Safe Haven Laws by State 2024

Safe Haven laws, also known as Baby Safe Haven laws or Safe Surrender laws, were first introduced in Texas in 1999. These laws enable a person, usually a parent, to anonymously and legally surrender their newborn baby at designated locations, typically within a specified time frame after birth, without fear of prosecution for abandonment. The goal of Safe Haven laws is to prevent infant deaths by providing a safe and confidential alternative for parents who are unable or unwilling to care for their newborns.

Each state in the U.S. has its own variation of Safe Haven laws, specifying the age limit of the infant, the allowable surrender locations, and other relevant details. The table below provides an overview of Safe Haven laws by state, including the maximum age of the infant allowed for surrender and the designated surrender locations.

Among the states with notable Safe Haven laws is South Dakota, which allows infants to be surrendered up to 59 days old. Similarly, Kansas permits surrenders of infants up to 45 days old, while California, Arizona, and Hawaii have a 72-hour time frame for surrender after birth.

It's important to note that Safe Haven laws aim to protect both the infant and the parent or guardian, offering a solution that prioritizes the welfare of the child above all else. By understanding the provisions of Safe Haven laws in their respective states, individuals can help ensure that newborns have the opportunity for a safe and healthy start in life.

State	Max Age (days)	Details	Who Can Relinquish	Locations to Relinquish
North Dakota	364	Under 1 year	Parent or their designated person	Any hospital
New Mexico	90	90 days or younger	Anyone	Hospital staff
Utah	72	72 hours or younger	Parent or their designated person	A 24/7 hospital
Louisiana	60	60 days or younger	Parent	1.) Hospital 2.) Public health unit 3.) EMS provider 4.) Medical clinic 5.) Police station 6.) Fire station 7.) Crisis pregnancy center 8.) Child advocacy center 9.) Call 911 and relinquish to EMS responder at a location of choice
South Carolina	60	60 days or younger	Anyone	1.) Hospital 2.) Hospital out-patient facility 3.) Law enforcement agency 4.) Fire station 5.) EMS station 6.) Staffed house of worship
Texas	60	60 days old or younger	Parent	1.) Hospital 2.) Fire station 3.) Emergency medical services (EMS) station
South Dakota	59	Less than 60 days	Parent	1.) Hospitals or clinics 2.) Emergency medical services provider (EMT) 3.) Licensed child placement agency 4.) Law enforcement officers 5.) Any department of social services office 6.) A firefighter
Kansas	45	45 days or younger	Parent or a person with lawful custody	An on-duty employee at: 1.) Police station 2.) Sheriff’s office 3.) Law enforcement center 4.) Fire station 5.) City or county health department 6.) Medical care facility
Missouri	45	45 days or younger	Parent	Any staff member or volunteer at: 1.) Any hospital 2.) Maternity home 3.) Pregnancy resource center 4.) Firefighter 5.) EMT 6.) Law enforcement officer
Maine	31	31 days or younger	Anyone	1.) A law enforcement officer 2.) Staff at a medical emergency room 3.) A medical services provider, including, but not limited to, a physician, nurse, podiatrist, optometrist, chiropractor, physical therapist, dentist, psychologist, physician’s assistant, emergency medical services person 4.) A hospital staff member
Arkansas	30	30 days or younger	Parent or person with parental permission	1.) Emergency room 2.) Sheriff or police locations 3.) Manned fire stations 4.) Baby boxes (8 locations)
