Updated August 2026
Spousal Support in San Francisco County, California
A plain-language guide to spousal support in San Francisco County, from how temporary and long-term support are calculated to the forms you file at the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco and how to prepare your paperwork without hiring an attorney.
In San Francisco County, you file and hear spousal support requests in the Unified Family Court at the Civic Center Courthouse, 400 McAllister Street. The court uses the same Request for Order process used for other financial motions filed after a California family law case starts. San Francisco is one consolidated city and county, so there is one family law court for the whole area. You do not choose between courthouse branches.
Temporary spousal support means support ordered while a divorce or legal separation case is still pending. San Francisco Superior Court's local rules set a default guideline formula for it. Under Local Rule 11.7(A)(2)(b), the court uses the Santa Clara guideline schedule as the default for spousal support calculations in all family law departments. The court runs that calculation through the Xspouse program. Child support calculations in Title IV-D cases involving the Department of Child Support Services use that department's own Guidelines Calculator Program instead. Those cases are heard in Department 416.
Anyone asking for temporary spousal support in San Francisco must file and serve a Statement of Support Calculations at least five court days before the hearing. The statement lists gross income, tax filing status, timeshare, and other figures used in the guideline formula. A party who disagrees with the guideline result can ask the court to depart from it. That party must file a declaration that explains the requested amount and the facts supporting a different amount.
Long-term or permanent spousal support is decided at the end of a case, not while it is pending. It is not based on a formula. Statewide, Family Code section 4320 controls. That law lists factors such as the length of the marriage, each spouse's age and health, earning capacity, and the marital standard of living. The same statute applies in San Francisco as in the rest of California.
Where spousal support cases are heard in San Francisco County
Spousal support matters in San Francisco County are handled by the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, with the county seat in San Francisco. Because courthouse locations, hours, and local procedures change over time, use the official California Courts court finder to confirm current details for your case:
Find the San Francisco County Superior Court (official California Courts finder)
How spousal support works in California
California distinguishes between temporary spousal support, ordered while a case is pending, and long-term spousal support, ordered at judgment. For temporary support, many counties, including some large ones, have adopted a local guideline formula (commonly run through software like DissoMaster or XSpouse) that produces a presumptive number; other counties leave temporary support to the judge's discretion without a local formula.
Long-term spousal support, by contrast, has no formula anywhere in California. A judge weighs the factors in Family Code section 4320, including each spouse's earning capacity, the marital standard of living, the length of the marriage, and the supported spouse's ability to become self-supporting. Spousal support is requested with a Request for Order (Form FL-300) and an Income and Expense Declaration (Form FL-150), inside a divorce or legal separation case.
Local notes for San Francisco County
Self-represented filers in San Francisco can get help with paperwork through the ACCESS (Legal Self-Help) Center in Room 509 at 400 McAllister Street. This includes help with the Income and Expense Declaration (FL-150), which affects both the temporary guideline formula and any Statement of Support Calculations. The center has a Live Helpline at (415) 551-0605 on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. It also has a LiveChat for dissolution cases on the same three days from noon to 2:30 p.m. Staff can explain forms and give referrals. They do not calculate support for a party or give legal advice.
Family law filings at the Civic Center Courthouse are handled in Room 402. Clerk windows are open 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. A drop box is available during the midday closure. San Francisco Superior Court made electronic filing mandatory for civil and family law cases effective July 1, 2021. The court works with File & ServeXpress as its e-filing manager, along with other court-approved e-filing vendors. Paper filing at the window is generally still available for people who are not e-filing.
San Francisco's default guideline uses the Santa Clara schedule. It is not a county-specific formula created only for San Francisco. A few other Bay Area counties use the same general calculation approach, but each court applies it through its own local rule and approved software. Anyone asking for spousal support here should expect the calculation to run through Xspouse using the income figures both sides submit. The court can still depart from the result for good cause.
Official spousal support resources in San Francisco County
Civic Center Courthouse, Unified Family Court handles spousal-support filings, located at 400 McAllister Street, San Francisco 94102. Phone: (415) 551-3900.
