No, you do not need to be married to adopt a child, although you will need to check with an adoption professional if you are adopting internationally. Some countries will not let you adopt a child if you are single. Even fewer countries will allow a single male to adopt a child from their country. If you are interested in adopting from foster care or are pursuing a domestic infant adoption, you can adopt from as a single person. Additionally, if you are not legally wed to your partner, but are still hoping to adopt with them, most states will only allow one person to adopt the child since you are not a legal entity with your partner.