Child Support in Ottawa County

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

Ottawa County, Ohio · Port Clinton

Ottawa County child support runs on Ohio's statewide 2024 Income Shares guidelines — there is no county formula. Support travels with a divorce, dissolution, or legal separation in the Domestic Relations Division for married parents, and with a parentage or custody case in the Probate & Juvenile Court for never-married parents. The Ottawa County CSEA collects and enforces the order by automatic wage withholding.

How do I get a child-support order in Ottawa County, Ohio?

Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator with both parents' gross incomes, parenting time, health-insurance, and child-care figures, then print and sign the worksheet. File it with the Health Insurance Affidavit in the right court — the Domestic Relations Division for married parents (inside a $500 divorce/dissolution/legal-separation case) or the Probate & Juvenile Court for never-married parents (a $150 deposit). The Ottawa County CSEA then collects support by wage withholding and can enforce through license suspension, tax intercept, and contempt. To change an order, file a Motion for Change of Child Support (Form 28 in DR, the Juvenile motion in Juvenile Court) under R.C. 3119.79, or ask CSEA for an administrative review.

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: Ottawa County Court of Common Pleas — Domestic Relations Division

315 Madison Street, Port Clinton, OH 43452
Phone: (419) 734-6790
Hours: Monday–Friday (confirm current hours with the court)
Website: www.ottawacocpcourt.com/domestic-relations/

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Ottawa County Probate & Juvenile Court (Juvenile Division)
315 Madison Street, Port Clinton, OH 43452
Phone: (419) 734-6840
Hours: Monday–Friday 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM (closed 12:00–1:00 PM)

Child Support is the right path if…

You need a first child-support order as part of a divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or parentage case.
Your income, the other parent's income, or parenting time has changed and the order is now wrong.
Health-insurance or child-care costs for the children have changed significantly.
You need CSEA to collect and enforce support through wage withholding.

Filing Fees

Support set inside a divorce/dissolution/legal separation rides the $500 DR deposit; a Juvenile support case is a $150 deposit. DR post-decree modification $300; Juvenile post-disposition motion ~$35. Confirm with the Clerk at (419) 734-6755 or the Juvenile Division at (419) 734-6840

Forms & Filing Packets

Establish a new child-support order — Rides the underlying case deposit ($500 DR / $150 Juvenile)

Run the Ohio worksheet and file it with the Health Insurance Affidavit inside your underlying case. The Ottawa County CSEA can also open a IV-D case so support can be collected and enforced.

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 (Affidavit 4, Ottawa County copy) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer, so the court can order medical support.
Health Insurance Affidavit (Ottawa County Juvenile) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer, so the court can order medical support.

Modify an existing child-support order — $300 DR post-decree motion · $35 Juvenile post-disposition motion

File a Motion for Change of Child Support with a fresh Ohio worksheet in the court that issued the order, or request a CSEA administrative review under R.C. 3119.79.

Motion for Change of Child Support / Expenses (Form 28, Ottawa County copy) — Post-decree motion to change child support or the allocation of child-related expenses after a change of circumstances.
Motion for Change of Child Support (Ottawa County Juvenile) — The Juvenile Court motion to change child support after a qualifying change of circumstances.
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.

How to File Child Support in Ottawa County

Run the Ohio worksheet. Use the official Ohio Child Support Calculator with both parents' gross incomes, parenting time, health-insurance, and child-care costs; print and sign the worksheet.
File in the right court. File with your divorce, dissolution, or legal separation in the Domestic Relations Division (married parents) or with a parentage/custody case in the Probate & Juvenile Court (never-married parents).
Add the health-insurance affidavit. File the Health Insurance Affidavit so the court can order medical support alongside the child-support amount.
Let CSEA collect and enforce. Once journalized, the Ottawa County CSEA collects support by wage withholding and can enforce through license suspension, tax intercept, and contempt referrals.

