Child Support in Hardin County

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 11, 2026

Hardin County, Ohio · Kenton

Hardin County child support is calculated under Ohio's 2024 Income Shares model and administered with the Hardin County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA), 175 W. Franklin St., Suite 200, Kenton, (419) 674-2269. Support is set inside a divorce or dissolution for married parents, or alongside parentage on the juvenile track for never-married parents — all in the same Domestic Relations Division.

How do I get or change child support in Hardin County, Ohio?

Married or divorcing parents set support inside the Domestic Relations divorce or dissolution using the Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet; never-married parents set it on the juvenile track alongside parentage and custody (a $300 complaint deposit under Juv Rule 28), or by opening a case with the Hardin County CSEA, (419) 674-2269. To change an existing order, request a CSEA administrative review or file a Motion for Change of Child Support (Ohio SC Form 28) on a substantial change — often a 10% or greater change in the guideline amount (R.C. 3119.79). The CSEA enforces orders through wage withholding, license suspension, tax intercept, and contempt referrals.

Ohio Child Support by the Numbers

2024 Year Ohio's updated Income Shares support schedule took effect Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.021
10% Change in the calculated amount that justifies a modification Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.79
3 years How often either parent can request an administrative review Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.60
Age 18 When support normally ends — or high-school graduation, whichever is later Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.86

What Counts in an Ohio Child Support Calculation

What the worksheet counts	Counts toward support?	Notes
Both parents' gross income	Yes	Wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, and self-employment earnings
Health insurance for the children	Yes	Credited to the parent who pays the premium
Work-related childcare	Yes	Daycare and after-school costs are added in
Parenting time	Yes	Adjustments apply for substantial or equal parenting time
Imputed income	Sometimes	Added when a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed
A new spouse's income	No	Only the two parents' incomes are counted

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

One Courthouse Square, Suite 210, Kenton, OH 43326
Phone: (419) 674-2233
Hours: Monday–Friday (confirm current hours with the Clerk)
Website: hardincountyjuvenilecourt.com/

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Hardin County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division (juvenile, parentage & never-married matters)
One Courthouse Square, Suite 210, Kenton, OH 43326
Phone: (419) 674-2233
Hours: Monday–Friday (confirm current hours with the Clerk)

Child Support is the right path if…

You need a first child-support order, or a change to an existing one.
Your income, the other parent's income, parenting time, or health-coverage costs have changed.
The guideline amount would change by about 10% or more.
You need the CSEA to enforce an order through wage withholding or other tools.

Filing Fees

Support set inside a divorce/dissolution is part of that case deposit · never-married support on the juvenile track is a $300 complaint deposit (Juv Rule 28) or via the CSEA · post-judgment juvenile motion $150 · confirm current amounts with the Clerk (419) 674-2278 or the CSEA (419) 674-2269

Forms & Filing Packets

Establish support (never-married parents) — $300 juvenile complaint deposit (Juv Rule 28)

Set support on the juvenile track alongside parentage and custody, or open a CSEA case. File the Parenting Proceeding (UCCJEA) affidavit, the Health Insurance affidavit, the IV-D Application, and the Ohio child-support worksheet. The juvenile complaint deposit is $300 (Juv Rule 28).

Parenting Proceeding / UCCJEA Affidavit (Hardin County) — Required in any case involving minor children. Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years and with whom, confirming Ohio's UCCJEA jurisdiction over custody (R.C. 3127.23).
Health Insurance Affidavit (Hardin County) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer, so the court can order medical support. Required in cases with children.
IV-D Child Support Application (Hardin County) — Opens a child-support case with the Hardin County CSEA so support is collected by automatic wage withholding and enforced. Required whenever a child-support order is set in a case with children.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign. Required any time you ask the court to set or change support.

Modify an existing order

Request a CSEA administrative review or file a Motion for Change of Child Support (Form 28) with an updated worksheet in the Domestic Relations Division. A substantial change — often 10%+ — is required (R.C. 3119.79).

