Child Support in Lucas County

How is child support set and changed in Lucas County, Ohio?

Support is calculated on the official Ohio Child Support Worksheet (ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov) using both parents' gross incomes and the number of children, and it is collected through the Lucas County CSEA, 3737 W. Sylvania Avenue, Toledo, OH 43623, (419) 213-3001 — direct payments to the other parent count as gifts, not support. File the JFS 07076 Application for Child Support Services when an order is established, and the Health Insurance Affidavit (Uniform DR Affidavit 4). A court will modify support when a recalculation differs by more than 10%, when health-care coverage is inadequate, or after a substantial change in circumstances. CSEA generally reviews orders every 36 months.

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

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Lucas County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division (Juvenile Justice Center)
1801 Spielbusch Avenue, Toledo, OH 43604, Toledo, OH 43604
Phone: (419) 213-6722
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Child Support is the right path if…

• You need a child-support order established, enforced, or recalculated.
• Your income, the other parent's income, or parenting time has changed substantially.
• Health-insurance or childcare costs have changed and need to be reallocated.
• More than 36 months have passed and you want a CSEA administrative review.

Filing Fees

Worksheet-based · Collected through Lucas County CSEA, (419) 213-3001 · CSEA review generally every 36 months or on a 10%+ recalculation

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Child Support in Lucas County

1. Gather both parents' income. Collect pay statements, recent tax returns, and childcare and health-insurance costs to run the Ohio worksheet.
2. Open or update your CSEA case. File the JFS 07076 Application for Child Support Services so the Lucas County CSEA can collect and enforce the order.
3. File the right motion. For a new order, support is set in your divorce, dissolution, or parentage case; to change an order, file Form 28 with an updated worksheet.
4. Address health care and tax exemptions. The court reviews the health-care order and tax-exemption designation along with the support amount (R.C. 3119.30, 3119.82).

Lucas County Practice Notes

• Pay through CSEA — direct payments are gifts. Lucas County requires support to flow through CSEA wage withholding. Money handed directly to the other parent is treated as a gift, not credited support, so always route payments through the Lucas County CSEA at 3737 W. Sylvania Avenue.
• Bring complete financial proof. For any establishment or modification, bring current pay statements, recent tax returns, daycare verification, and out-of-pocket health-insurance costs so the court can run the Ohio worksheet accurately.
• Modification turns on a substantial change. A court modifies support when a recalculation differs by more than 10%, when health-care coverage is inadequate, or after another substantial change in circumstances (R.C. 3119.79). Use Form 28 with an updated worksheet.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is child support handled in Lucas County?

Support is calculated on the legislatively adopted Ohio Child Support Worksheet and collected through the Lucas County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) at 3737 W. Sylvania Avenue, Toledo, OH 43623, (419) 213-3001. Direct payments to the other parent are treated as gifts, not support, so route payments through CSEA wage withholding. File the JFS 07076 Application for Child Support Services when an order is established.

What is a IV-D application and why do I need one?

A IV-D Application (JFS 07076) opens a child-support case with the Lucas County CSEA. Once opened, CSEA collects support through automatic wage withholding, distributes it to the receiving parent, and can enforce the order through license suspension, federal tax intercept, credit reporting, and contempt referrals. Filing a IV-D Application is standard whenever a child-support order is issued.

How do I change a child-support order in Lucas County?

File a Motion for Change of Child Support / Medical / Tax (Uniform DR Form 28) with an updated Ohio Child Support Worksheet. A court will modify support when a recalculation differs by more than 10%, when health-care coverage is inadequate, or after a substantial change in circumstances. CSEA can also conduct an administrative review of an order, generally every 36 months.

How much does it cost to file in the Lucas County DR Division?

The Domestic Relations Division deposit is $300 without children and $325 with children; confirm the current amount on the Lucas County Filing Fee Schedule (11-13-2023). Pay in person at the Clerk's Office (1st Floor, 429 N. Michigan Street) or online through the Forte portal — the online portal is restricted to DR payments and you MUST include your case number. Never-married parentage and custody cases are filed in the Juvenile Division (1801 Spielbusch Avenue), which sets its own deposit — call the Juvenile Clerk at (419) 213-6722.

Free Local Resources in Lucas County

• Lucas County DR Division — Forms Hub (Schedules 1–5). Every Domestic Relations local Schedule form, the Uniform Ohio forms, and the filing instructions are posted free at co.lucas.oh.us/1360/Domestic-Relations-Division-Forms.
• Court Counseling Department (4th Floor, Family Court Center). Established 1938 — handles family evaluations, mediation, conciliation assessments, intake services, and parenting-education scheduling through the Family Court Center.
• Domestic Violence Resource Center (2nd Floor, Family Court Center). Helps petitioners obtain Civil Protection Orders. Call (419) 213-2700.
• Lucas County CSEA. Child Support Enforcement Agency at 3737 W. Sylvania Avenue, Toledo, OH 43623, (419) 213-3001 — opens cases, collects, and enforces support.

Other Family-Law Topics in Lucas County

• Lucas County Divorce — Contested and default divorce filing guide for the DR Division at 429 N. Michigan Street.
• Lucas County Custody — Married parents file inside divorce; never-married parents file parentage in the Juvenile Division.
• Lucas County Child Support — Ohio worksheet, Lucas County CSEA collection, and how to modify an order.
• Lucas County Paternity — Establish parentage by Acknowledgment, CSEA, or a Juvenile Division complaint.
• Lucas County Shared Parenting — File a Uniform DR Form 20 Shared Parenting Plan in the DR Division.
• Lucas County Emergency Custody — Seek an ex parte order when a child faces immediate danger.
• Lucas County Modifications — Change a custody, parenting-time, or child-support order after a life change.
• Lucas County Protection Orders — File a Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order with no filing fee.
• Lucas County Legal Separation — Divide property and set support while staying legally married.
• Lucas County Annulment — Available only on the narrow R.C. 3105.31 grounds — most cases need a divorce.
• Lucas County Grandparent & Non-Parent Custody — Relatives must prove parental unsuitability under In re Perales.

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.