Northern California

    Updated July 2026

    Child Support in Lake County, California

    A plain-language guide to child support in Lake County, from California's statewide guideline formula to the forms you file at the Superior Court of California, County of Lake and how to prepare your paperwork without hiring an attorney.

    A parent preparing a child support filing in Lake County

    Lake County child support can involve three towns: the courthouse in Lakeport, a self-help branch office in Clearlake, and the child support agency in Kelseyville. The Superior Court of California, County of Lake, Lakeport Courthouse, is at 255 North Forbes Street, 4th Floor, Room 417, Lakeport, 95453, phone (707) 263-2374. You file a family law case there no matter which town is closest to you.

    The Lake County Local Child Support Agency is not at the courthouse. It is based at 3980 Gard St. in Kelseyville. That office handles parentage establishment, guideline calculations, and collecting or enforcing support payments directly for Lake County cases.

    Lake County uses California's single statewide formula, Family Code section 4055, based on each parent's net income and share of parenting time. Try the guideline calculator online first. It will give you a number close to what the court or the agency in Kelseyville would calculate. Then file a Request for Order (FL-300) with an Income and Expense Declaration (FL-150) at the Lakeport courthouse, or ask the agency in Kelseyville to open a case instead.

    The court offers electronic filing for Adoptions, Civil, Family Law, Probate, and Small Claims cases. Before driving to Lakeport, ask the clerk if you can e-file a child support Request for Order.

    Estimate your Lake County child support

    California uses one statewide guideline formula, so you can get an estimate for a Lake County case with our free calculator before you file.

    Open the California guideline child support calculator

    How child support is calculated in California

    California sets child support with a statewide uniform guideline (Family Code section 4055) that applies the same way in Lake County as everywhere else. The formula is based mainly on two things:

    1. Both parents' net disposable incomes.
    2. The percentage of time the child spends with each parent (the timeshare).

    The guideline amount is presumed to be correct, and courts use a calculator to run the numbers. Because the result depends on accurate income, the Income and Expense Declaration (Form FL-150) you file is what drives your number.

    Where child support cases are handled in Lake County

    Child support in Lake County is handled through the Superior Court of California, County of Lake, and the county's Local Child Support Agency, which is part of the California Department of Child Support Services. There are two common paths:

    1. Either parent files a Request for Order (Form FL-300) with an Income and Expense Declaration (Form FL-150) inside a divorce, parentage, or custody case.
    2. The Local Child Support Agency opens a case to establish, collect, and enforce support, often at no cost to the parents.

    Because courthouse and local agency office details change over time, confirm current details using the official California Courts court finder:

    Find the Lake County Superior Court (official California Courts finder)

    Local notes for Lake County

    If you need in-person self-help and Lakeport is a long drive, Lake County has a second location. The Self-Help Center's Clearlake Branch, at 7000-A South Center Drive, phone (707) 994-4612, means you may not need to go to the county seat for help with forms. The court does not fully explain online which courthouse location handles each filing type, so call either office before you go.

    Keep the three locations separate: Lakeport for court filings, Clearlake for self-help assistance, and Kelseyville for the child support agency itself. The court's site does not say if a commissioner or a judge usually hears support matters in Lake County, so ask when you arrive for a hearing.

    Parents who split time between the Lakeport and Clearlake sides of the county sometimes think the branch office in Clearlake can accept filings directly. It cannot. It is a self-help resource, not a filing window, so every document still needs to reach the Lakeport courthouse or go through the agency in Kelseyville.

    Official child support resources in Lake County

    Superior Court of California, County of Lake (Lakeport Courthouse) handles child-support filings, located at 255 North Forbes Street, 4th Floor, Room 417, Lakeport 95453. Phone: (707) 263-2374. Lake County Self-Help Center (Clearlake Branch) at 7000-A South Center Drive handles self-help services; phone (707) 994-4612.

    E-filing is available. The court offers electronic filing in Adoptions, Civil, Family Law, Probate, and Small Claims cases.

    Lake County Self-Help Center / Family Law Facilitator (https://lake.courts.ca.gov/) can help with procedure and paperwork. Helps self-represented parents with forms and procedure; cannot give legal advice for your situation.

    Local details reviewed August 2026. Offices and locations can change, so confirm with the official sites above before you file.

    Guides and tools for your Lake County child support case

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    Lake County Child Support FAQs

    Where do I file for child support in Lake County?

    File a Request for Order (FL-300) with an Income and Expense Declaration (FL-150) at the Lakeport Courthouse, 255 North Forbes Street, 4th Floor, Room 417, Lakeport. If you want to open a case through the county agency instead, contact the Lake County Local Child Support Agency at 3980 Gard St. in Kelseyville.

    Where is the Lake County self-help center for family law?

    There is a branch location in Clearlake at 7000-A South Center Drive, phone (707) 994-4612, plus resources connected to the Lakeport courthouse. People on the Clearlake side of the county do not always need to drive to Lakeport for help with forms.

    Why is the Lake County child support agency in Kelseyville instead of Lakeport?

    The Lake County Local Child Support Agency operates as its own office, separate from the courthouse. It is based at 3980 Gard St. in Kelseyville rather than at the Lakeport courthouse. The agency handles parentage, guideline calculations, and collection or enforcement of support directly.

    Can I e-file my child support paperwork in Lake County?

    The court offers electronic filing for family law cases and other case types, so e-filing a child support Request for Order is likely an option. Call (707) 263-2374 to confirm the current vendor and process before you depend on it.

    How is child support calculated in Lake County?

    Lake County follows California's statewide guideline formula, Family Code section 4055. The formula uses each parent's net income and the percentage of time the child spends with each parent. The free calculator at childsupport.ca.gov/guideline-calculator gives an estimate before you file.

    What if I can't afford the filing fee for child support in Lake County?

    Bring a Request to Waive Court Fees (FW-001) with your Request for Order at the Lakeport courthouse. Either self-help location, Lakeport or the Clearlake branch, can help you fix the paperwork before you file it.

    How do I modify a child support order in Lake County?

    File a new Request for Order (FL-300) with an updated Income and Expense Declaration (FL-150) at the Lakeport courthouse. Explain what has changed since the existing order. If the Lake County Local Child Support Agency in Kelseyville already enforces your case, you can ask the agency to open a review instead. In either process, keep a copy of the current order handy. The clerk or the agency will want to see what is already in place before processing a change.

    This page is general information about California child support procedure in Lake County, not legal advice for your situation. The calculator provides an estimate only, and the court determines the actual guideline amount. Court locations, agency offices, and filing details change; always confirm current details with the Superior Court of California, County of Lake or the official California self-help center resources. Virdix is not a law firm and is not a substitute for an attorney.

    Child support guides for nearby counties

    Butte CountyShasta CountyHumboldt CountyMendocino CountyTehama CountySiskiyou County
    Filing for divorce in Lake County? See the local divorce guide.Working out custody in Lake County? See the local custody guide.Dealing with domestic violence in Lake County? See the local restraining order guide.Working out spousal support in Lake County? See the local spousal support guide.Preparing for a family court hearing in Lake County? See the local hearings guide.

    Start my Lake County child support paperwork

    Virdix guides you through the Judicial Council forms your child support case needs, so your paperwork is complete and consistent before you file.

    If the court clerk rejects a document we prepared, we fix it for free until it's accepted. See how the guarantee works