Florida law requires you to give the court your Social Security number in most family law cases, but it also treats that number as confidential information. Form 12.902(j), Notice of Social Security Number, is how Florida resolves that contradiction: it lets you disclose the number on a standalone page instead of writing it into a pleading that anyone can pull up in the case file.
Quick Answer: Form 12.902(j), Notice of Social Security Number, is a short Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure form filed by each party in a dissolution of marriage, paternity, or child support case to disclose their Social Security number to the court. It exists because Social Security numbers are confidential under Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420, so the form keeps that number off the public-facing petition and other pleadings.
What Is Form 12.902(j)?
Form 12.902(j), Notice of Social Security Number, is a Florida Supreme Court approved Family Law Rules of Procedure form published by the Florida Courts (revised 06/18). It is one of the "Additional Supporting Documents" in the 12.902 form series, alongside the Family Law Financial Affidavit and the Marital Settlement Agreement.
Its job is narrow and specific: it is the vehicle for putting your Social Security number in front of the court without putting it in front of the public.
Download the official Form 12.902(j) (PDF, Florida Courts)
Who Must File a Notice of Social Security Number
Florida Statutes require each party's Social Security number to be provided to the court in specific family law case types, including:
- Dissolution of marriage cases, whether or not the case involves minor or dependent children or marital property
- Paternity cases
- Child support cases
This requirement traces to several sections of Chapter 61 and Chapter 742, Florida Statutes, that direct the disclosure of Social Security numbers for family law case administration and the state's child support enforcement program. Because the requirement applies to "each party," both the Petitioner and the Respondent file their own Form 12.902(j); one spouse's filing does not satisfy the requirement for the other.
Why Your SSN Gets Its Own Form
Most documents filed in a Florida family law case, like the petition, financial affidavit, and parenting plan, become part of the case file that the public and other parties can generally access. Social Security numbers are different. Under Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420, Social Security numbers are classified as confidential information, meaning they are not supposed to be visible in the public record even though the underlying case may otherwise be a matter of public record.
Florida resolves that tension with a workaround: instead of writing your Social Security number directly on the petition or another pleading, you write it once, on Form 12.902(j), and file that single-purpose document separately. The rest of your case file never has to display the number at all.
What Form 12.902(j) Asks For
Form 12.902(j) is deliberately brief. It asks the filing party to provide, under oath:
- The names of the parties and the case number (once assigned)
- The filing party's full Social Security number
- A sworn statement affirming that the information provided is true, subject to the penalties that apply to false statements made under oath
Because you are swearing to the accuracy of the information, treat this form with the same care as any other sworn court filing. The current form is signed before a notary public or deputy clerk, who witnesses your signature and completes the acknowledgment block, so do not sign it in advance; many clerk's offices can notarize it for you when you file.
Filing It as a Confidential Document
Filing Form 12.902(j) is not, by itself, always enough to keep a Social Security number out of a public file in every circuit. Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420(d)(1) generally requires a party to also file a Notice of Confidential Information Within Court Filing whenever a document contains information the rule designates as confidential, which flags the filing so the clerk's office handles it accordingly rather than placing it in the publicly viewable portion of the case file.
Procedures for pairing a Notice of Confidential Information Within Court Filing with Form 12.902(j) can vary by circuit and by e-filing portal. Confirm the current local requirement with your circuit court clerk before you file, since this guide cannot track every circuit's exact procedure in real time.
When to File Form 12.902(j)
Form 12.902(j) is generally filed early in the case, around the same time as your initiating pleading:
- If you are the Petitioner, you typically file your Notice of Social Security Number along with, or shortly after, your Petition for Dissolution of Marriage.
- If you are the Respondent, you typically file yours around the time you file your Answer or other initial response.
If your case is a joint simplified dissolution under Form 12.901(a), both spouses file the petition together, and each still files their own separate Notice of Social Security Number as part of that same initial filing package.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Writing your Social Security number directly on the petition, financial affidavit, or another pleading instead of using the separate Form 12.902(j)
- Assuming one spouse's filing covers both parties; each party files their own
- Forgetting to also file a Notice of Confidential Information Within Court Filing where your circuit requires one
- Leaving the form out of your filing package entirely because it feels optional; the underlying statutory disclosure requirement is not optional
- Filing an incomplete or unsworn version of the form, since the information is provided under oath
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Florida Form 12.902(j)?
Form 12.902(j), Notice of Social Security Number, is a Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure form that lets each party in a dissolution of marriage, paternity, or child support case disclose their Social Security number to the court in a standalone document, instead of writing it directly on the petition or another pleading that becomes part of the public case file.
Do I have to disclose my Social Security number in a Florida divorce?
Yes. Florida Statutes (section 61.052(7)-(8)) require each party in a dissolution of marriage case to provide their Social Security number to the court, whether or not the case involves minor children or property. It is used for the state's child support enforcement and case identification systems.
Is my Social Security number public once I file it with the court?
No, not if you file it correctly. Social Security numbers are confidential under Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420. Form 12.902(j) exists specifically so your number is filed on its own page, marked confidential, rather than embedded inside a pleading that anyone can view in the public case file.
Do both spouses file a Notice of Social Security Number?
Yes. Each party in the case, Petitioner and Respondent, files their own Form 12.902(j) disclosing their own Social Security number. One spouse's filing does not cover the other.
Is Form 12.902(j) required if we have no children or property?
Yes. The Social Security number disclosure requirement applies in dissolution of marriage cases regardless of whether the case involves minor or dependent children or marital property, and it also applies in paternity and child support cases.
What is a Notice of Confidential Information Within Court Filing, and do I need one too?
It is a separate cover notice required by Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420(d)(1) whenever a filing contains confidential information, such as a Social Security number. Filing it alongside Form 12.902(j) flags the document to the clerk so it is maintained as confidential rather than placed in the publicly viewable court file. Check with your circuit clerk's office on the current local procedure for pairing these two filings.
Can Virdix help me prepare Florida Form 12.902(j)?
Yes. Virdix identifies which supporting forms your Florida case needs, including Form 12.902(j), and prepares them from your answers alongside your petition and other required paperwork. Virdix is a document preparation service, not a law firm, and does not provide legal advice.
How Virdix Helps
Virdix identifies which supporting Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure forms your case needs, including Form 12.902(j), and prepares them from your answers alongside your petition and other required paperwork, so nothing gets left out of your filing package. Start free. Pay once, only when your documents are ready. See Divorce in Florida on Virdix for the full picture of what Virdix covers in Florida today.
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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. Forms, fees, and procedures can change; always confirm current information with the Florida Courts or your circuit court clerk. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed Florida attorney.
Sources: Florida Courts (flcourts.gov), Instructions for Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure Form 12.902(j) (06/18), Florida Rules of Judicial Administration Rule 2.420, Chapters 61 and 742, Florida Statutes