Child Support in San Bernardino County, California

San Bernardino County is the largest county by land area in the continental United States, running from the dense Inland Empire cities in the south up to the High Desert communities near Victorville, and the court splits child support work between two districts to match. Per the court's own filing guide, the Family Law Division and Child Support Division of the San Bernardino District serve the valley communities such as San Bernardino, Colton, Redlands, and Yucaipa, while the Barstow District handles child support for the High Desert region, including Victorville, Hesperia, Apple Valley, Adelanto, and Big Bear. Families can also go through the San Bernardino County Department of Child Support Services, the county's local child support agency headquartered in Loma Linda.

Support in San Bernardino County, as everywhere in California, is set using the state's uniform guideline formula under Family Code section 4055. That formula combines both parents' net disposable incomes with the timeshare, the share of time the child spends with each parent, into a presumptively correct number. The size of the county doesn't change the math; the formula is identical whether the case is filed in the valley or up in the High Desert.

There are two routes to a support order. A parent already in a divorce, parentage, or custody case can file a Request for Order (Form FL-300) with an Income and Expense Declaration (Form FL-150) at the district serving their area. Alternatively, the county's Department of Child Support Services, operating within the statewide child support program, can open its own case to establish and enforce support. The forms are the same statewide; what's local to San Bernardino County is the two district split and the agency office you deal with.

Before choosing a courthouse or filing anything, it's worth estimating your number. Use our free California child support calculator. Parents who already agree on an amount can also submit a written stipulation for a judge's signature instead of litigating the issue.

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 San Bernardino 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 San Bernardino County

Child support in San Bernardino County is handled through the Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino, 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 San Bernardino County Superior Court (official California Courts finder)

Local notes for San Bernardino County

San Bernardino County's court publishes a "where can I file" guide that maps communities to districts, and it is worth checking before you file. Valley communities file family law and child support matters with the Family Law Division and Child Support Division of the San Bernardino District, while High Desert communities such as Victorville, Hesperia, Apple Valley, and Big Bear file child support matters with the Barstow District. The correct courthouse depends on where the parties or the child live, so confirm your district on the court's site first. The county's Department of Child Support Services is separate from the courts, with its main office in Loma Linda.

E-filing in San Bernardino family law cases has been permitted for all court users since February 26, 2024, but the court lists it as voluntary rather than mandatory, so paper filing remains available. Court self-help resources can help parents representing themselves fill out Form FL-150 and understand the filing process, but staff cannot advise you on the legal strategy for your case. Since the guideline number comes directly from the income figures on that form, accuracy there is what actually determines the outcome.

Child support in San Bernardino County generally lasts until the child turns 18, or 19 if the child is still a full-time high school student living at home and not self-supporting. Either parent can return to court to request a modification if income changes, a job is lost, or the custody timeshare shifts.

Official child support resources in San Bernardino County

The San Bernardino Superior Court divides child support filings between two districts. The Family Law Division and the Child Support Division of the San Bernardino District serve the valley region, including San Bernardino, Colton, Redlands, and Yucaipa, while the Barstow District handles child support for the High Desert region, including Victorville, Hesperia, Apple Valley, Adelanto, and Big Bear. The court's filing guide states the correct courthouse depends on where the parties or the child live.

The San Bernardino County Department of Child Support Services is the county's local child support agency, with its main office in Loma Linda. It can open a case to establish and enforce support without a parent preparing their own court filing.

The court's family law e-filing page states that effective February 26, 2024, all court users are permitted to file eligible documents electronically in family law cases; the court lists mandatory e-filing as not yet scheduled, so e-filing remains voluntary.

• San Bernardino County Department of Child Support Services
• San Bernardino Superior Court: family law division
• San Bernardino Superior Court: where can I file

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

San Bernardino County Child Support FAQs