Updated: 2026-06-11
Quick answer: Florida uses the income-shares model: both parents’ net monthly incomes are combined, matched to the state guidelines schedule in Florida Statute § 61.30, and split in proportion to what each earns. Parenting time changes the math once the parent with less time reaches at least 73 overnights a year (about 20%), which triggers a “gross-up” that raises the base obligation by 1.5 before it’s apportioned. The Florida Department of Revenue runs the child support program, payments flow through the State Disbursement Unit, and support generally ends at 18 — or until high school graduation, no later than 19. Florida has no free public state calculator, so estimates come from the § 61.30 schedule or the official guidelines worksheet.
Legal disclaimer: This article is general information, not legal advice. Child support rules and amounts change, and your case can vary from the guidelines. For your specific situation, consult a family-law attorney licensed in Florida.
Florida combines both parents’ incomes rather than looking at just one, and one feature catches many parents off guard: a single extra overnight, once you cross a threshold, can change the formula. This guide explains how the guidelines work, walks through an example, and points to every official place to apply, pay, and manage a case.
One quick clarification before the details: child support is separate from alimony, which is money paid to a former spouse. Child support is for the children, and the two are decided under different rules. This guide covers child support only.
Table of Contents
- How is child support calculated in Florida?
- What counts as income?
- How does parenting time affect child support?
- How much is child support in Florida? A worked example
- Does Florida child support include childcare and medical costs?
- How do you apply for child support in Florida?
- How do you pay child support in Florida?
- How do you check your Florida child support balance online?
- How do you modify a Florida child support order?
- What happens if you don’t pay child support in Florida?
- How long does child support last in Florida?
- Official Florida child support resources
- Frequently Asked Questions
How is child support calculated in Florida?
Florida uses the income-shares model, built on a simple idea: a child should receive the same share of the parents’ combined income that they would have if the family lived together. So instead of looking at one parent’s pay, Florida adds both parents’ incomes together and divides the resulting obligation between them.
The rules are set out in Florida Statute § 61.30. The calculation runs in steps:
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Find each parent’s net income | Start with monthly gross income, then subtract allowable deductions to get net income |
| 2. Combine the net incomes | Both parents’ net monthly incomes are added together |
| 3. Find the basic obligation | The combined net income and number of children are matched to Florida’s guidelines schedule |
| 4. Split by income share | Each parent is responsible for their own percentage of the combined net income |
| 5. Apply the timesharing rule and add-ons | If a parent has 73+ overnights, a gross-up applies; childcare and health costs are split by income share |
Florida works in monthly numbers. Because both incomes matter, the parent who earns more and has the children fewer overnights usually ends up paying — but the amount reflects both sides, not just the payer’s paycheck.
What counts as income?
Florida starts with gross income defined broadly under § 61.30(2): wages, salary, bonuses, commissions, overtime, self-employment income, rental and investment income, pensions, Social Security, unemployment, workers’ compensation, and more. From there it subtracts allowable deductions under § 61.30(3) to reach net income — income taxes, FICA, mandatory union dues, mandatory retirement, health-insurance premiums for the parent, and court-ordered support for other children or a former spouse actually being paid.
The result is each parent’s net monthly income, and the two are added for a combined figure. Because the deductions differ from person to person, two parents with the same salary can have different net incomes, which is why the worksheet matters.
How does parenting time affect child support?
This is Florida’s signature wrinkle. Under § 61.30(11)(b), parenting time changes the formula once the parent who has the children less of the time reaches at least 73 overnights a year — roughly 20% of the nights. That number is the trigger:
- Fewer than 73 overnights: the standard guideline calculation applies, with no timesharing adjustment.
- 73 or more overnights: Florida switches to the gross-up method. The basic obligation is multiplied by 1.5, then apportioned between the parents based on both their income shares and the exact percentage of overnights each one exercises.
Because the threshold is a hard line, the difference between 72 and 73 overnights can change the result noticeably. This is one reason timesharing schedules are negotiated so carefully in Florida. Our guide to how a 50/50 schedule affects support explains how an equal split changes the math.
