Child Support in Putnam County

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

Putnam County, Ohio · Ottawa

Ohio sets child support with a statewide Income Shares model based on both parents' incomes, the parenting schedule, and health-care and child-care costs. In Putnam County you can establish or change support two ways: through the Putnam County CSEA (free, often faster) or inside a court case. Married parents handle support inside a divorce or dissolution; never-married parents handle it through the CSEA or the Juvenile/Probate Court.

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

Run the Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) using the official calculator. The free route is the Putnam County CSEA at 567-376-3780, which can establish paternity (with free genetic testing), set support by administrative order, and review existing orders. The court route handles support inside a divorce or dissolution (Domestic Relations Division) or, for never-married parents, in the Juvenile/Probate Court at (419) 523-3012. Payments run through Ohio Child Support Payment Central (2% processing fee). Confirm any court filing fee with the issuing court before filing.

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: Putnam County Court of Common Pleas — Domestic Relations Division

245 E. Main Street, Ottawa, OH 45875
Phone: (419) 523-3110
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Website: putnamcountyohio.gov/courts/common-pleas-court/

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Putnam County Juvenile & Probate Court
245 E. Main Street, Ottawa, OH 45875
Phone: (419) 523-3012
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Child Support is the right path if…

You need to establish a first-time child-support order.
Your income, the parenting schedule, or health-care costs have changed and the amount no longer fits.
You want the CSEA to set or review support without a court case.
You need to enforce an existing order through wage withholding.

Filing Fees

Putnam County CSEA (567-376-3780) services are free to the applicant, including genetic testing · payments run through Ohio Child Support Payment Central with a 2% processing fee · confirm any court filing fee with the Domestic Relations or Juvenile/Probate Court

Forms & Filing Packets

Establish a new child-support order — CSEA administrative case is free; confirm any court filing fee with the issuing court

Open a case with the Putnam County CSEA (567-376-3780) for an administrative order, or ask the court to set support inside a divorce, dissolution, or parentage case. File the Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet and the health-insurance affidavit.

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.
Complaint for Allocation of Parental Rights & Responsibilities (Ohio SC Form 23) — Asks the Juvenile Branch to name a residential parent and legal custodian and set a parenting-time schedule when the parents were never married.

Change an existing support order — CSEA review is free; confirm any court motion fee with the issuing court

Ask the CSEA for an administrative review, or file a Motion for Change of Child Support (Ohio SC Form 28) in the court that issued the order. Attach an updated worksheet showing the change in circumstances.

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 (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.

How to File Child Support in Putnam County

Run the official worksheet. Use the Ohio Child Support Calculator to complete the 2024 Income Shares worksheet with both parents' incomes, the parenting schedule, and health-care and child-care costs. Gavvl Law also offers a free estimator at https://gavvl.com/child-support-calculator.
Choose CSEA or the court. For a free, often faster order, open a case with the Putnam County CSEA at 567-376-3780. For support tied to a divorce or custody case, file with the Domestic Relations Division (married) or the Juvenile/Probate Court (never-married, (419) 523-3012).
File the worksheet and supporting affidavits. Submit the completed worksheet and the health-insurance affidavit with your application or motion. For a change, attach an updated worksheet showing the change in circumstances.
Set up payment and enforcement. Support is paid through Ohio Child Support Payment Central (2% fee), usually by wage withholding. If payments stop, ask the CSEA to enforce or file a contempt motion in the issuing court.

Putnam County Practice Notes

CSEA is the free, often faster route. The Putnam County Child Support Enforcement Agency (567-376-3780) can establish paternity with free genetic testing, set support by administrative order, run an administrative review, and enforce orders by wage withholding — no court case required. Payments go through Ohio Child Support Payment Central, which charges a 2% processing fee.
Juvenile/Probate cases use their own fee schedule. The $300 divorce/dissolution deposit on the Domestic Relations schedule does not apply to never-married custody, paternity, or non-parent custody. Those cases are filed in Judge Borer's Juvenile/Probate Court, which sets its own filing fee — confirm the current amount at (419) 523-3012 before filing, and ask about the poverty-affidavit waiver if you can't afford it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Putnam County CSEA do?: The Putnam County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA), at 567-376-3780, can establish paternity (with free genetic testing), set or review a child-support amount by administrative order, and enforce orders through wage withholding. Payments run through Ohio Child Support Payment Central, which charges a 2% processing fee. CSEA services are free to the applicant; you do not need a court case to open one.
How is child support calculated in Putnam County?: Ohio uses a statewide Income Shares model (2024 guidelines). Both parents' incomes, the parenting-time schedule, health-insurance and child-care costs, and other adjustments feed the Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet. Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, then file the printed worksheet whenever the court or CSEA sets or changes support. Gavvl Law also offers a free Ohio child-support estimator at https://gavvl.com/child-support-calculator.
How do I change a custody, parenting-time, or support order in Putnam County?: File in the division that issued the order. To change custody, file a Motion for Change of Parental Rights & Responsibilities (Ohio SC Form 27); you must show a change in circumstances plus a best-interest finding (R.C. 3109.04(E)). To change parenting time, file a Motion for Change of Parenting Time (Ohio SC Form 26) — a lower standard. To change child support, file a Motion for Change of Child Support (Ohio SC Form 28) or ask the CSEA at 567-376-3780 for an administrative review. Confirm the current filing fee with the issuing court before filing.
How much does a never-married custody or paternity case cost in Putnam County?: Never-married custody, paternity, and non-parent custody are filed in the Juvenile/Probate Court (Judge Borer), which sets its own filing fee — the $300 Domestic Relations deposit does not apply. Confirm the current amount at (419) 523-3012 before filing, and ask about a fee waiver if you can't afford it. CSEA paternity services, including genetic testing, are free to the applicant (567-376-3780).

Free Local Resources in Putnam County

Putnam County Clerk of Courts (Domestic Relations). Provides current filing fees, the county's Domestic Relations forms, and filing instructions for divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment. File in person or by mail at 245 E. Main Street, Ottawa, OH 45875, or by fax/email (20 pages or fewer; $3 per transmission plus $1 per page) to (419) 523-5284 / cpefile@putnamcountyohio.gov. Call (419) 523-3110.
Putnam County Juvenile & Probate Court. Handles custody, parentage, and parenting time for never-married parents, non-parent custody, children-services cases, and adoption. Confirm its local forms and filing fees at (419) 523-3012.
Putnam County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Establishes paternity with free genetic testing, sets and reviews support administratively, and enforces orders by wage withholding. Payments run through Ohio Child Support Payment Central (2% processing fee). Call 567-376-3780.
Putnam County Pro Se Clinic (with Legal Aid of Western Ohio). A free instructional session on divorce, dissolution, and custody — educational, not legal representation. Schedule it at (419) 523-6200.
Putnam County Job & Family Services. Report concerns about a child's safety at 567-376-3777. In an immediate emergency, call 911.
Ohio Child Support Calculator. Run the official 2024 Income Shares worksheet at https://ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov/ before any case that sets or changes support.

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.
Toledo family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Toledo 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.