{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/63.2-1230.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/63.2-1230.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/63.2-1230.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/63.2-1230.html"}],"law_id":63566,"edition_id":1,"section_id":63566,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1230","catch_line":"Placement of children by parent or guardian","history":"1989, c. 647, \u00a7 63.1-220.3; 1991, cc. 364, 602; 1992, c. 125; 1993, cc. 338, 553; 1995, cc. 772, 826; 1999, c. 1028; 2000, c. 830, \u00a7 63.1-219.37; 2001, c. 305; 2002, c. 747; 2009, c. 805; 2024, c. 90.","full_text":"The birth parent, legal guardian, or adoptive parent of a child may place his child for adoption directly with the prospective adoptive parents of his choice. Such parent or legal guardian may execute a power of attorney to the prospective adoptive parent for discharge of a newborn infant from a hospital or for the initial physical placement of a child with a prospective adoptive parent pursuant to subsection B of \u00a7 20-166 and subsection A of \u00a7 54.1-2969. Consent to the proposed adoption shall be executed upon compliance with the provisions of this chapter before a juvenile and domestic relations district court or, if the birth parent or legal guardian does not reside in Virginia, before a court having jurisdiction over child custody matters in the jurisdiction where the birth parent or legal guardian resides when requested by a juvenile and domestic relations district court of this Commonwealth, pursuant to \u00a7 20-146.11. Consent proceedings shall be advanced on the juvenile and domestic relations district court docket so as to be heard by the court within 10 days of filing of the petition, or as soon thereafter as practicable so as to provide the earliest possible disposition.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":231587,"text":"The birth parent, legal guardian, or adoptive parent of a child may place his child for adoption directly with the prospective adoptive parents of his choice. Such parent or legal guardian may execute a power of attorney to the prospective adoptive parent for discharge of a newborn infant from a hospital or for the initial physical placement of a child with a prospective adoptive parent pursuant to subsection B of \u00a7 20-166 and subsection A of \u00a7 54.1-2969. Consent to the proposed adoption shall be executed upon compliance with the provisions of this chapter before a juvenile and domestic relations district court or, if the birth parent or legal guardian does not reside in Virginia, before a court having jurisdiction over child custody matters in the jurisdiction where the birth parent or legal guardian resides when requested by a juvenile and domestic relations district court of this Commonwealth, pursuant to \u00a7 20-146.11. Consent proceedings shall be advanced on the juvenile and domestic relations district court docket so as to be heard by the court within 10 days of filing of the petition, or as soon thereafter as practicable so as to provide the earliest possible disposition.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14097,"edition_id":1,"name":"Parental Placement Adoptions","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14096,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:52","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:52","permalink":{"id":271529,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14097,"identifier":"3","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3","url":"\/63.2\/III\/12\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14096,"edition_id":1,"name":"Adoption","identifier":"12","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13897,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:52","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:52","permalink":{"id":271365,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14096,"identifier":"12","token":"63.2\/III\/12","url":"\/63.2\/III\/12\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13897,"edition_id":1,"name":"Social Services Programs","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12789,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:14","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:14","permalink":{"id":271331,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13897,"identifier":"III","token":"63.2\/III","url":"\/63.2\/III\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12789,"edition_id":1,"name":"Welfare (Social Services)","identifier":"63.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","permalink":{"id":270661,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12789,"identifier":"63.2","token":"63.2","url":"\/63.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":63566,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1230","catch_line":"Placement of children by parent or guardian","url":"\/63.2-1230\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1230","metadata":false},{"id":82655,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1231","catch_line":"Home study; meeting required; exception","url":"\/63.2-1231\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1231","metadata":false},{"id":75426,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1232","catch_line":"Requirements of a parental placement adoption; exception","url":"\/63.2-1232\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1232","metadata":false},{"id":69788,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1233","catch_line":"Consent to be executed in juvenile and domestic relations district court; exceptions","url":"\/63.2-1233\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1233","metadata":false},{"id":80402,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1234","catch_line":"When consent is revocable","url":"\/63.2-1234\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1234","metadata":false},{"id":55223,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1235","catch_line":"Adoptive home not in child's best interests","url":"\/63.2-1235\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1235","metadata":false},{"id":76454,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1236","catch_line":"Duty of Department to disseminate information","url":"\/63.2-1236\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1236","metadata":false},{"id":79340,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1237","catch_line":"Petition