What Utah's 2026 Adoption Act (H.B. 51) Means for Birth Mothers

Utah's Adoption Act was updated in 2026 with the passage of House Bill 51 (H.B. 51). For birth mothers considering adoption, especially those considering travel to Utah from other states, several meaningful changes took effect on May 6, 2026. Here's a plain-English summary.

Financial Support: New Caps and Rules

H.B. 51 sets a framework for how Utah-licensed agencies can provide financial support to birth mothers during pregnancy and early postpartum.

• ●Utah law sets specific limits on how and for how long living expense assistance can be provided. These limits are applied case by case
• ●Support is framed as help with pregnancy and adoption-related expenses, not as an incentive to place
• ●Payments are made directly to service providers (landlords, utilities, medical) wherever possible, rather than lump sums to birth mothers
• ●Counseling and adoption-competent mental health support are offered both before and after placement

For Out-of-State Birth Mothers

H.B. 51 adds specific protections for birth mothers traveling to Utah from other states.

• ●Home-state Medicaid coverage must be verified before any travel to Utah
• ●Return transportation of the same mode and quality is guaranteed, regardless of your adoption decision
• ●Minors (under 18) cannot be transported to or arranged for travel to Utah

Advertising Rules

All Utah adoption-agency advertising must now disclose which states the agency is licensed in. And, importantly, no financial incentives can appear in any adoption-related advertising. This matches long-standing best practices at ethical agencies.

The Consortium

H.B. 51 creates a Utah Child-Placing Adoption Agency Consortium, composed of one member from each licensed private agency and chaired by the Office of Licensing. The Consortium reviews financial exception requests and reports on industry metrics.

Non-Profit Deadline

By January 1, 2027, every Utah-licensed adoption agency must be a registered non-profit. A Act of Love Adoptions is already a licensed non-profit and in full compliance with this requirement.

What Isn't Changing

• ●Birth mothers still receive independent legal counsel at no cost
• ●Consent is still signed no earlier than 24 hours after birth, and remains irrevocable upon signing
• ●Open, semi-open, and closed adoption all remain permitted
• ●Post-adoption contact agreements remain enforceable

How A Act of Love Complies

We support every provision of H.B. 51 and have updated our processes accordingly. See our compliance page for the full disclosure, complaint link, and financial-interest policy.