Pennsylvania adoption records are available by following the steps below. Pennsylvania provides an adoption registry that allows information to be exchanged between consenting families. It is important to be aware that it is often difficult to open original adoption records because they are sealed by the court at the time the adoption takes place. You may also be required to file consent forms if you do or do not want your identifying information to be available to either the adoptee or birth parent.

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Pennsylvania Adoption Records Information

How to Contact Pennsylvania's Adoption Offices

Pennsylvania Dept of Public Welfare
Office of Children Youth & Families
Post Office Box 8018
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17105

Phone Number: (717) 787-3672

Fax: (717) 787-9706

Pennsylvania provides an adoption registry that allows adoptees to receive identifying information of the consenting biological parents. The registry only serves those individuals that were born in Pennsylvania.

A biological parent can file a Biological Parent Registration Identification Form with the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

The form may be obtained by calling the Division of Vital Records at 1-877-PA-Health or (724) 656-3100. You may also write to:

Division of Vital Records
ATTN: Adoption Registry
101 S. Mercer St., P.O. Box 1528
Newcastle, Pennsylvania 16101

You will need to supply the hospital name or birth location, city, boro or township of birth, county of birth and the court, docket number, county, state and date of adoption if they are accessible. There is no filing fee, but the form must be notarized and sent to the address above.

Medical information can also be shared without the biological parent having to reveal their identity.

Adoptees can find out if a biological parent has registered by submitting a request. The adoptee must be at least 18 years of age. The adoptive parent or legal guardian of an adoptee who is less than 18 years of age may also submit a request.

The adoptee will require the following information:

• Name after adoption (first, middle and last)
• Date of Birth
• City, Boro, Township of Birth
• County of Birth
• Adoptive Father's Name
• Adoptive Mother's Name (first, middle and last)
• Applicant's mailing address
• Applicant's daytime telephone number, including area code
• $10 fee to conduct the search
• Legible copy of government issued identification of the adoptee or adopted parent

The Division of Vital Records will release the current names and address of the parents, as well as a certified copy of the original birth record prior to adoption. Identifying information is only released if birth parents have a consent form on file.

Once an adoption has been granted, an adoptee's legal rights to these documents are relinquished. A court order for the court that granted the adoption is required for the release of the birth or death records of biological family members.

The Department of Public Welfare maintains the Adoption Medical History Registry that allows birth parents to share their family medical history with the child they placed for adoption. The registry serves as a repository for collecting and storing this information. They can be contacted at:

Adoption Medical History Registry
4th floor, Bertolino Bldg.
Post Office Box 2675
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17105

Phone number: (800) 227-0225