If you and your spouse have minor children together, Florida law requires both of you to complete a state-approved Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course before a judge can enter your final judgment of dissolution. This guide covers who must take it, what it covers, when it is due, roughly what it costs, and how to file proof you finished.
Quick Answer: Under Florida Statute § 61.21, both parents in a divorce or paternity case involving minor children must complete a Department of Children and Families approved Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course, minimum 4 hours, before a final judgment can be entered. The petitioner generally has 45 days from filing, and other parties 45 days from service, to finish it. Approved online and correspondence options exist statewide, and proof of completion has to be filed with the court.
Short Answer
Florida treats the parenting course as a required step, not an optional resource, in any dissolution of marriage case with minor children or a paternity case involving parental responsibility. The Legislature's stated purpose, under Fla. Stat. § 61.21(1), is to help parents understand how courts decide issues affecting children and to ease the adjustment divorce creates for kids, ideally before the parents' positions harden into a contested fight. Practically, that means both parents generally have to complete an approved course and file proof before the court will finalize the case.
Who Has to Take the Course
Under Fla. Stat. § 61.21(4)(a), all parties to a dissolution of marriage proceeding with minor children, and all parties to a paternity action involving issues of parental responsibility, must complete the Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course before the court enters a final judgment. That means:
- Both parents, regardless of who filed the case as Petitioner
- Parents in paternity cases where parental responsibility, time-sharing, or child support is at issue
- Parents of children who have identified special needs or emotional concerns must select a course specifically tailored to that, rather than the general course
The court can excuse a party from attending, or from finishing within the required time, for good cause, under Fla. Stat. § 61.21(4)(b). Some modification cases involving an existing parenting plan or time-sharing schedule can also require a parenting course before the court modifies the judgment, under Fla. Stat. § 61.21(6).
What the Course Covers
The course must run a minimum of 4 hours and be approved by the Florida Department of Children and Families. Under Fla. Stat. § 61.21(2)(a), it may cover topics including:
- Legal aspects of deciding child-related issues between parents
- Emotional aspects of separation and divorce on adults, and on children
- Family relationships and family dynamics
- Financial responsibilities to a child or children
- Information about spousal or child abuse and neglect, which the statute requires in every course
- Skill-based relationship education
- Particularized needs of children with identified special needs or emotional concerns
By statute, the course has to stay educational, not therapeutic or legal: Fla. Stat. § 61.21(2)(c) specifically says it is not designed to provide individual mental health therapy or individual legal advice, and providers are barred from soliciting participants to become private clients or patients. What you say during the course also stays out of your case: Fla. Stat. § 61.21(8) provides that information or statements made during the course cannot be used in the adjudication of your divorce, and no report from the session becomes part of your case record unless both parties agree in writing.
When You Must Complete It
Fla. Stat. § 61.21(5) sets specific deadlines. In a dissolution of marriage case:
- The petitioner must complete the course within 45 days after filing the petition.
- All other parties must complete it within 45 days after being served with the petition.
In a paternity action, the petitioner has 45 days from filing, and any other party has 45 days from an acknowledgment of paternity, an adjudication of paternity, or an order granting that party time-sharing or support. In every case, the course must be finished before the entry of a final judgment, and the court can excuse or extend the deadline for good cause under subsection (4)(b).
What It Costs
Fla. Stat. § 61.21(7) allows each approved provider to charge a reasonable fee, but the statute does not set a fixed statewide price, since providers set their own rates. Course fees for the required four hours tend to be modest, commonly falling somewhere in the rough range of $25 to $50, though this varies by provider and is not fixed by the state, so confirm current pricing directly with whichever approved provider you choose.
If cost is a barrier, Fla. Stat. § 61.21(3)(b) requires the Department of Children and Families to include at least one site per judicial circuit where the course can be completed on a sliding fee scale, where available.
Can You Take the Course Online?
Yes. Fla. Stat. § 61.21(3)(c) specifically requires the Department of Children and Families to approve at least one statewide course delivered through the Internet and one delivered through correspondence, without limiting the area of the state each is approved for. The statute's stated purpose for this is to make sure the course is available in the home county of every Florida resident, and to out-of-state parties who are subject to the requirement.
Each judicial circuit maintains its own list of Department of Children and Families approved providers and sites, so confirm your chosen course is currently approved before you pay for or complete it.