Ottawa County Practice Notes

Ohio's statewide formula controls. There is no Ottawa County child-support formula. Support is calculated on the 2024 Ohio Income Shares model using both parents' gross incomes, the number of children, parenting time, health-insurance costs, and child-care costs. Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign the worksheet to file with your case.
CSEA collects and enforces — confirm its current contact info. The Ottawa County CSEA collects support by wage withholding and can enforce through license suspension, tax intercept, and contempt referrals, and can review an order administratively. The court skill does not publish a current CSEA address, phone, or website, so confirm the agency's contact information with the Clerk or the county before relying on it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is child support calculated in Ottawa County?: Ohio uses one statewide formula — the 2024 Income Shares model — so there is no separate Ottawa County calculation. Support is based on both parents' gross incomes, the number of children, parenting time, health-insurance costs, and child-care costs. Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print and sign the worksheet, and file it with the Health Insurance Affidavit in the right court — the Domestic Relations Division for married parents or the Juvenile Division for never-married parents.
What does the Ottawa County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) do?: The Ottawa County CSEA establishes, modifies, collects, and enforces child support, and can establish parentage administratively and order genetic testing. Once support is ordered, CSEA collects it by automatic wage withholding and can enforce it through license suspension, tax intercept, and contempt referrals. The court skill does not publish a current CSEA address, phone, or website, so confirm the agency's current contact information with the Clerk or the county before you rely on it.
How much does it cost to file a Juvenile Court case in Ottawa County?: The Probate & Juvenile Court charges a $150 deposit to file a custody, parenting-time (visitation), or support case. A consent judgment entry is about $50, a post-disposition motion is about $35, and a contempt citation is about $38. A Guardian ad Litem deposit is $1,200 plus 2%, an application for appointed counsel is $25, and mediation is $25 per party ($60 if you fail to appear). Confirm current amounts with the Juvenile Division at (419) 734-6840.
Do I file in Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court in Ottawa County?: It depends on whether you were married to the other parent. If you are or were married, custody, parenting time, and support are decided in your divorce, dissolution, or legal separation in the Domestic Relations Division of the Court of Common Pleas, 315 Madison St., Port Clinton ((419) 734-6790, Judge Bruce Winters). If you were never married, parentage, custody, parenting time, and support are handled in the combined Probate & Juvenile Court at the same address ((419) 734-6840, Judge Frederick C. Hany II). Non-parent (grandparent or relative) custody is always filed in the Juvenile Division.
How do I change a custody, parenting-time, or support order in Ottawa County?: You file a post-decree motion in the court that issued the order. In the Domestic Relations Division, use the Motion for Change of Parental Rights & Responsibilities (Form 27) to change custody, the Motion for Change of Parenting Time (Form 26) to change the schedule, or the Motion for Change of Child Support (Form 28) to change support; reopening a case or filing a post-decree motion is $300. Custody changes require a change of circumstances and the child's best interest under R.C. 3109.04(E); support changes generally require a qualifying change under R.C. 3119.79.

Free Local Resources in Ottawa County

Ottawa County Clerk of Courts (Common Pleas / Domestic Relations). 315 Madison St., Room 106B, Port Clinton, OH 43452. Phone (419) 734-6755; filings email cpclerksfilings@co.ottawa.oh.us; website https://ottawacountyclerkofcourts.com/. The Clerk accepts divorce, dissolution, legal-separation, annulment, and protection-order filings and confirms current deposits. Court staff cannot give legal advice.
Ottawa County Probate & Juvenile Court (Judge Frederick C. Hany II). 315 Madison St., Port Clinton, OH 43452. Juvenile Division (419) 734-6840; Probate Division (419) 734-6830; website https://www.ocpjcourt.com/. Handles parentage, custody, parenting time, and support for never-married parents and non-parent custody, plus adoptions. Hours Monday–Friday 8:30 AM–4:30 PM (closed noon–1:00 PM).
Ottawa County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). The county CSEA establishes, modifies, collects, and enforces child support and can establish parentage administratively. The court skill does not publish a current CSEA address, phone, or website — confirm the agency's current contact information with the Clerk or the county before relying on it.
Parenting / coparenting education. Parents of minor children in a Domestic Relations case are generally expected to complete a parenting-education (coparenting) program. The court skill does not publish a current provider, format, or cost — confirm the required class, deadline, and fee with the Domestic Relations Division before filing.

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.

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Ohio Child Support guide — Statewide overview of child support in Ohio.
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