How much is child support in Florida? A worked example
Because Florida blends both incomes, parenting time, and add-ons, there’s no single percentage to memorize. Here’s how the split works with simple monthly numbers, before the timesharing adjustment.
Say Parent A has $4,000 a month in net income and Parent B has $2,000, for a combined $6,000. Parent A brings in two-thirds of the total, so Parent A is responsible for two-thirds of the basic obligation and Parent B for one-third:
| Parent A | Parent B | |
|---|---|---|
| Net monthly income | $4,000 | $2,000 |
| Share of combined income | 67% | 33% |
| Share of a $1,200 basic obligation* | ~$800 | ~$400 |
*The $1,200 here is illustrative only. Your actual basic obligation comes from Florida’s § 61.30 schedule, and the 73-overnight gross-up then changes the result if it applies.
In this example, the parent with fewer overnights generally pays their share to the other parent. If that parent also has 73 or more overnights, the gross-up raises the base figure by 1.5 before the split, and each parent’s exact overnight percentage is factored in. Then each parent’s portion of childcare and health-insurance costs is added on the same income-share split. Florida does not publish a free public calculator; the official tool is the Child Support Guidelines Worksheet (Family Law Form 12.902(e)), which the court and the Department of Revenue use, and many family-law attorneys run certified software. Treat any estimate as just that — the court has the final say.
Does Florida child support include childcare and medical costs?
Yes. Two common expenses are added to the basic obligation and split between the parents by the same income-share percentages:
- Work-related childcare — daycare or after-school care a parent needs in order to work or look for work, covered under § 61.30(7).
- Health-insurance and uncovered medical costs — the child’s health-insurance premium and reasonable uninsured medical and dental costs, covered under § 61.30(8). The court must address health coverage for the child.
Each parent pays their share of these on top of the basic support number, which is why the total is usually higher than the schedule amount alone. Keep clear records of who pays what; our guide to documenting co-parenting expenses explains how to track reimbursements so they hold up if there’s ever a disagreement.
How do you apply for child support in Florida?
Florida is one of the states where child support is run by the Department of Revenue (DOR), not the attorney general or a separate child support agency. Opening a case is free, and either parent or a caregiver can apply.
The fastest route is online through Florida Child Support eServices; you’ll need a valid Social Security number and a Florida address. You can also visit a local child support office or mail a paper application. The DOR can locate a parent, establish paternity, set or modify an order, and enforce payment. Parents who already have an order from a divorce or paternity case can enroll it with the program so payments are processed and tracked by the state. If your case is part of a broader custody filing, our overview of how the custody court process works explains how the pieces fit together.
How do you pay child support in Florida?
All Florida child support payments run through the State Disbursement Unit (SDU), the state’s central processing center. You don’t pay the other parent directly — paying through the SDU creates the official record that the payment was made.
The most common method is an income deduction order (wage withholding), where the amount comes straight out of the paying parent’s paycheck. Parents can also pay on their own:
- Online by electronic check or card through the Florida child support payment site, using your Social Security number and case or depository number
- Through eServices, where you can pay and view your history in one place
- By mail or phone — the SDU line is (877) 769-0251 if you don’t know your depository number
Electronic payments post faster than a mailed check, so don’t wait until the due date if you’re paying manually.
How do you check your Florida child support balance online?
The DOR’s eServices portal is the central place to manage a case. Both parents can view payment history, check balances, update contact information, and find case details after registering.
Inside your account you can find your case number and depository number, which you’ll need for payments and for any call to the program. The portal is the quickest way to confirm a payment posted or check a balance without calling. For help by phone, the Florida Child Support Program publishes contact numbers on its Department of Revenue site, and your local office handles in-person questions.
How do you modify a Florida child support order?