Florida DCF: Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course Providers
Filing Proof of Completion
Finishing the course is not the last step. Fla. Stat. § 61.21(5) requires each party to file proof of compliance with the court before the entry of the final judgment. In practice, your course provider issues a certificate of completion once you finish, and that certificate (or equivalent proof from the provider) needs to be filed with the clerk of the circuit court in your case before the judge can finalize your divorce. Build this into your timeline alongside the rest of your filing checklist; see our Florida Uncontested Divorce Checklist for how it fits into the overall process.
What Happens If You Don't Take the Course
Two separate consequences apply. First, absent a court excusal, the judge generally cannot enter a final judgment in your case until the required parties have completed the course and filed proof, which means skipping it can stall your entire divorce, even if you and your spouse agree on everything else. Second, Fla. Stat. § 61.21(9) gives the court authority to hold a parent who fails to attend a required course in contempt, or to deny that parent shared parental responsibility or time-sharing, or otherwise sanction them as the court deems appropriate.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Assuming only the parent who filed the case (the Petitioner) has to take the course
- Waiting until right before the final hearing to register, then missing the 45-day window
- Not confirming your chosen provider is currently on your judicial circuit's Department of Children and Families approved list
- Finishing the course but forgetting to file proof of completion with the clerk before requesting a final judgment
- Not selecting a special-needs-tailored course when your children qualify for one
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to take Florida's parenting course for divorce?
Under Fla. Stat. § 61.21, all parties to a dissolution of marriage proceeding with minor children, and all parties to a paternity action that involves issues of parental responsibility, must complete the Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course before the court can enter a final judgment. This applies to both parents, regardless of who filed the case, unless the court excuses a party for good cause.
How long is the Florida Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course?
By statute, the course must be a minimum of 4 hours. It is designed to educate parents on the consequences of divorce for parents and children, and covers topics including the legal and emotional aspects of separation, family dynamics, financial responsibilities to children, and information about abuse and neglect resources.
How much does the Florida parenting course cost?
Florida Statute 61.21(7) allows approved providers to charge a reasonable fee, and the exact price is set by each individual provider, not the state, so it varies. Course fees for the required four hours are typically modest, often in the range of roughly $25 to $50, though you should confirm current pricing with the specific provider you choose. The statute also requires the Department of Children and Families to include at least one sliding-fee-scale site per judicial circuit, where available, for parents who cannot afford the standard fee.
Can I take Florida's divorce parenting course online?
Yes. Florida Statute 61.21(3)(c) requires the Department of Children and Families to approve at least one statewide course offered through the Internet and one offered through correspondence, specifically so the course is available to every Florida resident and to out-of-state parties subject to the requirement. Check your judicial circuit's list of Department of Children and Families approved providers to confirm which online options are currently approved.
When do I have to complete the parenting course?
Under Fla. Stat. § 61.21(5), the petitioner must complete the course within 45 days after filing the petition, and every other party must complete it within 45 days after being served. In all cases, the course has to be finished, and proof filed with the court, before a judge can enter a final judgment, unless the court excuses or extends the requirement for good cause.
What happens if I don't complete the parenting course?
The court generally cannot enter a final judgment in your case until the required parties have completed the course and filed proof of compliance, unless excused for good cause. Beyond delaying your case, Fla. Stat. § 61.21(9) allows the court to hold a parent who fails to attend a required course in contempt, or to deny that parent shared parental responsibility or time-sharing, or otherwise sanction them as the court deems appropriate.
Do both parents have to take the class together?
No. Fla. Stat. § 61.21(10) specifically states that nothing in the statute requires the parties to a dissolution of marriage to attend a court-approved parenting course together. Each parent can complete their own approved course, in person or online, on their own schedule, as long as both finish within the required timeframe.
How Virdix Helps
Virdix flags the Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course requirement as soon as your case involves minor children, so it doesn't get missed, and keeps your other Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure forms, like your Parenting Plan (Form 12.995(a)), consistent with the rest of your filing. Virdix is a document preparation service, not a law firm, and does not provide legal advice about your specific parenting course requirement.
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This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Virdix is a document preparation service, not a law firm, and does not provide legal advice. Course providers, fees, and approved lists can change; always confirm current requirements with the Florida Department of Children and Families or your circuit court clerk. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed Florida attorney.
Sources: Fla. Stat. § 61.21, Florida Courts (flcourts.gov), Florida Department of Children and Families (myflfamilies.com)