{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/63.2-1248.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/63.2-1248.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/63.2-1248.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/63.2-1248.html"}],"law_id":65499,"edition_id":1,"section_id":65499,"structure_id":16242,"section_number":"63.2-1248","catch_line":"Fees for home studies, investigations, visitations and reports","history":"1987, c. 5, \u00a7 63.1-236.1; 1989, c. 214; 1990, cc. 101, 297; 1991, c. 600; 1992, c. 607; 1995, cc. 772, 826; 2000, c. 830, \u00a7 63.1-219.55; 2002, c. 747.","full_text":"Notwithstanding the provisions of \u00a7 17.1-275, the circuit court with jurisdiction over any adoption matter, or the person, agency, or child-placing agency that attempts to locate the birth family pursuant to \u00a7 63.2-1246 or subsection B of \u00a7 63.2-1247, or that attempts to locate the adult adoptee pursuant to subsection A of \u00a7 63.2-1247, shall assess a fee against the petitioner, or applicant and, in the case of local departments, shall assess such fee in accordance with regulations and fee schedules established by the Board, for home studies, investigations, visits and reports provided by the appropriate local department, person, or agency pursuant to \u00a7\u00a7 20-160, 63.2-1208, 63.2-1212, 63.2-1231, 63.2-1238 or \u00a7 63.2-1246. The Board shall adopt regulations and fee schedules, which shall include (i) standards for determining the petitioner’s or applicant’s ability to pay and (ii) a scale of fees based on the petitioner’s or applicant’s income and family size and the actual cost of the services provided. The fee charged shall not exceed the actual cost of the service. The fee shall be paid to the appropriate local department, person, or agency and a receipt therefor shall be provided to the circuit court, or to the Commissioner if pursuant to \u00a7 63.2-1246 or \u00a7 63.2-1247, prior to the acceptance of parental consent, entry of any final order, or release of identifying information by the Commissioner, and no court shall accept parental consent or enter any final order and the Commissioner shall not release any identifying information until proof of payment of such fees has been received.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":238129,"text":"Notwithstanding the provisions of \u00a7 17.1-275, the circuit court with jurisdiction over any adoption matter, or the person, agency, or child-placing agency that attempts to locate the birth family pursuant to \u00a7 63.2-1246 or subsection B of \u00a7 63.2-1247, or that attempts to locate the adult adoptee pursuant to subsection A of \u00a7 63.2-1247, shall assess a fee against the petitioner, or applicant and, in the case of local departments, shall assess such fee in accordance with regulations and fee schedules established by the Board, for home studies, investigations, visits and reports provided by the appropriate local department, person, or agency pursuant to \u00a7\u00a7 20-160, 63.2-1208, 63.2-1212, 63.2-1231, 63.2-1238 or \u00a7 63.2-1246. The Board shall adopt regulations and fee schedules, which shall include (i) standards for determining the petitioner’s or applicant’s ability to pay and (ii) a scale of fees based on the petitioner’s or applicant’s income and family size and the actual cost of the services provided. The fee charged shall not exceed the actual cost of the service. The fee shall be paid to the appropriate local department, person, or agency and a receipt therefor shall be provided to the circuit court, or to the Commissioner if pursuant to \u00a7 63.2-1246 or \u00a7 63.2-1247, prior to the acceptance of parental consent, entry of any final order, or release of identifying information by the Commissioner, and no court shall accept parental consent or enter any final order and the Commissioner shall not release any identifying information until proof of payment of such fees has been received.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":16242,"edition_id":1,"name":"Records","identifier":"6","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14096,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:10:52","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:10:52","permalink":{"id":271609,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":16242,"identifier":"6","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/6","url":"\/63.2\/III\/12\/6\/","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":70945,"structure_id":16242,"section_number":"63.2-1245","catch_line":"Separate order book, file and index of adoption cases; to whom available; permanent retention","url":"\/63.2-1245\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/6\/63.2-1245","metadata":false},{"id":83198,"structure_id":16242,"section_number":"63.2-1246","catch_line":"Disposition of reports; disclosure of information as to identity of birth family","url":"\/63.2-1246\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/6\/63.2-1246","metadata":false},{"id":81884,"structure_id":16242,"section_number":"63.2-1246.1","catch_line":"Commissioner authority to store, preserve, and certify adoption files","url":"\/63.2-1246.1\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/6\/63.2-1246.1","metadata":false},{"id":75216,"structure_id":16242,"section_number":"63.2-1247","catch_line":"Disclosure to birth family; adoptive parents; medical, etc., information; exchange of information; open records in parental placement adoptions","url":"\/63.2-1247\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/6\/63.2-1247","metadata":false},{"id":65499,"structure_id":16242,"section_number":"63.2-1248","catch_line":"Fees for home studies, investigations, visitations and reports","url":"\/63.2-1248\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/6\/63.2-1248","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":75216,"structure_id":16242,"section_number":"63.2-1247","catch_line":"Disclosure to birth family; adoptive parents; medical, etc., information; exchange of information; open records in parental placement adoptions","url":"\/63.2-1247\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/6\/63.2-1247","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/63.2-1248\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1987. