This study examines the position of the child adoption permit certificate from the head of the provincial social service department in the process of determining child adoption in court in the perspective of legal protection for children. This study aims to see the urgency of the adoption permit by analyzing the procedures for adopting children and the authority of the social service department in implementing child adoption in Indonesia, and analyzing the legal consequences that will occur from the absence of the child adoption permit from the head of the provincial social services department in the process of determining the adoption of children in court. This research is the normative legal research. The results of the study explain that the procedure for adopting children among Indonesian citizens has been explicitly regulated in Government Regulation Number 54 of 2007 concerning the Implementation of Child Adoption and Minister of Social Affairs Regulation Number 110/HUK/2009 concerning Child Adoption Requirements. The social service department has the authority to carry out guidance, permission and supervision of the implementation of child adoption in Indonesia. The absence of the child adoption permit certificate in the process of determining the adoption of a child can cause the application for adoption that is submitted to the court to be rejected by the judge. and the social service department cannot carry out its duties and obligations to supervise the fulfillment of the rights of adopted children during the fostering period of their adoptive parents after a court decision.