Family Code section 8533

(a)

“Noncustodial adoption agency” means any licensed entity engaged in the business of providing adoption services, which does all of the following:

(1)

Assesses the prospective adoptive parents.

(2)

Cooperatively matches children freed for adoption, who are under the care, custody, and control of a licensed adoption agency, for adoption, with assessed and approved prospective adoptive parents.

(3)

Cooperatively supervises adoptive placements with a full-service adoption agency, but does not disrupt a placement or remove a child from a placement.

(4)

Recruits prospective adoptive parents, locates children for an adoption, or acts as an intermediary between the parties to an adoption.

(b)

Private noncustodial adoption agencies shall be organized and operated on a nonprofit basis. As a condition of licensure to provide intercountry adoption services, a noncustodial adoption agency shall be accredited by the Council on Accreditation, or supervised by an accredited primary provider, or acting as an exempted provider, in compliance with Subpart F (commencing with Section 96.29) of Part 96 of Title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Source: Section 8533, https://leginfo.­legislature.­ca.­gov/faces/codes_displaySection.­xhtml?lawCode=FAM§ionNum=8533.­ (updated Jul. 10, 2023; accessed Sep. 21, 2026).

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Verified:
Sep. 21, 2026

§ 8533's source at ca​.gov