Child Support in Licking County
Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 17, 2026
Licking County, Ohio · Newark
Child support in Licking County is calculated with Ohio's 2024 Income Shares worksheet and administered by the Licking County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA), 65 E. Main Street, Newark. Support is part of every divorce, dissolution, and parentage case; it can also be opened or enforced through a IV-D application with CSEA, which collects by wage withholding and enforces the order.
How do I set up or change child support in Licking County, Ohio?
Child support is calculated with the Ohio 2024 Income Shares worksheet and is part of any divorce, dissolution, or parentage case in the Domestic Relations Court. To open or enforce a standalone case, file a IV-D Application with the Licking County CSEA, 65 E. Main Street, Newark, (740) 670-5998 — CSEA collects support by wage withholding and can enforce it. To change an existing order, file a Motion for Change of Child Support (Ohio SC Form 28) in the court that issued it (or ask CSEA for an administrative review); modification generally requires a substantial change, often a 10%+ change in the guideline amount.
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: Licking County Domestic Relations Court
75 East Main Street, Newark, OH 43055Phone: (740) 670-5400
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–Noon and 1:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m.
Website: lickingcounty.gov/depts/domestic/default.htm
e-Filing: https://efileoh.tylertech.cloud/OfsEfsp/ui/landing
Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)
Licking County Probate & Juvenile Court
1 North Park Place, Newark, OH 43055
Phone: (740) 670-5624
Hours: Monday–Friday (call the court to confirm current hours)
Child Support is the right path if…
- You need a new child-support order set as part of a divorce, dissolution, or parentage case.
- You want CSEA to collect support by wage withholding and enforce the order.
- Your income or the other parent's income has changed substantially since the last order (often 10%+).
- You need medical/health-insurance support addressed alongside the cash support order.
Filing Fees
There is no separate fee to apply for CSEA IV-D services. Support set inside a divorce/dissolution/parentage case follows that case's deposit. To modify: a Domestic Relations post-decree motion is $200; a Juvenile Motion for Further Hearing is $50. Confirm current amounts with the Licking County Clerk of Courts at (740) 670-5400 before filing.
Forms & Filing Packets
Establish support / open a CSEA case — No separate CSEA application fee; support set inside a case follows that case's deposit — confirm with CSEA at (740) 670-5998
Used when there is no order yet. Support is set inside a divorce, dissolution, or parentage case, or opened through a IV-D application with the Licking County CSEA.
- IV-D Application for Child Support Services (Licking County CSEA) — Opens a IV-D child-support case with the Licking County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA), 65 E. Main Street, Newark, (740) 670-5998. CSEA collects support by wage withholding and enforces the order; it does not represent either parent.
- 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 (Ohio SC Affidavit 4) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer, so the court can order medical support.
Modify an existing support order — Domestic Relations post-decree motion: $200 · Juvenile Motion for Further Hearing: $50 — confirm with the Clerk
Used when income or circumstances have changed substantially. File in the court that issued the order, or request a CSEA administrative review.
- 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.
How to File Child Support in Licking County
- Run the Ohio 2024 Income Shares worksheet. Use the official Ohio Child Support Calculator to estimate the guideline amount before you file or request a review.
- Open or locate the case. If there is no order, file a IV-D Application with the Licking County CSEA, or have support set inside your divorce/dissolution/parentage case. If an order exists, identify the court that issued it.
- File the right motion to set or change support. To change an order, file a Motion for Change of Child Support (Ohio SC Form 28) in the issuing court, attaching a current worksheet — or ask CSEA for an administrative review.
- Provide income and insurance information. File the Child Support Computation Worksheet and a Health Insurance Affidavit so the court can set both cash and medical support.
- Let CSEA collect and enforce. Once an order is entered, CSEA collects by wage withholding, distributes payments, and enforces the order if payments stop.
Licking County Practice Notes
- CSEA enforces — it does not represent you. The Licking County CSEA (65 E. Main Street, Newark; (740) 670-5998 or 1-800-513-1128) opens IV-D cases, collects support by automatic wage withholding, distributes payments, and enforces the order through tools like license suspension and tax intercept. It enforces the court's order and does not represent either parent.
- Modification needs a substantial change. Child support may be reviewed or modified on a substantial change in circumstances — often a 10%+ change in the guideline amount — or another qualifying change. Use the Ohio 2024 Income Shares worksheet to estimate the new figure before filing.