Connecticut	30	30 days or younger	Parent or “lawful agent” of the parent	Nursing staff at a hospital emergency room
Idaho	30	30 days or younger	Parent	1.) Licensed hospitals 2.) Licensed physicians and staff working at offices and clinics 3.) Advanced practice professional nurses 4.) Licensed physician’s assistants 5.) First responders, EMTs, and paramedics
Illinois	30	30 days or younger	Parent	1.) Hospital 2.) Police stations (including campus police) 3.) Fire station 4.) Emergency medical facility
Indiana	30	30 days or younger	Parent or parentally designated person	1.) Emergency medical services providers 2.) Baby Boxes (71 locations)
Iowa	30	30 days or younger	Parent or parentally designated person	An “institutional health facility” meaning a hospital, ER, or health care facility that is open 24/7, or a first responder responding to a 911 call
Montana	30	30 days or younger	Parent	1.) Fire station 2.) Hospital 3.) Law enforcement agency 4.) Prison or jail
Nebraska	30	30 days or younger	Anyone	An on-duty employee at a licensed hospital
Nevada	30	30 days or younger	Parent	1.) A hospital, an obstetric center, or an independent center for emergency medical care 2.) A fire department 3.) A law enforcement agency
New Jersey	30	30 days or younger	Parent or their designated person	1.) Police station 2.) 24/7 staffed fire station or volunteer fire station 3.) Public or private “ambulance, first aid, or rescue squad” that is staffed 24/7 4.) ER at licensed hospital
New York	30	30 days or younger	Parent	“The child may be left with an appropriate person at a suitable location.” Examples of suitable locations include a hospital, fire station, or police department.
Oregon	30	30 days or younger	Parent	1.) Hospital 2.) Birthing clinics 3.) Physician’s office 4.) Sheriff’s office 5.) Police station 6.) Fire station
Rhode Island	30	30 days or younger	Parent	1.) Hospital 2.) Open medical emergency facility 3.) Police station 4.) Fire station
Vermont	30	Up to 30 days	Parent or their designated person	1.) A health care facility 2.) Fire station 3.) Police station 4.) Place of worship 5.) An adoption agency licensed in Vermont 6.) “A 911 emergency responder at a location where the responder and the person have agreed to transfer the child”
West Virginia	30	Not older than 30 days	Parent	1.) Hospital 2.) Health care facility
Kentucky	29	Younger than 30 days	Anyone	1.) Hospitals 2.) EMS providers 3.) Staffed police stations 4.) Staffed fire stations 5.) Participating places of worship 6.) Baby Boxes (4 locations)
Ohio	29	Younger than 30 days	Parent	1.) A medical worker in a hospital 2.) A medical worker at a fire department or another emergency service location 3.) A peace officer at a law enforcement agency 4.) Baby Boxes ( 4 locations)
Pennsylvania	28	Up to 28 days	Parent	1.) A hospital 2.) A police officer at a police station 3.) An emergency services provider at an EMS station
Alaska	21	Younger than 21 days	Parent	1.) Peace officers 2.) Firefighters 3.) Emergency medical service providers 4.) Doctors, nurses, and health aides 5.) Any person the parent reasonably believes would keep the infant safe and provide appropriate care.
Delaware	14	14 days or younger	Parent	Directly to a staff member or volunteer inside a Delaware hospital ER
Tennessee	14	Within 2 weeks of birth	Mother only	1.) Hospital 2.) Birthing center 3.) Community health department 4.) Outpatient walk-in clinic 5.) 24/7 staffed fire department 6.) 24/7 staffed police department 7.) 24/7 staffed EMS facility
