parents or their relatives the same as though the child were the biological child of such parents and, in case of the death of the child intestate, the adoptive parents and their relatives shall inherit the child’s estate as if they had been the child’s biological parents and relatives. 3. After a parent has executed a specific consent to adoption or relinquishment or the parental rights of the parent have been terminated, and the court has entered an order of adoption: (a) The parent is relieved of all parental responsibilities for the adopted child and shall not exercise or have any rights over the adopted child or the property of the adopted child; and (b) The child does not owe the parent any legal duty and may not inherit from that parent or a relative of that parent. 4. Notwithstanding any other provisions to the contrary in this section, the adoption of a child does not in any way change the status of the relationship between the child and any parent who is a petitioner and whose parental rights have not been terminated.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.260 Appeals.

Any person against whom any order or judgment is made or who is affected thereby may appeal to the appellate court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to the rules fixed by the Supreme Court pursuant to Section 4 of Article 6 of the Nevada Constitution from any order or judgment of the district court made under the provisions of chapters 127A to 127E, inclusive, of NRS in the same manner as in other civil proceedings.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.300 License required to place or arrange placement of child for adoption; exceptions.

1. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a person or entity may not place, arrange the placement of, or assist in placing or in arranging the placement of, any child for adoption without securing and having in full force a license to operate a child-placing agency issued by the Division. This subsection applies to agents, servants, physicians and attorneys of parents or guardians, as well as to other persons and entities. 2. This section does not prohibit a parent or guardian from placing, arranging the placement of, or assisting in placing or in arranging the placement of, any child for adoption if the placement is made pursuant to NRS 127B.730 , 127C.830 , 127C.840 or 127C.860 . 3. This section does not prohibit an agency which provides child welfare services from placing, arranging the placement of, or assisting in placing or in arranging the placement of, any child for adoption. 4. This section does not prohibit a person or entity, including a person acting in the professional capacity of the person, from sharing information regarding an adoption if money or other valuable consideration is not paid: (a) For such information; or (b) For any other service related to the adoption that is performed after sharing the information.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.310 License: Application; issuance; renewal; term.

1. The application for a license to operate a child-placing agency must be in a form prescribed by the Division. The license must state to whom it is issued and the fact that it is effective for 1 year from the date of its issuance. 2. The issuance by the Division of a license to operate a child-placing agency must be based upon reasonable and satisfactory assurance to the Division that the application for such license will conform to the standards established and the regulations adopted by the Division pursuant to NRS 127B.710 and 127C.810 . 3. When the Division is satisfied that a licensee is conforming to such standards and regulations, it shall renew the license, and the license so renewed continues in force for 1 year from the date of renewal.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.320 License: Denial, nonrenewal or revocation; notice and hearing; appeal.

1. After notice and a hearing, the Division may: (a) Refuse to issue a license if the Division finds that the applicant does not meet the standards established and the rules prescribed by the Division for child-placing agencies. (b) Refuse to renew a license or may revoke a license if the Division finds that the child-placing agency has refused or failed to meet any of the established standards or has violated any of the rules prescribed by the Division for child-placing agencies. 2. A notice of the time and place of the hearing must be mailed to the last known address of the applicant or licensee at least 15 days before the date fixed for the hearing. 3. When an order of the Division is appealed to the district court, the trial may be de novo.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.330 Investigation of background of applicant for license, licensee and certain employees, volunteers and independent contractors; fee for investigation; periodic additional investigations; regulations.

1. The Division shall obtain from appropriate law enforcement agencies information on the background and personal history of each applicant for a license to operate a child-placing agency, person who is licensed to operate a child-placing agency or employee, volunteer or independent contractor of such an applicant or licensee who provides or will provide services to children to determine whether the person investigated has a history of maltreating a child that, in the determination of the Division, renders the person unacceptable to provide services to children. 2. The Division may charge each person investigated pursuant to subsection 1 for the cost of the fees charged by any local agencies of law enforcement, the Central Repository for Nevada Records of Criminal History and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the handling of fingerprint cards and the issuance of reports of criminal histories. 3. The Division shall: (a) Conduct an investigation of each licensee, employee, volunteer and independent contractor pursuant to this section at least once every 5 years after the initial investigation; and (b) Adopt regulations prescribing the conditions under which the Division may deem a person investigated pursuant to subsection 1 to have a history of maltreating a child that renders the person unacceptable to provide services to children.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.340 Person investigated to submit fingerprints; exchange of information; report from Federal Bureau of Investigation.