for parental placement adoption; jurisdiction; contents","url":"\/63.2-1237\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1237","metadata":false},{"id":63654,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1238","catch_line":"Forwarding of petition; when investigation and report not required","url":"\/63.2-1238\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1238","metadata":false},{"id":71186,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1239","catch_line":"Return of copies furnished to counsel","url":"\/63.2-1239\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1239","metadata":false},{"id":78297,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1240","catch_line":"Court issuing order deemed sending agency under Interstate Compact on Placement of Children","url":"\/63.2-1240\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1240","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":82655,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1231","catch_line":"Home study; meeting required; exception","url":"\/63.2-1231\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1231","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/63.2-1230\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1989. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 647 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1989 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 10 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1991, chapters 364 and 602; in 1992, chapter 125; in 1993, chapters 338 and 553; in 1995, chapters 772<\/a> and 826<\/a>; in 1999, chapter 1028<\/a>; in 2000, chapter 830<\/a>; in 2001, chapter 305<\/a>; in 2002, chapter 747<\/a>; in 2009, chapter 805<\/a>; in 2024, chapter 90<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":78366,"section_number":"16.1-266","catch_line":"Appointment of counsel and guardian ad litem","order_by":null,"url":"\/16.1-266\/"},{"id":59671,"section_number":"20-166","catch_line":"Power of attorney to delegate parental or legal custodial powers","order_by":null,"url":"\/20-166\/"},{"id":84982,"section_number":"63.2-1207","catch_line":"Removal of child from adoptive home","order_by":null,"url":"\/63.2-1207\/"},{"id":77214,"section_number":"63.2-1209","catch_line":"Entry of interlocutory order","order_by":null,"url":"\/63.2-1209\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":83304,"section_number":"20-146.11","catch_line":"Cooperation between courts; preservation of records","order_by":null,"url":"\/20-146.11\/"},{"id":59671,"section_number":"20-166","catch_line":"Power of attorney to delegate parental or legal custodial powers","order_by":null,"url":"\/20-166\/"},{"id":54830,"section_number":"54.1-2969","catch_line":"Authority to consent to surgical and medical treatment of certain minors","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-2969\/"}],"permalink":{"id":271531,"object_type":"law","relational_id":63566,"identifier":"63.2-1230","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1230","url":"\/63.2-1230\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/63.2-1230\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1230","dublin_core":{"Title":"Placement of children by parent or guardian","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 63.2-1230","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The birth parent<\/span>, legal guardian, or adoptive parent of a child<\/span> may place his child<\/span> for adoption directly with the prospective adoptive parents of his choice. Such parent or legal guardian may execute a power of attorney<\/span> to the prospective adoptive parent for discharge of a newborn infant from a hospital or for the initial physical placement of a child<\/span> with a prospective adoptive parent pursuant to subsection B of \u00a7 20-166<\/a> and subsection A of \u00a7 54.1-2969<\/a>. Consent to the proposed adoption shall be executed upon compliance with the provisions of this chapter before a juvenile and domestic relations district court<\/span> or, if the birth parent<\/span> or legal guardian does not reside in Virginia, before a court<\/span> having jurisdiction<\/span> over child<\/span> custody<\/span> matters in the jurisdiction<\/span> where the birth parent<\/span> or legal guardian resides when requested by a juvenile and domestic relations district court<\/span> of this Commonwealth, pursuant to \u00a7 20-146.11<\/a>. Consent proceedings shall be advanced on the juvenile and domestic relations district court<\/span> docket<\/span> so as to be heard by the court<\/span> within 10 days of filing of the petition<\/span>, or as soon thereafter as practicable so as to provide the earliest possible disposition<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPLACEMENT OF CHILDREN BY PARENT OR GUARDIAN (\u00a7 63.2-1230)\n\nThe birth parent, legal guardian, or adoptive parent of a child may place his\nchild for adoption directly with the prospective adoptive parents of his choice.\nSuch parent or legal guardian may execute a power of attorney to the prospective\nadoptive parent for discharge of a newborn infant from a hospital or for the\ninitial physical placement of a child with a prospective adoptive parent\npursuant to subsection B of \u00a7 20-166 and subsection A of \u00a7 54.1-2969. Consent\nto the proposed adoption shall be executed upon compliance with the provisions\nof this chapter before a juvenile and domestic relations district court or, if\nthe birth parent or legal guardian does not reside in Virginia, before a court\nhaving jurisdiction over child custody matters in the jurisdiction where the\nbirth parent or legal guardian resides when requested by a juvenile and domestic\nrelations district court of this Commonwealth, pursuant to \u00a7 20-146.11. Consent\nproceedings shall be advanced on the juvenile and domestic relations district\ncourt docket so as to be heard by the court within 10 days of filing of the\npetition, or as soon thereafter as practicable so as to provide the earliest\npossible disposition.\n\nHISTORY: 1989, c. 647, \u00a7 63.1-220.3; 1991, cc. 364, 602; 1992, c. 125; 1993,\ncc. 338, 553; 1995, cc. 772, 826; 1999, c. 1028; 2000, c. 830, \u00a7 63.1-219.37;\n2001, c. 305; 2002, c. 747; 2009, c. 805; 2024, c. 90.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}