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 5 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 1987 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 7 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 1989, chapter 214; in 1990, chapters 101 and 297; in 1991, chapter 600; in 1992, chapter 607; in 1995, chapters 772<\/a> and 826<\/a>; in 2000, chapter 830<\/a>; in 2002, chapter 747<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":71931,"section_number":"17.1-275","catch_line":"Fees collected by clerks of circuit courts; generally","order_by":null,"url":"\/17.1-275\/"},{"id":54684,"section_number":"20-160","catch_line":"Petition and hearing for court approval of surrogacy contract; requirements; orders","order_by":null,"url":"\/20-160\/"},{"id":58081,"section_number":"63.2-1208","catch_line":"Investigations; report to circuit court","order_by":null,"url":"\/63.2-1208\/"},{"id":67535,"section_number":"63.2-1212","catch_line":"Visitations during probationary period and report","order_by":null,"url":"\/63.2-1212\/"},{"id":82655,"section_number":"63.2-1231","catch_line":"Home study; meeting required; exception","order_by":null,"url":"\/63.2-1231\/"},{"id":63654,"section_number":"63.2-1238","catch_line":"Forwarding of petition; when investigation and report not required","order_by":null,"url":"\/63.2-1238\/"},{"id":83198,"section_number":"63.2-1246","catch_line":"Disposition of reports; disclosure of information as to identity of birth family","order_by":null,"url":"\/63.2-1246\/"},{"id":75216,"section_number":"63.2-1247","catch_line":"Disclosure to birth family; adoptive parents; medical, etc., information; exchange of information; open records in parental placement adoptions","order_by":null,"url":"\/63.2-1247\/"}],"permalink":{"id":271627,"object_type":"law","relational_id":65499,"identifier":"63.2-1248","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/6\/63.2-1248","url":"\/63.2-1248\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/63.2-1248\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/6\/63.2-1248","dublin_core":{"Title":"Fees for home studies, investigations, visitations and reports","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 63.2-1248","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Notwithstanding the provisions of \u00a7 17.1-275<\/a>, the circuit<\/span> court<\/span> with jurisdiction<\/span> over any adoption matter, or the person, agency, or child<\/span>-placing agency<\/span> that attempts to locate the birth family<\/span> pursuant to \u00a7 63.2-1246<\/a> or subsection B of \u00a7 63.2-1247<\/a>, or that attempts to locate the adult adoptee pursuant to subsection A of \u00a7 63.2-1247<\/a>, shall assess a fee against the petitioner, or applicant and, in the case of local departments<\/span>, shall assess such fee in accordance with regulations and fee schedules<\/span> established by the Board<\/span>, for home studies, investigations, visits and reports provided by the appropriate local department<\/span>, person, or agency pursuant to \u00a7\u00a7 20-160<\/a>, 63.2-1208<\/a>, 63.2-1212<\/a>, 63.2-1231<\/a>, 63.2-1238<\/a> or \u00a7 63.2-1246<\/a>. The Board<\/span> shall adopt regulations and fee schedules<\/span>, which shall include (i) standards for determining the petitioner’s or applicant’s ability to pay and (ii) a scale of fees based on the petitioner’s or applicant’s income and family size and the actual cost of the services provided. The fee charged shall not exceed the actual cost of the service. The fee shall be paid to the appropriate local department<\/span>, person, or agency and a receipt therefor shall be provided to the circuit<\/span> court<\/span>, or to the Commissioner<\/span> if pursuant to \u00a7 63.2-1246<\/a> or \u00a7 63.2-1247<\/a>, prior to the acceptance of parental consent, entry of any final order<\/span>, or release of identifying information by the Commissioner<\/span>, and no court<\/span> shall accept parental consent or enter any final order<\/span> and the Commissioner<\/span> shall not release any identifying information until proof of payment of such fees has been received.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nFEES FOR HOME STUDIES, INVESTIGATIONS, VISITATIONS AND REPORTS (\u00a7 63.2-1248)\n\nNotwithstanding the provisions of \u00a7 17.1-275, the circuit court with\njurisdiction over any adoption matter, or the person, agency, or child-placing\nagency that attempts to locate the birth family pursuant to \u00a7 63.2-1246 or\nsubsection B of \u00a7 63.2-1247, or that attempts to locate the adult adoptee\npursuant to subsection A of \u00a7 63.2-1247, shall assess a fee against the\npetitioner, or applicant and, in the case of local departments, shall assess\nsuch fee in accordance with regulations and fee schedules established by the\nBoard, for home studies, investigations, visits and reports provided by the\nappropriate local department, person, or agency pursuant to \u00a7\u00a7 20-160,\n63.2-1208, 63.2-1212, 63.2-1231, 63.2-1238 or \u00a7 63.2-1246. The Board shall\nadopt regulations and fee schedules, which shall include (i) standards for\ndetermining the petitioner’s or applicant’s ability to pay and (ii)\na scale of fees based on the petitioner’s or applicant’s income and\nfamily size and the actual cost of the services provided. The fee charged shall\nnot exceed the actual cost of the service. The fee shall be paid to the\nappropriate local department, person, or agency and a receipt therefor shall be\nprovided to the circuit court, or to the Commissioner if pursuant to \u00a7\n63.2-1246 or \u00a7 63.2-1247, prior to the acceptance of parental consent, entry of\nany final order, or release of identifying information by the Commissioner, and\nno court shall accept parental consent or enter any final order and the\nCommissioner shall not release any identifying information until proof of\npayment of such fees has been received.\n\nHISTORY: 1987, c. 5, \u00a7 63.1-236.1; 1989, c. 214; 1990, cc. 101, 297; 1991, c.\n600; 1992, c. 607; 1995, cc. 772, 826; 2000, c. 830, \u00a7 63.1-219.55; 2002, c.\n747.","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}}