Modifying Orders in Putnam County

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

Putnam County, Ohio · Ottawa

Life changes after a decree — incomes shift, schedules stop working, and parents move. In Putnam County you ask the court that issued the order to change custody, parenting time, or support, using the Ohio Supreme Court standardized motions. Custody changes take the highest standard; support and parenting-time changes are easier.

How do I change a custody, parenting-time, or support order in Putnam County, Ohio?

File in the court 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, and Putnam's Rule 28 schedule applies to the result. 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. If you plan to move more than 75 miles from the county seat, you must give 15 days' notice. Confirm the current filing fee with the issuing court.

Ohio Custody by the Numbers

Best interest The single standard that governs every Ohio custody decision Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04
No set age There is no age a child can choose a parent — the judge weighs a mature child's wishes Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04(B)
Change in circumstances Required, plus a best-interest finding, before the residential parent can be changed Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04(E)(1)
Shared parenting Either parent may ask the court for a joint parenting plan Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04(G)

Compare Types of Custody in Ohio

Custody type	Who makes major decisions	Where the child lives	Best when
Shared parenting	Both parents jointly, under a written plan	Time is split per the plan (not always 50/50)	Parents can communicate and cooperate on decisions
Sole legal & residential	One parent	Primarily with that parent	One parent is unable or unwilling to co-parent
Split custody	Each parent for the child in their care	Siblings are divided between the two homes	Rare — only when it serves each child's best interest
Legal custody to a non-parent	The relative or caregiver granted custody	With the non-parent caregiver	Neither parent can safely care for the child

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.

Post-Decree Modifications is the right path if…

There has been a real change in circumstances since the last order.
The current parenting-time schedule no longer fits the children's needs.
Incomes or costs have changed enough to affect support.
A parent is relocating and the schedule needs to change.

Filing Fees

CSEA administrative review is free (567-376-3780) · court motion fees are set by the issuing Domestic Relations or Juvenile/Probate Court — confirm before filing · GAL deposit $800 attorney / $400 CASA in contested custody changes

Forms & Filing Packets

Change custody — Confirm the current filing fee with the issuing court

File a Motion for Change of Parental Rights & Responsibilities (Ohio SC Form 27) in the issuing court. You must show a change in circumstances and that the change serves the child's best interest (R.C. 3109.04(E)).

Motion for Change of Parental Rights & Responsibilities (Ohio SC Form 27 / JF 6) — Asks the court to reallocate custody after a final order. Requires a change in circumstances plus a best-interest finding (R.C. 3109.04(E)).
Putnam County Parenting Affidavit — The county's parenting/UCCJEA affidavit listing where each child has lived and with whom. Filed with the complaint in any case involving minor children.

Change parenting time or relocate — Confirm the current filing fee with the issuing court

File a Motion for Change of Parenting Time (Ohio SC Form 26). If you're moving more than 75 miles from the county seat, give the required 15 days' notice; Putnam's Rule 28 long-distance plan applies when parents live more than 150 miles apart.

Motion for Change of Parenting Time / Companionship (Ohio SC Form 26 / JF 5) — Changes the parenting-time schedule (a lower standard than changing custody). Putnam's Rule 28 standard schedule applies to the resulting order.

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

File a Motion for Change of Child Support (Ohio SC Form 28) with an updated worksheet, or ask the CSEA at 567-376-3780 for an 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.
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 Post-Decree Modifications in Putnam County

Identify the issuing court. File your motion in the same court that entered the order — the Domestic Relations Division for married/divorced parents, or the Juvenile/Probate Court for never-married parents at (419) 523-3012.
Pick the right motion. Use Form 27 to change custody, Form 26 to change parenting time, or Form 28 to change support. Attach an updated child-support worksheet for support changes.
Document the change in circumstances. Custody changes require a change in circumstances plus a best-interest finding (R.C. 3109.04(E)). Gather records that show what changed since the last order.
Give relocation notice if you're moving. If you plan to move more than 75 miles from the county seat, file the 15-day relocation notice so the court can review parenting time.

Putnam County Practice Notes

Relocation triggers a 15-day notice. If you plan to move more than 75 miles from the county seat, you must give 15 days' notice so the court can review parenting time. If the move makes the schedule unworkable, file a Motion for Change of Parenting Time (Form 26); Putnam's Rule 28 long-distance plan applies when parents live more than 150 miles apart.
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

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.
What are the relocation rules after a Putnam County custody order?: If you plan to move more than 75 miles from the county seat, you must give 15 days' notice. The court can then review parenting time. If the move makes the current schedule unworkable, file a Motion for Change of Parenting Time (Ohio SC Form 26); Putnam's Rule 28 long-distance plan applies when parents live more than 150 miles apart. Confirm the notice requirements that apply to your order before you move.
What is the standard parenting-time schedule in Putnam County?: Unless the parents agree to a different plan the court approves, Putnam County's Rule 28 standard schedule applies: one weekday evening (Wednesday, 5:30–8:30 p.m.), alternating weekends (Friday 7 p.m. to Sunday 7 p.m.), six weeks of summer parenting time in two-week increments, and an even-year/odd-year holiday rotation. A separate long-distance plan applies when the parents live more than 150 miles apart.
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 modifications case

Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.
Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.

Related guides

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

Post-Decree Modifications in Ohio: Changing Your Order After Divorce — Your divorce decree isn't carved in stone. When life changes, Ohio lets you modify custody, parenting time, and support — but each requires meeting a specific legal standard. Here's how.
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.
Contempt Motions in Ohio Family Court: Enforcing Your Order — When the other parent ignores a court order — withholding the children or refusing to pay support — a contempt motion is how Ohio courts enforce it. Here's how the process works.

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Ohio Post-Decree Modifications guide — Statewide overview of post-decree modifications in Ohio.
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