Child Support in Franklin County

Franklin County, Ohio · Columbus

Child support in Ohio is calculated under the 2024 Income Shares Model. In Franklin County, support is set by the court (DR or Juvenile) and enforced administratively by the Franklin County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) at (614) 525-3275. CSEA collects by wage withholding and can review for modification every 36 months — or earlier on a 10%+ change.

How does child support work in Franklin County, Ohio?

A new child-support order is established by filing in Franklin County DR (if married/divorcing) or the Juvenile Branch at 399 South Front Street (if never married). The court uses the Ohio 2024 Income Shares Computation Worksheet. Once entered, support is collected and distributed by Franklin County CSEA at (614) 525-3275 through wage withholding. To modify, request a CSEA administrative review (no charge, every 36 months or earlier on a 10%+ income change) or file a motion with the court.

Where to File: Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations

373 South High Street, 4th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215, Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 525-3922
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Website: drj.fccourts.org
e-Filing: https://efiling.franklincountyohio.gov/

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Franklin County Court of Common Pleas — Juvenile Branch
399 South Front Street, Columbus, OH 43215, Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 525-3902
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Child Support is the right path if…

You need a new child-support order set, or an existing order modified or enforced.
Your income has changed by 10% or more since the last support calculation.
The other parent is not paying as ordered and you need wage withholding or contempt enforcement.
You need health-insurance coverage allocated for the children.

Filing Fees

CSEA administrative reviews: free · Court motions: ~$100-$150 Juvenile filing fee · Wage withholding: automatic once entered

Forms & Filing Packets

New support order — Domestic Relations (married/divorcing)

Filed inside your divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment in DR.

Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet — Run the official Ohio 2024 Income Shares calculator, print, and sign. Required any time you're asking the court to set support.
Health Insurance Affidavit — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer.
IV-D Application for Child Support Services — Opens your case with Franklin County CSEA so support can be collected, tracked, and enforced through wage withholding.

New support order — Juvenile (never-married)

Filed at the Franklin County Juvenile Branch, typically alongside a paternity or custody complaint.

Motion / Complaint for Child Support (Juvenile) — Asks the Franklin Juvenile Branch to set a child-support order under the Ohio 2024 Income Shares Model. Often filed jointly with a paternity or custody complaint.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet — Run the official Ohio 2024 Income Shares calculator, print, and sign. Required any time you're asking the court to set support.
Health Insurance Affidavit — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer.
IV-D Application for Child Support Services — Opens your case with Franklin County CSEA so support can be collected, tracked, and enforced through wage withholding.
Copy of your driver's license or state ID — Front and back. If e-filing, upload as PDF with your packet.

Modify an existing support order

Request a CSEA administrative review at (614) 525-3275 (free, every 36 months or on a 10%+ income change), or file a motion to modify in the court that issued the order.

Motion to Modify Allocation of Parental Rights / Parenting Time / Support — Asks the court to change an existing order. Must show a change of circumstances since the last order and that modification is in the children's best interest (R.C. 3109.04(E)).
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet — Run the official Ohio 2024 Income Shares calculator, print, and sign. Required any time you're asking the court to set support.
Affidavit of Income and Expenses — Snapshot of gross income, take-home pay, and monthly household expenses. Required at filing.
Health Insurance Affidavit — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer.

Enforce an existing order (contempt)

If the other parent is in arrears, file a Motion to Show Cause / Contempt. CSEA also has administrative enforcement tools — license suspension, federal tax intercept, and credit reporting.

Motion to Show Cause / Contempt — Asks the court to enforce an existing parenting or support order against a party who is in violation. Possible penalties include fines, attorney fees, makeup parenting time, and jail.
Affidavit of Income and Expenses — Snapshot of gross income, take-home pay, and monthly household expenses. Required at filing.

How to File Child Support in Franklin County

Pick the right court. Married/divorcing parents file in DR. Never-married parents file in Juvenile Branch. Already have an order? File the modification in whichever court issued it.
Run the Ohio 2024 Income Shares worksheet. Use ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov. Include both parents' gross incomes, health insurance premiums, and work-related child care.
File the worksheet plus the IV-D Application. The IV-D Application opens your case with Franklin County CSEA so support can be collected by wage withholding.
Attend the hearing or CSEA administrative review. Magistrate or CSEA Hearing Officer will recommend an order. Either party can object within 14 days.
Enforce or modify as life changes. 10%+ income change triggers a modification right. CSEA's administrative tools include wage withholding, license suspension, tax intercept, and credit reporting.

