District of Columbia Relinquishment, Consent, Revocation laws

Who Must Consent:

• Both parents, if living.
  
• The court-appointed guardian.
  
• A licensed child placing agency if parental rights have been terminated.
  

Consent of Adoptee:

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A child 14 years or older must consent to the adoption.

When Parental Consent is Not Needed:

When a parent:

• Cannot be located.
  
• Has abandoned the child.
  
• Has failed to support the child for at least 6 months.
  
• Has relinquished all rights to an agency.
  
  

When Relinquishment Can Be Signed:

• No relinquishment of rights can be made within the first 72 hours after a child's birth.
  
• The parent must first undergo counseling.
  

How Relinquishment Must Be Signed:

Consent must be executed before an officer authorized to take acknowledgments, or a representative of a child-placing agency or the Mayor's office.

Time for Revocation:

Any voluntary relinquishment may be automatically revoked by a verified writing submitted to the agency within 10 calendar days.

Adapted from materials prepared by the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse.