Florida: Access to OBCs and Non-ID
FLORIDA
DENIES UNRESTRICTED ACCESS TO OBC (Court order required)
Note: Prior to 1977, Florida adult adoptees had unrestricted access to their OBCs.
Who May Access Information
Citation: Ann. Stat. §§ 63.162; 63.165
Information may be available to:
•The adopted person who is age 18 or older
•The birth parents
•The adoptive parents
•Birth siblings
•Maternal and paternal birth grandparents
Access to Original Birth Certificate
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 63.162
The original birth certificate is available only upon order of the court.
Access to Non-identifying Information
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 63.162
All non-identifying information, including the family medical history and social history of the adopted person and the birth parents, when available, must be furnished to the adoptive parents before the adoption becomes final and to the adopted person, upon the adopted person’s request, after he or she reaches majority. Upon the request of the adoptive parents, all non-identifying information obtained before or after the adoption has become final must be furnished to the adoptive parents.
Mutual Access to Identifying Information
Citation: Ann. Stat. §§ 63.162; 63.165
Identifying information about a birth parent, an adoptive parent, or an adopted person may not be disclosed unless the respective party has authorized in writing the release of such information. If the adopted person is younger than age 18, written consent must be obtained from an adoptive parent.
The court may, upon petition of an adult adopted person or birth parent, for good cause shown, appoint an intermediary or a licensed child-placing agency to contact a birth parent or adult adopted person, as applicable, who has not registered with the adoption registry pursuant to § 63.165, and advise of both the availability of the intermediary or agency and that the birth parent or adult adopted person, as applicable, wishes to establish contact.
The department shall maintain a registry with the last known names and addresses of an adopted person, the birth parents, and the adoptive parents and any other identifying information that the parties wish to include in the registry.
The registry shall be available for those persons choosing to enter information therein, but no one shall be required to do so. A person who enters information in the registry must indicate clearly the persons to whom he or she is consenting to release the information, and shall be limited to the adopted person, the birth parents, the adoptive parents, birth siblings, and maternal and paternal birth grandparents. Consent to the release of this information may be made in the case of a minor adopted person by his or her adoptive parents or by the court after a showing of good cause. At any time, any person may withdraw, limit, or otherwise restrict consent to release information by notifying the department in writing.
Where the Information Can Be Located
Florida Adoption Reunion Registry, Florida Department of Children and Families