passive registry or waiver only

athough, technically, a waiver and a passive registry are not the same thing, for adoptees and birth parents hoping to reconnect, the result is exactly the same: both parties must come forward before the birth mother's identity is released to the adoptee.

as of January 1, 2008, fifteen states offered only a passive registry and/or a waiver
provision to adult adoptees and their birth parents.

Arkansas (waiver; counseling required for both adoptees and birth parents)  AD AP BP

California (waiver)  AD AP BP

Idaho  (waiver) AD

Iowa (waiver)  AD AP

Louisiana  AP (non-ID to AD via petition; passive registry for adoptees only with
mandatory counseling; waiver) 

Maryland (post 1947) AD

Massachusetts AD AP

New York (waiver) AD

Ohio  (waiver 1964-96)  AD AP

Rhode Island  (waiver) AD AP BP BS

South Carolina (waiver; counseling required for Registry)  AD AP BP

South Dakota  (waiver) AD AP

Texas (waiver; counseling required for Registry)  AD AP

Utah (waiver)  AD AP BP BS

West Virginia (counseling required for Registry) AD AP BP

states which offer a mutual consent registry are listed in color

states which provide non-identifying information to adoptees
are marked with the abbreviation AD

states which provide non-identifying information to adoptive parents
are marked with the abbreviation AP

states which provide non-identifying information to birth parents
are marked with the abbreviation BP 

states which provide non-identifying information to adoptees
are marked with the abbreviation states which provide non-identifying information to birth parents
are marked with the abbreviation AD

states which provide non-identifying information to adoptive parents
are marked with the abbreviation AP

states which provide non-identifying information to birth parents
are marked with the abbreviation BP