Campaign: Transgender Visibility Guide
Read HRC's transgender healthcare, employment, family and visibility guides.
Read MoreIowa Adoption Law
Permits single LGBT individuals to petition to adopt? Yes.
Iowa law permits an unmarried adult or husband and wife jointly to petition to adopt. (IOWA CODE ANN. § 600.4)
Permits a same-sex couple to jointly petition to adopt? No explicit prohibition.
State law provides that a husband and wife may jointly petition to adopt, and does not explicitly provide for joint adoption by other couples. No state court has heard the issue of whether same-sex couples can or can not jointly petition to adopt.
Permits a same-sex partner to petition to adopt partner’s child or child of the relationship? No explicit prohibition.
There is no explicit prohibition, and some lower courts have permitted second-parent adoptions to proceed. No state court, however, has heard the issue of whether a same-sex partner can or can not petition to adopt a partner’s child or child of the relationship.
Details: As of April 27, 2009, Iowa recognizes marriage equality, providing married same-sex couples with equal marriage rights under state law.
Updated: Wed, December 09, 2009 - 1:00:17
