Child Support in Los Angeles County, California

Los Angeles County is the most populous county in the country, and its family courts and local child support agency handle an enormous number of support cases each year. If you live in Los Angeles, Long Beach, Santa Clarita, Glendale, Pomona, or any of the county's many other cities, a child support case runs through the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, and the county's Local Child Support Agency.

California sets child support using a statewide uniform guideline formula (Family Code section 4055). The number is based mainly on both parents' net disposable incomes and the share of time the child spends with each parent, known as the timeshare. The guideline amount is presumed correct, and Los Angeles County applies the same formula as every other county.

Support can be set in two ways. Either parent can file a Request for Order (Form FL-300) with an Income and Expense Declaration (Form FL-150) inside a divorce, parentage, or custody case, or the county's Local Child Support Agency, part of the California Department of Child Support Services, can open a case to establish and enforce support. Because Los Angeles County is so large, it runs family courthouses across several districts, so what varies locally is which courthouse and agency office serve your area, not the formula or the forms.

Since your number depends on income and timeshare, it is worth estimating first. Our free California Guideline Child Support Calculator at /tools/california-child-support-calculator gives you a starting figure, and parents who agree can submit a written stipulation for a judge to sign instead of going to a hearing.

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 Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles County

Child support in Los Angeles County is handled through the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, with the county seat in Los Angeles, 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 locations and the local agency office change over time, confirm current details using the official California Courts court finder:

Find the Los Angeles County Superior Court (official California Courts finder)

Local notes for Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County spreads family law cases across multiple courthouse districts, and its Local Child Support Agency operates its own offices for support cases. The correct filing location depends on where you and your child live, so confirm the courthouse with the official California Courts court finder and look up the county agency through the California Department of Child Support Services before you file.

Like every California county, Los Angeles offers self-help resources that help self-represented parents complete Form FL-150 and understand court procedure, but staff cannot give legal advice about your specific circumstances. Because the guideline result is driven by the income you report, completing the Income and Expense Declaration accurately is the most important part of the process.

Child support in California generally lasts until the child turns 18, or 19 if the child remains a full-time high school student living at home and is not self-supporting. Either parent can request a modification when circumstances change, such as a change in income or in the parenting timeshare.

Los Angeles County Child Support FAQs