Section 8810 Of Chapter 3. Independent Adoptions From California Family Law Code >> Division 13. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 3.
8810
. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, whenever a
petition is filed under this chapter for the adoption of a child, the
petitioner shall pay a nonrefundable fee to the department or to the
delegated county adoption agency for the cost of investigating the
adoption petition. Fifty percent of the payment shall be made to the
department or delegated county adoption agency at the time the
adoption petition is filed, and the remaining balance shall be paid
no later than the date determined by the department or the delegated
county adoption agency in an amount as follows:
(1) For petitions filed on and after October 1, 2008, four
thousand five hundred dollars ($4,500).
(2) For petitioners who have a valid preplacement evaluation less
than one year old pursuant to Section 8811.5, or a valid private
agency adoption home study less than two years old at the time of
filing a petition, one thousand five hundred fifty dollars ($1,550)
for a postplacement evaluation pursuant to Sections 8806 and 8807.
(b) Revenues produced by fees collected by the department pursuant
to subdivision (a) shall be used, when appropriated by the
Legislature, to fund only the direct costs associated with the state
program for independent adoptions. Revenues produced by fees
collected by the delegated county adoption agency pursuant to
subdivision (a) shall be used by the county to fund the county
program for independent adoptions.
(c) The department or delegated county adoption agency may reduce
the fee to no less than five hundred dollars ($500) when the
prospective adoptive parents are lower income, according to the
income limits published by the Department of Housing and Community
Development, and when making the required payment would be
detrimental to the welfare of an adopted child. The department shall
develop additional guidelines regarding income and assets to
determine the financial criteria for reduction of the fee under this
subdivision.