The filing fee is $435 to $450. E-filing is available through https://www.fileandservexpress.com/san-francisco-superior-court/. San Francisco Superior Court expanded mandatory e-filing for civil and family law cases effective July 1, 2021. The court partners with File & ServeXpress as its e-filing manager; other approved vendors are listed on the court's e-filing service provider page. Family law e-filing questions go to UFCEfiling@sftc.org.
ACCESS (Legal Self-Help) Center (https://sf.courts.ca.gov/access-legal-self-help-center) can help with procedure and paperwork. Room 509, 400 McAllister Street. Live Helpline (415) 551-0605 Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. for family law, child support, and spousal support questions. LiveChat for dissolution cases Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 12:00 to 2:30 p.m. Gives legal information and referrals, not legal advice or representation. Local Rule 11.7(A)(2)(b) (Support Guidelines) applies; see https://sf.courts.ca.gov/system/files/local-rules/final-courts-proposed-changes-lrsf-effective-july-1-2025.pdf.
- San Francisco Superior Court: Spousal Support
- San Francisco Superior Court: Family Law
- ACCESS (Legal Self-Help) Center
- San Francisco Superior Court: E-Filing
- San Francisco Superior Court Local Rules (effective July 1, 2025)
- California Courts: Spousal or Partner Support
Local details reviewed August 2026. Offices and locations can change, so confirm with the official sites above before you file.
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San Francisco County Spousal Support FAQs
Where do I file for spousal support in San Francisco County?
Spousal support requests go through the Unified Family Court at the Civic Center Courthouse, 400 McAllister Street, Room 402. Filers use a Request for Order (FL-300) and an Income and Expense Declaration (FL-150). Clerk windows are open 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. San Francisco requires e-filing for most family law matters through File & ServeXpress or another court-approved vendor. Paper filing may still be available for people who are not e-filing.
What formula does San Francisco use for temporary spousal support?
Under Local Rule 11.7(A)(2)(b), San Francisco Superior Court uses the Santa Clara schedule as the default guideline for temporary spousal support in every family law department. The court calculates it with the Xspouse program. Either party can ask the court to depart from the guideline amount. That party must file a declaration that states the different amount requested and the factual and legal reasons for using it.
Do I need to submit anything besides the Request for Order to get temporary spousal support?
Yes. Local rule requires each party seeking a child or spousal support order to file and serve a Statement of Support Calculations at least five court days before the hearing. The statement shows the assumptions behind the number, including gross income, tax filing status, timeshare, and add-on expenses. This lets the guideline calculation be checked and, if needed, challenged at the hearing.
Where can I get help filling out spousal support paperwork in San Francisco?
The ACCESS (Legal Self-Help) Center at 400 McAllister Street, Room 509, helps self-represented filers with forms, including the Income and Expense Declaration. Call the Live Helpline at (415) 551-0605 Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. You can also use the dissolution LiveChat on the same days from noon to 2:30 p.m. Staff give procedural information and referrals. They do not give legal advice or case strategy.
Is long-term spousal support in San Francisco calculated with the same formula as temporary support?
No. The Santa Clara guideline formula and Xspouse calculation apply to temporary support while a case is pending. Long-term or permanent spousal support in a judgment uses the statewide Family Code section 4320 factors instead. These include the length of the marriage, each spouse's age, health, and earning capacity, and the marital standard of living. San Francisco courts weigh those factors the same way courts elsewhere in California do.
Which department hears spousal support requests in San Francisco County?
Requests for Order involving financial issues, including spousal support, are scheduled on the Law and Motion Calendar. They are assigned among San Francisco's family law departments. Title IV-D cases involving the Department of Child Support Services are heard separately in Department 416. Assignment can vary by case, so confirm your department and hearing date with the clerk after filing.
This page is general information about California spousal support procedure in San Francisco County, not legal advice for your situation. Amounts and duration depend on your specific facts and the judge's discretion; nothing here predicts an outcome in your case. Court locations, forms, and filing details change; always confirm current details with the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco or the official California self-help center resources. Virdix is not a law firm and is not a substitute for an attorney.
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