Vermont's New Adoption Law Opens Records

VERMONT’S NEW ADOPTION LAW:
An Update for Adopted People and their Descendants

Starting July 1, 2023, Vermont’s new adoption law will allow adopted persons 18 and over (and their direct descendants) to get:

• Their original birth certificate — if they were born in Vermont.
• Identifying information about their biological/former parents — if the adoption was finalized in Vermont and the parents did not file a request for nondisclosure.

Adopted people and their descendants:

• May contact the Vermont Department of Health to request their original birth certificate.
  • Starting July 1, the form will be available on the Department of Health website: healthvermont.gov/PreAdoptionBirthCertificate.
  • Cost: $10.00
  • They will receive:

• A certified copy of the original birth certificate;

• A copy of any adoption-related document filed with the birth certificate (e.g., adoption report or adoption decree); and

• Information from the Vermont Adoption Registry, if available, that may indicate whether if the former/biological parent(s) would like to have contact and, if so, how they’d like it to happen: directly or through an intermediary

To learn more and get copies of the forms, go to https://dcf.vermont.gov/registry/adoption.