Motion for Change of Child Support (Ohio SC Form 28) — The Ohio uniform motion to change child support, medical support, or the tax exemption after a change of circumstances. File in the division that issued the order.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign. Required any time you ask the court to set or change support.
Health Insurance Affidavit (Hardin County) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer, so the court can order medical support. Required in cases with children.

Set support inside a divorce or dissolution (married parents)

For married/divorcing parents, support is set inside the Domestic Relations case using the Ohio child-support worksheet and the Health Insurance affidavit — there is no separate support case.

Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign. Required any time the court sets or changes support.
Health Insurance Affidavit (Hardin County) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer, so the court can order medical support. Required in cases with children.

How to File Child Support in Hardin County

Pick the route. Married/divorcing parents set support inside the divorce or dissolution; never-married parents use the juvenile track or the Hardin County CSEA, (419) 674-2269.
Run the Ohio worksheet. Use the official Ohio Child Support Calculator (2024 Income Shares), print, and sign — required any time support is set or changed.
File or apply. File the support paperwork in the Domestic Relations Division through the Clerk, or open a CSEA case for an administrative establishment or review.
Enforce if needed. If the other parent falls behind, the CSEA can enforce through wage withholding, license suspension, tax intercept, and contempt referrals.

Hardin County Practice Notes

Support handled through the Hardin County CSEA. Child support is established, reviewed, and enforced through the Hardin County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA), 175 W. Franklin St., Suite 200, Kenton, (419) 674-2269. Open a IV-D case so support is collected by automatic wage withholding; the CSEA can order genetic testing, set support administratively, and enforce orders through license suspension, tax intercept, credit reporting, and contempt referrals.
Juvenile / parentage deposits (Juv Rule 28). Never-married parentage, custody, and non-parent custody cases follow the juvenile fee schedule, not the divorce schedule: a complaint is $300, a post-judgment motion is $150, and a motion needing a Guardian ad Litem is $350 (which includes the $250 GAL deposit). Add $25 for each additional defendant; service by publication is $175. An Affidavit of Indigency can waive prepayment.
Hardin uses the Ohio Uniform DR forms (GD Rule 35). GD Rule 35 directs Hardin County filers to the Ohio Supreme Court Uniform Domestic Relations / Juvenile standardized forms for the complaint/petition, separation agreement, parenting plan, decree, and child-support worksheet. Hardin also posts its own fill-in affidavits (Income & Expenses, Property, Parenting Proceeding/UCCJEA, Health Insurance), a Case Designation Sheet, and an IV-D Application on the Clerk site.
One Domestic Relations Division hears it all. Hardin County has a single Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division (Judge Maria Santo; division created 1/1/2023 under R.C. 2301.03(FF)(1)) at One Courthouse Square, Suite 210, Kenton, (419) 674-2233. The same division hears divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment AND parentage, never-married custody, and civil protection orders — there is no separate juvenile court. Only adoptions and guardianships go to the separate Probate Court (Judge Steve Christopher).

Frequently Asked Questions

How is child support paid and enforced in Hardin County?: Child support is set under the Ohio guidelines (2024 Income Shares, R.C. Chapter 3119) and administered with the Hardin County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA), 175 W. Franklin St., Suite 200, Kenton, (419) 674-2269. Open a IV-D case so support is collected by automatic wage withholding; the CSEA can order genetic testing, review orders, and enforce through license suspension, tax intercept, credit reporting, and contempt referrals.
Do married and unmarried parents file in different courts in Hardin County?: No — the same Domestic Relations Division hears both. If you are or were married to the other parent, custody, parenting time, and child support are decided inside your divorce or dissolution (GD Rule 3 deposits). If you were never married, parentage and custody are filed as a juvenile-track case in the same Domestic Relations Division under the Juv Rule 28 fee schedule (a $300 complaint deposit). Grandparent and other non-parent custody requests are also filed on the juvenile track.
What does it cost to file a custody or parentage case for never-married parents in Hardin County?: Never-married parentage and custody cases follow the juvenile fee schedule (Juv Rule 28), not the divorce schedule: the complaint deposit is $300, a post-judgment motion is $150, and a motion that needs a Guardian ad Litem is $350 (which includes the $250 GAL deposit). Add $25 for each additional defendant, and service by publication is $175. An Affidavit of Indigency can waive prepayment. Confirm current amounts with the Clerk at (419) 674-2278.
Which court handles divorce, custody, and support in Hardin County?: One court hears all of it: the Court of Common Pleas, Hardin County, Domestic Relations Division, One Courthouse Square, Suite 210, Kenton, (419) 674-2233 (Judge Maria Santo). The same Domestic Relations Division hears divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment for married spouses AND parentage, never-married custody, and civil protection orders — there is no separate juvenile court in Hardin County. Only adoptions and guardianships go to the separate Probate Court (Judge Steve Christopher). Petitions are filed through the Clerk of Courts, Suite 310, (419) 674-2278.

