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Oregon Department of Human Services Search Site

Adoption Search and Registry

Find your birth family or person adopted in Oregon

If you are looking for information about your birth family or a person who was adopted in Oregon, we may be able to help. We have a record of all adoptions finalized in Oregon since 1920.

Search options

If you want to have contact with an adoptee or a family member, you can add your identifying information to the registry. If a family member is also registered or gets registered, you will get a notification. Both people must register on their own before any information is shared.

How it works
  • The registry will let you know right away if a family member has registered. 
  • We will contact each person separately to see how you would like to start contact with the other person.  
  • The registry will only share information that you are comfortable with. 
  • You can ask that your name be removed from this registry at any time.
Who can register
  • An adult adoptee (aged 18 or older) An adoptive parent or guardian of a minor adoptee
  • A birth parent
  • A putative (alleged) father
  • An adult genetic sibling of an adoptee
  • An adoptive parent of a deceased adoptee 
  • A parent or guardian of a minor genetic sibling of an adoptee 
  • A parent or adult sibling of a deceased birth parent
How to register

M​ail​ the following to ODHS: 

  • A notarized Affidavit for Release ​of Identifying Information form
  • A copy of your birth certificate
  • A $25 check or money order payable to ODHS Adoption Registry

In addition to the information you can get from the county court adoption documents, our files may include social and health information that we collected at the time of adoption. This is called non-identifying information.

Who can ask for this information
  • An adult adoptee 
  • An adoptive parent of a minor adoptee 
  • A guardian of a minor adoptee 
  • A birth parent of an adoptee 
  • Adult children (or descendants) ​of a deceased adoptee 
  • A spouse of a deceased adoptee, if the spouse is the birth parent or guardian of any child of the adoptee
How to ask for this information​

​Mail the following to ODHS​:

  • ​Non-Identifying Information form:​
  • A copy of your birth certificate or photo identification
  • A $45 check or money order made payable to ODHS Adoption Registry

​Get help finding people who were part of an adoption finalized in Oregon when they are not currently in the registry​.

H​ow it works

The registry contracts with a searcher who tries to find the person and let them know that someone is looking for them and would like to have contact. 

If they want to have contact:

  • We will help the located person register, at no charge.
  • Information will not be released to either person until both have completed the forms needed to register.

If they do not want to have contact:

  • The registry will close the search file. 
  • You will be notified that the person has been located but does not wish to have contact, but no other information about them will be shared. 
  • Your information will be part of the registry until you let us know in writing that you want to be removed.

If the person has passed away, we will let you know. We won't be able to share any other information.

Who can ask for ​an assisted search

An adoptee or the adoptive parent of a minor adoptee or the adoptive parent of deceased adoptee may search for:

  • A birth parent 
  • An adult genetic sibling of the adoptee 
  • A putative (alleged) father who is named in the records

The following people can search for an adult adoptee:

  • A birth parent 
  • An adult genetic sibling of the adoptee 
  • A parent or adult sibling of a deceased birth parent
How to request an assisted search

Mail ​the following to ODHS:

  • ​Assisted Search Application form
  • A notarized Affidavit for Release of Identifying Information form 
  • A copy of your birth certificate
  • A check or money order made payable to ODHS:  
    • $25 fee to register
    • $400 to search for one individual (add $200 ​for each additional individual )

    For example, ​to search for one person, you would pay $425 including the registration and search fees. To search for two people, you would pay $625.

​Private adoption agencies maintain their own registries. If you are not sure if your adoption was through a private adoption agency, contact us​.

​Many people involved in an adoption can receive a copy of documents from the Oregon court where the adoption was finalized. Contact the court for information about how they release adoption records. If you don’t know the county, contact us​.

When requesting a search:

  • If your name is different than what is on your birth certificate, include documentation of the name change. 
  • If you are eligible to register based on the death of the adoptee, include a copy of the death certificate or obituary. 

Contact us

 Mailing address
ODHS Adoption Search and Registry
500 Summer St NE, E-71
Salem, OR 97301

Phone
541-632-2264

Email
adoption.registry@odhsoha.oregon.gov