Virginia	14	14 days or younger	Parent	1.) Hospital with 24/7 emergency services 2.) An Emergency medical services agency that is staffed
Wyoming	14	Not older than 14 days	Parent or their designated person	24/7 staffed, full-time: 1.) Hospital 2.) Fire station 3.) Police department 4.) Sheriff’s office 5.) “Any other place of shelter and safety identified by the Department of Family Services
Maryland	10	10 days or younger	Mother or her designated person	1.) A responsible adult 2.) Hospital 3.) Facility designated by regulation
Florida	7	7 days or younger	Parent	1.) A staffed hospital 2.) EMS station 3.) Fire station
Georgia	7	7 days or younger	Mother only	Physical relinquishment to an on-duty staff member or volunteer of a medical facility (*excludes dentist’s and doctor’s offices)
Massachusetts	7	7 days or younger	Parent	1.) Hospital 2.) Police department 3.) Staffed fire station
Minnesota	7	7 days or younger	Mother or her designated person	1.) Licensed hospital 2.) Urgent care 3.) A licensed ambulance service reached at 911 by the mother or a person designated by the mother
New Hampshire	7	7 days or younger	Parent	1.) Hospital 2.) Church with staff present 3.) Police station with staff present 4.) Fire station with staff present 5.) A 911 responder at agreed transfer location
Oklahoma	7	7 days or younger	Parent	1.) A medical provider An employee at: 2.) Police station 3.) Fire station 4.) Child protective services agency 5.) Another medical facility
North Carolina	6	Younger than 7 days	Parent	1.) A health care provider at a hospital 2.) A law enforcement officer who is on duty or at a police station or sheriff’s department 3.) A social services worker who is on duty or at a local department of social services 4.) A certified emergency medical service worker who is on duty or at a fire or emergency medical services station
Alabama	3	72 hours or younger	Parent	A hospital with an ER
Arizona	3	72 hours or younger	Parent or their designated "agent"	1.) On-duty firefighter 2.) On-duty EMT 3.) Medical staff member at rural general or general hospital on duty 4.) A staff member or volunteer at an organization including a licensed private child welfare agency, a licensed adoption agency, or a church, that publicly posts notice that it accepts infants under Safe Haven laws 5.) Baby drawers (6 locations)
California	3	72 hours or younger	Parent or person with lawful custody	1.) All hospitals, public or private 2.) Designated fire stations 3.) Organizations and agencies with approval
Colorado	3	72 hours or younger	Parent	1.) A firefighter at a fire station 2.) A hospital staff member who is at a hospital, and works in admission, care, or treatment of patients
Hawaii	3	72 hours or younger	Anyone	1.) Hospital 2.) Police station 3.) Fire station 4.) Emergency services provider
Michigan	3	72 hours or younger	Parent	A uniformed employee at: 1.) Police station 2.) Fire department 3.) Hospital 4.) A paramedic or EMT responding to a 911 call
Mississippi	3	72 hours or younger	Parent	1.) A licensed hospital with an ER 2.) A licensed adoption agency
Washington	3	Up to 72 hours	Parent	1.) A hospital emergency room 2.) A fire station during hours of operation 3.) A federally designated rural health clinic during hours of operation
Wisconsin	3	72 hours or younger	Parent	1.) Hospital 2.) Police station 3.) Fire station 4.) Sheriff’s office 5.) “Any other place where a law enforcement officer, EMT, or hospital staff member is located.”