Free Local Resources in Hardin County

Hardin County Clerk of Courts (record custodian). One Courthouse Square, Suite 310 (3rd floor), Kenton, OH 43326; (419) 674-2278 (fax (419) 674-2273). The Clerk is the record custodian for Common Pleas filings, posts local forms at https://www.hardincourts.com/CLSite/forms.php, and confirms current deposits and copy counts. E-filing is available through https://efile.henschen.com/; fax filings to (419) 674-2273 must be 10 pages or fewer with a compliant cover page. Court costs can be paid online at https://www.hardincourts.com/CLSite/payment.php.
Hardin County Court of Common Pleas — Domestic Relations Division. One Courthouse Square, Suite 210 (2nd floor), Kenton, OH 43326; (419) 674-2233 (https://hardincountyjuvenilecourt.com/). Created January 1, 2023 (R.C. 2301.03(FF)(1)) and led by Judge Maria Santo, this single Domestic Relations Division hears divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment AND juvenile, parentage, never-married custody, and civil protection-order cases — there is no separate Juvenile Court in Hardin County.
Hardin County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). 175 W. Franklin St., Suite 200, Kenton, OH 43326; (419) 674-2269. The county IV-D agency establishes, modifies, collects, and enforces child support. Open a IV-D case to set up automatic wage withholding and enforcement.
Hardin County Job & Family Services — Children Services Agency. (419) 675-1130 (after hours (419) 673-1268; or (800) 442-7346). The county children-services agency investigates child abuse, neglect, and dependency. For an emergency call 911; the statewide child-abuse hotline is 855-642-4453 (855-OH-CHILD).
Successful Co-Parenting (parenting-education class). Hardin County's required parenting/co-parenting education is provided through OSU Extension's "Successful Co-Parenting" program — $30 per participant, offered in person and/or online. Registration is required; call (419) 674-2297 for current Hardin County dates before relying on it for a specific case.
Hardin County Probate Court (adoption & guardianship). One Courthouse Square, Suite 200, Kenton, OH 43326; (419) 674-2230. The separate Probate Court — not the Domestic Relations Division — handles stepparent and kinship adoptions ($200, plus $100 for publication if required) and guardianships; the Probate Court requires that you have an attorney for an adoption. It does not handle divorce or custody.
Legal Aid of Western Ohio. (888) 534-1432. Free civil legal help for income-eligible Hardin County residents, including some family-law matters. The Ohio Supreme Court also posts statewide self-help forms for self-represented litigants.

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.

Related guides

In-depth, attorney-written guides on child support and related Ohio family law topics.

Child Support Calculation in Ohio: How the Formula Works — Ohio calculates child support with the income shares model, combining both parents' incomes to set a shared obligation. Here's how the formula works and what changes the bottom line.
How to Modify Child Support in Ohio — Child support orders aren't permanent. When income or circumstances change substantially, Ohio lets you modify support — through a CSEA review or a court motion. Here's how.

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.
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Call (844) 694-2885 or email support@gavvl.com.