- Paternity is heard in Domestic Relations Court. Unusually for Ohio, Licking County hears ALL paternity (parentage) cases in the Domestic Relations Court, where a Parentage filing is $400 — not in the Juvenile Court. Custody, parenting time, and support between never-married parents are still decided in the Probate & Juvenile Court. If you need to establish parentage, confirm with the DR Court ((740) 670-5400) and the Juvenile Court ((740) 670-5624) where your specific action belongs.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who handles child support in Licking County?
- The Licking County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA), 65 East Main Street, Newark — (740) 670-5998 or 1-800-513-1128. CSEA opens IV-D cases, collects support by wage withholding, distributes payments, and enforces the court's order. It enforces the order; it does not represent either parent.
- How is child support calculated and set up in Licking County?
- Child support is calculated with Ohio's 2024 Income Shares worksheet and is part of any divorce, dissolution, or parentage case. To open or enforce a standalone case, file a IV-D Application with the Licking County CSEA. You'll provide income information and a Health Insurance Affidavit so the court can set both cash and medical support. Once an order is entered, CSEA collects by wage withholding.
- How do I change a custody or support order after it's final in Licking County?
- File a post-decree motion in the court that issued the order. Changing the residential parent or shared parenting generally requires a change in circumstances plus the child's best interest (R.C. 3109.04); parenting-time adjustments use a lower standard; child support can be modified on a substantial change (often a 10%+ change in the guideline amount). A Domestic Relations post-decree motion is $200; a Juvenile Motion for Further Hearing is $50.
- Where do I file a paternity case in Licking County?
- Unusually for Ohio, Licking County hears ALL paternity (parentage) cases in the Domestic Relations Court (75 E. Main Street, Newark), where a Parentage filing is $400 — not in the Juvenile Court. Custody, parenting time, and support between never-married parents are still decided in the Probate & Juvenile Court. If you need to establish parentage, confirm with the DR Court ((740) 670-5400) and the Juvenile Court ((740) 670-5624) where your specific action belongs.
Free Local Resources in Licking County
- Licking County Clerk of Courts — Domestic Relations. 75 East Main Street, Newark, OH 43055; (740) 670-5400, fax (740) 670-5419. Provides current filing deposits, the Domestic Relations forms, rules & guides page (https://lickingcounty.gov/depts/domestic/forms_rules.htm), and CPO packets. Clerk of Common Pleas: Olivia C. Parkinson.
- Licking County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). 65 East Main Street, Newark, OH 43055; (740) 670-5998 or 1-800-513-1128 (https://lickingcounty.gov/depts/csea/). Opens IV-D cases, sets and collects support by wage withholding, and enforces orders. CSEA enforces the court's order; it does not represent either parent.
- Parenting seminar — "Helping Children Succeed After Divorce" (The Woodlands). Required for everyone with minor children who files for divorce or dissolution. About 90 minutes online or a 2-hour in-person class. Register at www.thewoodland.org or (740) 349-7066 (online tech support ext. 241).
- Licking County Domestic Relations Mediation. Mediation Coordinator Christopher R. Meyer, (740) 670-5409 (https://lickingcounty.gov/depts/domestic/mediation.htm). Offers assessment and referral to a court-approved mediator for divorce and post-divorce parenting disputes. A domestic-violence victim may decline mediation or bring a support person.
- The Center for New Beginnings (domestic-violence help). Helps victims obtain a protection order and offers free confidential housing and services: (740) 345-4498 or (740) 349-8719, toll-free 1-800-686-2760.
- Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio (SEOLS) — Newark. 15 West Locust Ave., Suite A, Newark, OH 43055; (740) 345-0850 or 1-888-831-9412. Free civil legal help for those who qualify.
Other Family-Law Topics in Licking County
- Licking County Divorce — Full filing guide with forms, the $400 fee, and the parenting seminar.
- Licking County Custody — Where to file when parents are married vs. never married.
- Ohio Child Support Calculator — Run the 2024 Income Shares worksheet yourself.
- Ohio family-law resources — 88-county directory of courts and legal aid.
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.
- Payment plans & financing — Flat fees with Gavvl Direct, Affirm, Klarna, or PayPal Pay Later.
Call (380) 205-3899 or email support@gavvl.com.