South Carolina Adoption Forms: What Documents You Actually Need

"Adoption forms" in South Carolina is not a single thing — it is a collection of documents that come from different sources (DSS, SLED, the Family Court, USCIS) at different stages of the process. Understanding which forms you need, where they come from, and when they are required prevents the kind of administrative backlog that stalls adoptions for months.

This post organizes the key documents by stage of the process.

Stage 1: Licensing and Application

DSS Foster/Adoption Home Application (Form 1572)

For families entering the public adoption system through Heartfelt Calling or a DSS licensing partner agency, the primary intake form is DSS Form 1572 — the application for foster care and adoption licensing. This form asks about household composition, finances, motivation, and your living situation.

You can obtain this form directly from DSS or your licensing partner agency. It is also available through the DSS forms library at dss.sc.gov.

Medical Report Forms

A physical examination is required for all household members as part of the home study. Your licensing agency or the social worker conducting your home study will provide the medical report form that the physician needs to complete and sign.

Autobiographical Statement

This is not a form in the traditional sense — it is a narrative document you write yourself. Most agencies provide a template with questions: personal history, childhood, reasons for adopting, description of your home environment, and parenting philosophy. These vary by agency. Ask your caseworker for the specific format they require.

Stage 2: Background Clearances

SLED Criminal Records Request

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) processes statewide criminal history checks. For adoption purposes, these are requested through your licensing agency or through SLED directly. Your licensing partner agency typically coordinates and manages this submission.

FBI Fingerprint Cards

FBI national criminal history checks require fingerprinting through an approved provider. Your licensing agency will direct you to the correct submission process. Results take two to four weeks — start early.

DSS Central Registry Check

This clearance checks whether any household member has a substantiated history of child abuse or neglect in South Carolina. Requested through DSS as part of your licensing application.

Sex Offender Registry Check

Required for all household members aged 12 and older. Your agency will confirm the specific process for your household.

Stage 3: Court Filings

Petition for Adoption

The adoption petition is the core legal filing in the Family Court. It must be filed by a licensed attorney and includes:

• Identifying information about the petitioners and the child
• The basis for jurisdiction (county of residence, location of child, etc.)
• A description of the adoption type (agency, independent, stepparent, etc.)
• Attestation that all requirements have been met

Your attorney drafts this document — you do not fill out a form independently. The petition is drafted to meet the specific requirements of the Family Court circuit where it is filed.

Affidavit of Accounting of Disbursements

Required in all private, independent, and agency adoption cases. This sworn statement itemizes every payment made in connection with the adoption: agency fees, birth parent medical and living expenses, attorney fees, home study costs, and all other disbursements. All payments must have corresponding receipts.

The judge reviews the Affidavit of Accounting at the finalization hearing. Payments that appear disproportionate or that resemble payment for placement can result in the adoption being denied. This document must be accurate, complete, and verifiable.

Consent to Adoption / Voluntary Relinquishment

For private and independent adoptions, the birth parents' consent documents must be properly executed before the petition is filed. Consent must be sworn and witnessed by two people, one of whom must be a Family Court judge, a licensed attorney not representing the adoptive family, or an agency representative.

Your attorney drafts and manages the execution of these documents.

TPR Order

For foster care adoptions, the court will have already issued a Termination of Parental Rights order. A certified copy of this order must be included with the adoption petition filing.

Certificate of Diligent Search (Responsible Father Registry)

Your attorney must search the South Carolina Responsible Father Registry before filing the adoption petition, then file a Certificate of Diligent Search with the Family Court. This certificate confirms that the search was conducted and that any registered fathers were identified. The DSS charges $50 for the registry search. The certificate must be filed within 10 days of receipt.

Failure to file this certificate is the most common procedural error in SC adoption proceedings.

Pre-Placement Investigation (Home Study Report)

The completed and approved home study report from your licensed social worker must be included in the finalization filing. This document summarizes the investigation findings and the social worker's recommendation. Home studies are valid for one year — if yours has expired or if a significant life change occurred after it was completed, an update is required.

Guardian ad Litem Report

The Family Court appoints a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) to represent the child's interests independently. Before the finalization hearing, the GAL submits their report and recommendation to the court. The GAL's report is not something you file — it is submitted by the GAL — but you should know it is a required part of the packet.

Stage 4: Post-Finalization

Certificate of Adoption (to SCDHEC)

After the Decree of Adoption is issued by the Family Court, the court clerk transmits the decree and a Certificate of Adoption to the South Carolina Department of Public Health (formerly SCDHEC). SCDHEC then prepares the amended birth certificate.

Amended Birth Certificate

SCDHEC issues the amended birth certificate listing the adoptive parents and the child's new legal name. For foreign-born children, SCDHEC issues a Certificate of Foreign Birth. If you need certified copies for passports, Social Security updates, or school enrollment, request multiple certified copies when you submit the application.

Where to Get DSS Forms

The DSS forms library is at dss.sc.gov/about/data-and-resources/forms-and-brochures/. Forms are organized by category. The forms most relevant to adoption are in the Child Well-Being section.

Your licensing partner agency and your adoption attorney will manage most of the form-gathering process. Your role is to complete autobiographical materials, sign your clearance requests, and respond promptly to document requests. The more organized you are at the start — certified vital records, financial documents, physician reports — the faster your home study moves.

The South Carolina Adoption Process Guide includes a complete document checklist organized by adoption type, plus the home study preparation checklist to help you pass the safety inspection on the first visit.

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