1. Each applicant for a license to operate a child-placing agency, person who is licensed to operate a child-placing agency or employee, volunteer or independent contractor of such an applicant or licensee who provides services to children must submit to the Division for the purposes of an investigation pursuant to NRS 127A.330 a complete set of fingerprints and written permission authorizing the Division to forward those fingerprints to the Central Repository for Nevada Records of Criminal History for submission to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its report to enable the Division to conduct an investigation pursuant to NRS 127A.330 . 2. The Division may exchange with the Central Repository or the Federal Bureau of Investigation any information relating to the fingerprints submitted. 3. When the Central Repository receives a report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Central Repository shall immediately forward a copy of the report to the Division.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.400 Limitation on compensation of attorneys in adoptions; reporting of violations; penalty.

1. Any attorney licensed to practice in this State or in any other state: (a) May not receive compensation for: (1) Taking part in finding children for adoption; or (2) Finding parents to adopt children. (b) May receive a reasonable compensation for legal services provided in relation to adoption proceedings. 2. A child-placing agency shall report any violation of subsection 1 to the State Bar of Nevada, if the alleged violator is licensed to practice in this State, or to the bar association of the state in which the alleged violator is licensed to practice. 3. Any person who violates the provisions of subsection 1 is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.410 Prohibition on receipt of compensation for placing or arranging placement of children for adoption without license; exception.

1. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 127A.400 and 127B.720 , a person or entity who does not have in full force a license to operate a child-placing agency may not request or accept, directly or indirectly, any compensation or thing of value for placing, arranging the placement of, or assisting in placing or arranging the placement of, any child for adoption. 2. A child-placing agency may accept fees for operational expenses.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.420 Penalty for receipt of compensation without license.

1. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 127A.400 , 127B.720 and 200.463 to 200.465 , inclusive, a person or entity who, without holding a valid license to operate a child-placing agency issued by the Division, requests or receives, directly or indirectly, any compensation or thing of value for placing, arranging the placement of, or assisting in placing or arranging the placement of, any child for adoption is guilty of a category D felony and shall be punished as provided in NRS 193.130 . 2. The parents and the adopting parents are not accomplices for the purpose of this section.

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127A.430 Placing or advertising child for adoption; requirements for advertisements; penalties.

1. Except as otherwise provided in this section, NRS 127A.300 and 127A.400 , it is unlawful for any person or entity other than an agency which provides child welfare services or a child-placing agency to place, arrange the placement of, or assist in placing or in arranging the placement of, any child for adoption. 2. Except as otherwise provided in this section, it is unlawful for any person or entity to place an advertisement or offer to the public, by any medium, that a child is available for adoption or that a child is sought for adoption. 3. Subject to subsection 4, a child-placing agency may place an advertisement in this State that: (a) A child is offered or wanted for adoption; or (b) The child-placing agency is able to place, locate or receive a child for adoption. 4. A child-placing agency shall include in any advertisement concerning its services a statement which: (a) Confirms that the child-placing agency holds a valid, unrevoked license issued by the Division; (b) Indicates any license number issued to the child-placing agency by the Division; and (c) Indicates that only child-placing agencies licensed in this State may legally provide adoption services under the laws of this State. 5. It is unlawful for any person or entity who purchases advertising space or purchases broadcast time for the purpose of advertising adoption services to fail to include in any publication or fail to include in the broadcast for such advertisement the license number in this State of the child-placing agency or agency which provides child welfare services placing the advertisement. This section applies to paid and unpaid advertisements. 6. An agency which provides child welfare services and a child-placing agency may publish on an Internet website or in any newspaper published in this State or broadcast by television a photograph of and relevant personal information concerning any child for whom an adoptive resource is needed. 7. A person or entity who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a category E felony and shall be punished as provided in NRS 193.130 . 8. A periodical, newspaper, radio station, Internet website or other public medium is not subject to any criminal penalty or civil liability for disseminating an advertisement that violates the provisions of this section. 9. As used in this section: (a) “Advertise” or “advertisement” means a communication that originates within this State by any public medium, including, without limitation, a newspaper, periodical, article, notice, magazine, telephone book listing, outdoor advertising, billboard, sign, radio, television or computerized communication system, including, without limitation, electronic mail, an Internet website or an Internet account, or any similar media. (b) “Internet account” means an account created within a bounded system established by an Internet-based service that requires a user to input or store information in an electronic device in order to view, create, use or edit the account information, profile, display, communications or stored data of the user.
Source: NV Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/NRS-127A.htmlFetched: 10/4/2026