State

Max Age (days)

Details

Who Can Relinquish

Locations to Relinquish

North Dakota

364

Under 1 year

Parent or their designated person

Any hospital

New Mexico

90 days or younger

Anyone

Hospital staff

Utah

72 hours or younger

Parent or their designated person

A 24/7 hospital

Louisiana

60 days or younger

Parent

1.) Hospital 2.) Public health unit 3.) EMS provider 4.) Medical clinic 5.) Police station 6.) Fire station 7.) Crisis pregnancy center 8.) Child advocacy center 9.) Call 911 and relinquish to EMS responder at a location of choice

South Carolina

60 days or younger

Anyone

1.) Hospital 2.) Hospital out-patient facility 3.) Law enforcement agency 4.) Fire station 5.) EMS station 6.) Staffed house of worship

Texas

60 days old or younger

Parent

1.) Hospital 2.) Fire station 3.) Emergency medical services (EMS) station

South Dakota

Less than 60 days

Parent

1.) Hospitals or clinics 2.) Emergency medical services provider (EMT) 3.) Licensed child placement agency 4.) Law enforcement officers 5.) Any department of social services office 6.) A firefighter

Kansas

45 days or younger

Parent or a person with lawful custody

An on-duty employee at: 1.) Police station 2.) Sheriff’s office 3.) Law enforcement center 4.) Fire station 5.) City or county health department 6.) Medical care facility

Missouri

45 days or younger

Parent

Any staff member or volunteer at: 1.) Any hospital 2.) Maternity home 3.) Pregnancy resource center 4.) Firefighter 5.) EMT 6.) Law enforcement officer

Maine

31 days or younger

Anyone

1.) A law enforcement officer 2.) Staff at a medical emergency room 3.) A medical services provider, including, but not limited to, a physician, nurse, podiatrist, optometrist, chiropractor, physical therapist, dentist, psychologist, physician’s assistant, emergency medical services person 4.) A hospital staff member

Arkansas

30 days or younger

Parent or person with parental permission

1.) Emergency room 2.) Sheriff or police locations 3.) Manned fire stations 4.) Baby boxes (8 locations)

Connecticut

30 days or younger

Parent or “lawful agent” of the parent

Nursing staff at a hospital emergency room

Idaho

30 days or younger

Parent

1.) Licensed hospitals 2.) Licensed physicians and staff working at offices and clinics 3.) Advanced practice professional nurses 4.) Licensed physician’s assistants 5.) First responders, EMTs, and paramedics

Illinois

30 days or younger

Parent

1.) Hospital 2.) Police stations (including campus police) 3.) Fire station 4.) Emergency medical facility

Indiana

30 days or younger

Parent or parentally designated person

1.) Emergency medical services providers 2.) Baby Boxes (71 locations)

Iowa

30 days or younger

Parent or parentally designated person

An “institutional health facility” meaning a hospital, ER, or health care facility that is open 24/7, or a first responder responding to a 911 call

Montana

30 days or younger

Parent

1.) Fire station 2.) Hospital 3.) Law enforcement agency 4.) Prison or jail

Nebraska

30 days or younger

Anyone

An on-duty employee at a licensed hospital

Nevada

30 days or younger

Parent

1.) A hospital, an obstetric center, or an independent center for emergency medical care 2.) A fire department 3.) A law enforcement agency

New Jersey

30 days or younger

Parent or their designated person

1.) Police station 2.) 24/7 staffed fire station or volunteer fire station 3.) Public or private “ambulance, first aid, or rescue squad” that is staffed 24/7 4.) ER at licensed hospital

New York

30 days or younger

Parent

“The child may be left with an appropriate person at a suitable location.” Examples of suitable locations include a hospital, fire station, or police department.

Oregon

30 days or younger

Parent

1.) Hospital 2.) Birthing clinics 3.) Physician’s office 4.) Sheriff’s office 5.) Police station 6.) Fire station

Rhode Island

30 days or younger

Parent

1.) Hospital 2.) Open medical emergency facility 3.) Police station 4.) Fire station

Vermont

Up to 30 days

Parent or their designated person

1.) A health care facility 2.) Fire station 3.) Police station 4.) Place of worship 5.) An adoption agency licensed in Vermont 6.) “A 911 emergency responder at a location where the responder and the person have agreed to transfer the child”

West Virginia

Not older than 30 days

Parent

1.) Hospital 2.) Health care facility

Kentucky

Younger than 30 days

Anyone

1.) Hospitals 2.) EMS providers 3.) Staffed police stations 4.) Staffed fire stations 5.) Participating places of worship 6.) Baby Boxes (4 locations)

Ohio

Younger than 30 days

Parent

1.) A medical worker in a hospital 2.) A medical worker at a fire department or another emergency service location 3.) A peace officer at a law enforcement agency 4.) Baby Boxes ( 4 locations)

Pennsylvania

Up to 28 days

Parent

1.) A hospital 2.) A police officer at a police station 3.) An emergency services provider at an EMS station

Alaska

Younger than 21 days

Parent

1.) Peace officers 2.) Firefighters 3.) Emergency medical service providers 4.) Doctors, nurses, and health aides 5.) Any person the parent reasonably believes would keep the infant safe and provide appropriate care.

