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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>65499</law_id><section_number>63.2-1248</section_number><catch_line>Fees for home studies, investigations, visitations and reports</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="63.2">Welfare (Social Services)</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Social Services Programs</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="12">Adoption</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="6">Records</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Notwithstanding the provisions of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Fees collected by clerks of circuit courts; generally" href="/17.1-275/">17.1-275</a>, the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> with <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> over any adoption matter, or the person, agency, or <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">child</span>-placing agency</span> that attempts to locate the <span class="dictionary">birth family</span> pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Disposition of reports; disclosure of information as to identity of birth family" href="/63.2-1246/">63.2-1246</a> or subsection B of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Disclosure to birth family; adoptive parents; medical, etc., information; exchange of information; open records in parental placement adoptions" href="/63.2-1247/">63.2-1247</a>, or that attempts to locate the adult adoptee pursuant to subsection A of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Disclosure to birth family; adoptive parents; medical, etc., information; exchange of information; open records in parental placement adoptions" href="/63.2-1247/">63.2-1247</a>, shall assess a fee against the petitioner, or applicant and, in the case of <span class="dictionary">local departments</span>, shall assess such fee in accordance with regulations and fee <span class="dictionary">schedules</span> established by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>, for home studies, investigations, visits and reports provided by the appropriate <span class="dictionary">local department</span>, person, or agency pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Petition and hearing for court approval of surrogacy contract; requirements; orders" href="/20-160/">20-160</a>, <a class="law" title="Investigations; report to circuit court" href="/63.2-1208/">63.2-1208</a>, <a class="law" title="Visitations during probationary period and report" href="/63.2-1212/">63.2-1212</a>, <a class="law" title="Home study; meeting required; exception" href="/63.2-1231/">63.2-1231</a>, <a class="law" title="Forwarding of petition; when investigation and report not required" href="/63.2-1238/">63.2-1238</a> or &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Disposition of reports; disclosure of information as to identity of birth family" href="/63.2-1246/">63.2-1246</a>. The <span class="dictionary">Board</span> shall adopt regulations and fee <span class="dictionary">schedules</span>, which shall include (i) standards for determining the petitioner&#x2019;s or applicant&#x2019;s ability to pay and (ii) a scale of fees based on the petitioner&#x2019;s or applicant&#x2019;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 <span class="dictionary">local department</span>, person, or agency and a receipt therefor shall be provided to the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span>, or to the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> if pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Disposition of reports; disclosure of information as to identity of birth family" href="/63.2-1246/">63.2-1246</a> or &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Disclosure to birth family; adoptive parents; medical, etc., information; exchange of information; open records in parental placement adoptions" href="/63.2-1247/">63.2-1247</a>, prior to the acceptance of parental consent, entry of any <span class="dictionary">final order</span>, or release of identifying information by the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span>, and no <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall accept parental consent or enter any <span class="dictionary">final order</span> and the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> shall not release any identifying information until proof of payment of such fees has been received.</p></section></text><history>1987, c. 5, &#xA7; 63.1-236.1; 1989, c. 214; 1990, cc. 101, 297; 1991, c. 600; 1992, c. 607; 1995, cc. 772, 826; 2000, c. 830, &#xA7; 63.1-219.55; 2002, c. 747.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