Franklin County Practice Notes

Ohio Income Shares Model. Both parents' gross incomes go on the worksheet. The worksheet computes a basic monthly obligation based on combined income; the noncustodial parent's share is divided by their percentage of combined income. Health insurance, work-related child care, and prior orders for other children are factored in.
Deviations are allowed but justified. The court can deviate from the worksheet amount based on the R.C. 3119.23 factors (extraordinary medical, special needs, extended parenting time, etc.) — but must explain the deviation in writing.
Modification trigger: 10% or 36 months. CSEA will administratively review on request every 36 months, or earlier if a party shows a 10%+ change in the support obligation. Court-filed modifications use the same standard plus a change of circumstances.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the residency requirements to file in Franklin County?: For divorce, legal separation, or annulment, you or your spouse must have been an Ohio resident for at least 6 months immediately before filing, and a Franklin County resident for at least 90 days. For dissolution, only the 6-month Ohio residency applies — there is no separate Franklin County residency requirement. For juvenile-branch cases (paternity, never-married custody, child support), Ohio must be the children's 'home state' under the UCCJEA, which generally means the children have lived in Ohio for the last 6 months.
How much does it cost to file in Franklin County DR?: Approximate deposits: divorce or legal separation $300 without children / $350 with children; dissolution $250 without children / $300 with children; annulment $300/$350. Juvenile Branch filings (paternity, never-married custody, child support, modifications) are typically $100-$150. Confirm current amounts with the Clerk at 373 South High Street (DR) or 399 South Front Street (Juvenile) before filing.
How long does the case usually take?: Dissolution: 30-90 days from filing to the final hearing. Uncontested divorce or legal separation: 4-6 months. Contested divorce: 6-18 months depending on temporary-orders activity and the Magistrate's calendar. Paternity: 60-120 days if uncontested, longer if genetic testing or contested allocation is involved. Civil Protection Orders: ex parte order the same day; full hearing within 7-10 days; final order can last up to 5 years.
What does Franklin County CSEA do?: The Franklin County Child Support Enforcement Agency at (614) 525-3275 opens IV-D cases, runs the Ohio Income Shares calculation, collects support by wage withholding, distributes it to the receiving parent, and enforces orders (license suspension, contempt referrals, federal tax intercept). Filing an IV-D Application is standard whenever a child-support order is issued.
How do I know whether to file in DR or the Juvenile Branch?: If you are married to the other parent (or the parties were married when the children were born), custody, parenting time, and child support travel with the divorce / dissolution / legal separation / annulment in DR at 373 South High Street. If you were never married, paternity and custody go to the Juvenile Branch at 399 South Front Street. Grandparent / non-parent custody is always Juvenile. Civil Protection Orders against a current/former intimate partner or family member go to DR.
When can I modify a parenting or support order?: For custody / residential-parent designation under R.C. 3109.04(E), you must show a change of circumstances of the child or residential parent since the prior decree, and that modification is in the child's best interest, and that the harm of changing is outweighed by the benefits. For child support, you can request a CSEA administrative review every 36 months, or earlier on a 10%+ deviation. For parenting time, the bar is lower — best-interest only.
Will my case be heard by a Judge or a Magistrate?: Most pretrial conferences, temporary-orders motions, and even contested final hearings in Franklin DR are heard by a Magistrate. The Magistrate issues a Magistrate's Decision; either party then has 14 days to file Objections, which are decided by the assigned Judge. Civil Protection Order full hearings are heard directly by the assigned Judge.
Can I e-file in Franklin County?: Yes. Domestic Relations filings go through drj.fccourts.org/efiling — attorneys must e-file unless excepted, and self-represented parties may e-file or file in person at 373 South High Street. The Juvenile Branch at 399 South Front Street accepts in-person filings; some Juvenile filings can be submitted electronically — call (614) 525-3902 to confirm before filing.

Free Local Resources in Franklin County

Franklin County DR Self-Help Resource Center. 373 South High Street. Forms, computer terminals, limited procedural help. Cannot give legal advice. Mon–Fri during court hours.
Legal Aid Society of Columbus. (614) 241-2001. Income-qualified family law representation and advice clinics across central Ohio.
Columbus Bar Lawyer Referral Service. (614) 221-0754. Paid 30-minute consultation referrals to vetted Franklin County family-law attorneys.
Franklin County CSEA (Child Support Enforcement Agency). (614) 525-3275. Opens IV-D cases and collects/distributes child support through wage withholding.
Franklin County Juvenile Branch Help Center. 399 South Front Street. Procedural help for self-represented filers on never-married custody, paternity, and support cases.

Related to your child support case

Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
Post-Decree Modification — Update custody, support, or parenting orders after your case ends.
Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.

Keep exploring

Ohio Child Support guide — Statewide overview of child support in Ohio.
Columbus family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Columbus metro.
Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Family Law Attorney at Gavvl Law.
Payment plans & financing — Flat fees with Gavvl Direct, Affirm, Klarna, or PayPal Pay Later.

Call +1-844-694-2885 or email support@gavvl.com.