The Pennsylvania Certificate of Adoption is an official document issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services that serves as proof of an adoption. It includes information about the adoptive parents, the adopted child, and the court order authorizing the adoption. Upon issuance, the Certificate of Adoption serves as the child's birth certificate and legal proof of the adoption. There are two types of Pennsylvania Certificates of Adoption: the Standard Certificate of Adoption and the Special Certificate of Adoption. The Standard Certificate is typically used for domestic adoptions, and includes the adoptive parents' names and signatures, the adopted child's name, date of birth, and gender, and the court order authorizing the adoption. The Special Certificate is typically used for international adoptions, and includes more detailed information about the adoptive parents, adopted child, and court order.