Serve the local child support agency your Request for Order

You can't serve papers yourself. Ask another adult – a server – to mail the papers.   

Your server must be: 

• 18 or over, and 

• Not part of your case 

Your server can be someone you know or a professional process server you pay. 

Your server must send or deliver the papers to the local child support agency at least 30 days before your court date. If you meet this deadline, the LCSA will serve the other parent for you.

⚠️ If you miss this 30-day deadline

You will have to have the LCSA and your child's other parent served at least 16 court days before your court date.  You will have to add 5 calendar days if you are having the papers served by mail.

How to calculate the deadline if you have to serve the LCSA and the other parent

Take out a calendar and find your court date (it’s listed on the first page of your Request for Order). 

1. Count backwards on the calendar 16 court days (Monday to Friday, not including any court holidays). Your court date is not counted (so it’s day “0”). 

2. If you're serving in person, when you get to the 16th day, that's your deadline (if it's not a holiday or weekend, or the next day that the court would be open if it is).

   • If you're serving by mail, count back 5 calendar days after the 16 calendar days (these can be weekends or holidays).

Your server needs to mail the papers before this date.

If your spouse or the other parent lives out of state or in another country, the deadline is sooner.

• Out-of-State: Mail the papers 16-court days plus 10 calendar days before your court date 
• Outside the United States: Mail the papers 16-court days plus 20 calendar days before your court date.

Your server can deliver the papers to the local child support agency either by

•  U.S. Mail
• In person

If your server mails the papers to the agency, you must also fill out and file a Declaration Regarding Address Verification (form FL-334). 

Your server can mail or hand deliver these papers to the local child support agency

• 2 copies of your Request for Orders (form FL-300) and any attachments 

• 2 copies of your Income and Expense Declaration (form FL-150) 

• Any other papers you filed

• If you filed one, 2 copies of the Declaration Regarding Address Verification (form FL-334)

Your server must also include a set of blank forms, so the other parent knows what to fill out:

• A blank Responsive Declaration to Request for Orders (form FL-320) 

• A blank Income and Expense Declaration (form FL-150) (if you filed one)

• If your server mailed the papers, you can use Proof of Service by Mail (form FL-335) 
• If your server personally served, you can use Proof of Personal Service (form FL-330)

For the Proof of service:

• You can fill in the top part of the form with the case and court information.
• Your server can then fill in the information about how, when, and where they mailed or delivered the papers.
• Your server must sign and date the form. 

• Make a copy of your Proof of Service 

• At least 5 days before your court date, file the original and copy with the court where you filed the papers. The court will stamp and return the copy. 

• Keep the copy of the Proof of Service for your records