Delaware

14 days or younger

Parent

Directly to a staff member or volunteer inside a Delaware hospital ER

Tennessee

Within 2 weeks of birth

Mother only

1.) Hospital 2.) Birthing center 3.) Community health department 4.) Outpatient walk-in clinic 5.) 24/7 staffed fire department 6.) 24/7 staffed police department 7.) 24/7 staffed EMS facility

Virginia

14 days or younger

Parent

1.) Hospital with 24/7 emergency services 2.) An Emergency medical services agency that is staffed

Wyoming

Not older than 14 days

Parent or their designated person

24/7 staffed, full-time: 1.) Hospital 2.) Fire station 3.) Police department 4.) Sheriff’s office 5.) “Any other place of shelter and safety identified by the Department of Family Services

Maryland

10 days or younger

Mother or her designated person

1.) A responsible adult 2.) Hospital 3.) Facility designated by regulation

Florida

7 days or younger

Parent

1.) A staffed hospital 2.) EMS station 3.) Fire station

Georgia

7 days or younger

Mother only

Physical relinquishment to an on-duty staff member or volunteer of a medical facility (*excludes dentist’s and doctor’s offices)

Massachusetts

7 days or younger

Parent

1.) Hospital 2.) Police department 3.) Staffed fire station

Minnesota

7 days or younger

Mother or her designated person

1.) Licensed hospital 2.) Urgent care 3.) A licensed ambulance service reached at 911 by the mother or a person designated by the mother

New Hampshire

7 days or younger

Parent

1.) Hospital 2.) Church with staff present 3.) Police station with staff present 4.) Fire station with staff present 5.) A 911 responder at agreed transfer location

Oklahoma

7 days or younger

Parent

1.) A medical provider An employee at: 2.) Police station 3.) Fire station 4.) Child protective services agency 5.) Another medical facility

North Carolina

Younger than 7 days

Parent

1.) A health care provider at a hospital 2.) A law enforcement officer who is on duty or at a police station or sheriff’s department 3.) A social services worker who is on duty or at a local department of social services 4.) A certified emergency medical service worker who is on duty or at a fire or emergency medical services station

Alabama

72 hours or younger

Parent

A hospital with an ER

Arizona

72 hours or younger

Parent or their designated "agent"

1.) On-duty firefighter 2.) On-duty EMT 3.) Medical staff member at rural general or general hospital on duty 4.) A staff member or volunteer at an organization including a licensed private child welfare agency, a licensed adoption agency, or a church, that publicly posts notice that it accepts infants under Safe Haven laws 5.) Baby drawers (6 locations)

California

72 hours or younger

Parent or person with lawful custody

1.) All hospitals, public or private 2.) Designated fire stations 3.) Organizations and agencies with approval

Colorado

72 hours or younger

Parent

1.) A firefighter at a fire station 2.) A hospital staff member who is at a hospital, and works in admission, care, or treatment of patients

Hawaii

72 hours or younger

Anyone

1.) Hospital 2.) Police station 3.) Fire station 4.) Emergency services provider

Michigan

72 hours or younger

Parent

A uniformed employee at: 1.) Police station 2.) Fire department 3.) Hospital 4.) A paramedic or EMT responding to a 911 call

Mississippi

72 hours or younger

Parent

1.) A licensed hospital with an ER 2.) A licensed adoption agency

Washington

Up to 72 hours

Parent

1.) A hospital emergency room 2.) A fire station during hours of operation 3.) A federally designated rural health clinic during hours of operation

Wisconsin

72 hours or younger

Parent

1.) Hospital 2.) Police station 3.) Fire station 4.) Sheriff’s office 5.) “Any other place where a law enforcement officer, EMT, or hospital staff member is located.”