I would like to establish legal parentage

Check this box if:

• The parents of the child were not married when the child was conceived or born
  AND
• The parents did not complete a Voluntary Declaration of Parentage after the child was born
  AND
• There is no court order to establish the parents of the child(ren)

Parentage is the recognition of a parent's legal relationship to a child.

I would like to get an order for me to RECEIVE child support for the child(ren)

Check this box if there are NO existing court orders for child support AND you would like to establish an order for YOU to RECEIVE child support

I would like to get an order for me to PAY child support for my child(ren)

Check this box if there are NO existing court orders for child support AND you would like to establish an order for YOU to PAY child support

I would like to get an order for medical insurance or expenses

Check this box if there are NO existing court orders for either parent to provide medical insurance or pay for medical expenses for the child(ren)

I already have a court order for child support that I would like to change

Check this box if there is an existing court order for either parent to pay child support, and you would like to request a modification (change) to that court order

I already have a court order for child support that I would like to enforce

Check this box if there is an existing court order for either parent to provide child support, and you would like to enforce that order

I already have a court order for medical insurance that I would like to enforce

Check this box if either parent is already ordered to provide medical insurance and you would like to enforce that order

The child support office managing your case will contact you for an intake interview within 30 calendar days of receiving your enrollment.

During this interview, they will verify the information you have already provided, and ask a few more questions to gather the information you don't provide here.

If they are unable to reach you via phone or email, your enrollment may not move forward and  your child support case could be closed. 

Whenever possible, providing as much detail as you are able NOW instead of waiting to provide details during your intake interview. This prevents delays in processing information once your child support case is open. 

Avoiding these delays ensures that the case opening and order establishment processes move as swiftly as possible. 

If you don't have the answer to a question, or need more time to look for the answer, you have 2 options: 

1. SAVE your application where you are, and pickup where you left off when you are ready 

2. SKIP the question for now, and submit your enrollment with the information you have handy

Don't worry if you're unable to answer any questions throughout the enrollment. Child Support Services is able to locate many individuals with as little as a name and date of birth!

No - Completing the enrollment to open a child support case is completely free. 

The only time you could pay anything at all, is $35 for an entire year of services, and only if:

• we collect more than $550 in child support for your case that year.
  AND
• you have never received CalWORKS/TANF/any cash assistance. 

The definitions below can help answer questions with relationship options on this screen.  
Please select the one that most closely matches YOUR relationship to each child.

Parent who gave birth: A parent that was pregnant and gave birth to a child.

Parent who did not give birth: A parent at the time of birth that was NOT pregnant and did NOT give birth to a child.

Adoptive Parent: A parent that has completed a legal process to have permanent parental rights and responsibilities to the child

Caregiver/Guardian: A person who is not the parent of a child but has rights and responsibilities to the child (without terminating the rights of the parents).  

Either you or   must be the parent of this child.

Please review the answers you selected and choose a different relationship for either yourself or  .

If you wish to change YOUR relationship to this child, scroll to the bottom of this page and click the   BACK   button.

You already selected "Parent who gave birth" as your relationship to this child. A child can have only one parent who gives birth.
A parent who gave birth is someone who was pregnant with and gives birth to a child.

Please make a different selection to one of the relationships for this child. 

If you wish to change YOUR relationship to this child, scroll to the bottom of this page and click the ..BACK.. button.

The definitions below can help answer questions with relationship options on this screen.  
Please select the one that most closely matches each child's relationship with  . 

Parent who gave birth: A parent that was pregnant and gave birth to a child.

Parent who did not give birth: A parent at the time of birth that was NOT pregnant and did NOT give birth to a child.

Adoptive Parent: A parent that has completed a legal process to have permanent parental rights and responsibilities to the child

Caregiver/Guardian: A person who is not the parent of a child but has rights and responsibilities to the child (without terminating the rights of the parents).  

Some examples of documents you may want to attach to your application include: 

• Court Orders involving the child(ren) named in this application.
  • Example: child support, custody and visitation, or divorce/dissolution orders from ANY court
• Birth Certificate for the child(ren)
• Marriage certificate
• Restraining Orders between you and the other parent or naming the child(ren) in this application
• Photo of the other parent
• Proof of income for yourself or the other parent
• Visitation schedule
• Child support payment history information (if there is already an order for the other parent to pay child support)
• Any other document or image that you would like to provide the child support agency managing your case

Important Information Regarding Court Orders

If you already have a court order involving the child(ren) named in this application, (even if child support was not mentioned or the order was for $0.00 or "reserved"), please provide a complete copy of all pages of the order. 

If you do not have a complete copy of the order available at the time of your application, you can still submit your application, but should begin attempting to retrieve the order so you have that ready when you are contacted by the office managing your case. 

If you are unable to retrieve a copy of your court order, please provide as much information as possble regarding where the order was issued in the comments section of this page.

I understand that IF approved:

• This request will stay in effect until I let the local child support agency know in writing that they may now give out my information, and the local child support agency tells me that they have received my request.
• Under federal law, an authorized person may make a written request to the court that has jurisdiction to make or enforce child support or visitation determinations, for release of my information.
• The local child support agency will let me know in writing if the court orders the release of any information on my case.

INSTRUCTIONS: Read carefully before signing below. Your signature is required for us to open your case.

Beginning October 1, 2020, the Department of Child Support services may assess a $35 Annual Service Fee for each case that has never received public assistance.  
This fee will be assessed one time each year on October 1st for each case with over $550 collected the prior (Federal Fiscal) year.  The fee will be automatically deducted from payment(s) issued to the custodial party after October 1st until $35 has been recovered in full. 
If less than $550 is collected on your case, there is no fee changed for the services provided that year. 

I want the local child support agency to help me get a court order to establish paternity and/or child support, or to enforce a court order I already have.

I will let the child support agency know right away:

• When each child marries
• When each child reaches age 18 years and is no longer attending high school, or 19 years, whichever  happens first
• If my home address, mailing address, or telephone number changes
• If my employer, including name, address, and telephone number changes
• If my income changes
• If my status, cost, or availability of health insurance coverage changes
• If any information regarding the whereabouts of the other parent(s) changes
• If the other parent moves back in the same home as the children
• If there is any change in custody, childcare or visitation

I understand: 

• The local child support agency does not represent me, the other parent, or the children in this case.  
• No attorney-client relationship currently exists between the local child support agency and me, the other parent, or the children.  
• No attorney-client relationship will be created if the local child support agency provides the support services I have requested. 
• I am requesting these services from Child Support Services Program under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act.

I declare under penalty of perjury that I have read, understand, and agree to all of the terms specified above.