A Florida order can be changed when circumstances change, and the state uses a clear math test. Under Florida Statute § 61.30(1)(b), the guidelines themselves can establish a substantial change when the difference between the existing monthly order and the amount a fresh guideline calculation produces is at least 15% or $50, whichever is greater.
That threshold gives parents a concrete reason to file — a 15%-or-more swing from a real income change, a new timesharing schedule, or a change in childcare or health costs usually clears the bar. You can ask the DOR to review your case or file with the court. One caution: support doesn’t change on its own when your income drops — the old amount keeps running until a new order is entered, so request a review promptly rather than waiting.
What happens if you don’t pay child support in Florida?
The Department of Revenue enforces support orders with a wide set of tools, and it can use most of them without a new court hearing. When payments fall behind, the state can:
- Withhold income directly from wages and other payments
- Suspend a driver’s license, vehicle registration, or professional license
- Intercept state and federal tax refunds and lottery winnings
- Place liens on property, bank accounts, and other assets
- Report the debt to credit bureaus
- Deny or revoke a U.S. passport when arrears reach $2,500
- Pursue the case in court, including a contempt action that can carry jail time
If you genuinely can’t pay, the right move is to request a modification, not to stop paying — unpaid Florida support keeps adding up and can’t be erased in bankruptcy. The Department of Revenue’s child support site lays out the enforcement steps in detail.
How long does child support last in Florida?
Florida generally ends support at 18, with two main exceptions, and it does not require parents to pay for college. The duration rules sit in Florida Statutes § 743.07 and § 61.13:
- Still in high school: support can continue past 18 if the child is between 18 and 19, still in high school, and performing in good faith with a reasonable expectation of graduating before turning 19. It ends at graduation, and 19 is the ceiling.
- A disabled adult child: support can continue indefinitely if the child is dependent because of a mental or physical incapacity that began before age 18.
- Earlier end: support ends if the child marries, joins the military, or otherwise becomes emancipated.
No college obligation applies — once support ends, Florida does not require a parent to fund post-secondary education as part of a child support order. Parents moving from a state with a higher age are often surprised that Florida stops at 18 or 19.
Official Florida child support resources
Every link below goes to an official Florida source — the Department of Revenue, the State Disbursement Unit’s payment site, or the statutes. Bookmark the ones you’ll use.
| Resource | What it’s for | Official link |
|---|---|---|
| DOR Child Support Program | Open a case, find local offices | floridarevenue.com/childsupport |
| Child Support eServices | Apply, pay, view your case | childsupport.floridarevenue.com |
| Payment site (SDU) | Make a payment online | fl.smartchildsupport.com |
| Florida Statute § 61.30 | The guidelines, schedule, and 73-overnight rule | flsenate.gov 61.30 |
| Florida Statute § 743.07 | When support can extend past 18 | flsenate.gov 743.07 |
| State Disbursement Unit | Payment questions | (877) 769-0251 |
If you and the other parent can agree on the numbers, a written agreement reviewed by the court is faster and cheaper than a contested case; our guides to reaching a custody agreement without a court fight and how a 50/50 schedule affects support are good starting points. Comparing states? See our guides to child support in Colorado and child support in California, which use different income-shares and formula approaches, and child support in Texas, which uses a flat percentage of the paying parent’s income. For how every state’s rules compare, see our child support by state overview.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is child support calculated in Florida?
Florida uses the income-shares model under Statute § 61.30. Both parents’ net monthly incomes are added together and matched to the state guidelines schedule to find a basic obligation, which is then split between the parents in proportion to their incomes. If the parent with less time has at least 73 overnights a year, a gross-up adjustment raises the base obligation by 1.5 before the split, and childcare and health-insurance costs are added on the same proportional split.
How much is child support for one child in Florida?
There’s no flat percentage — the amount depends on both parents’ combined net income, the timesharing schedule, and add-ons like childcare and health insurance. The basic obligation comes from the § 61.30 schedule and rises with combined income. The only reliable figure comes from running your actual numbers through the guidelines worksheet, because the 73-overnight rule and the deductions that set net income can move the result.
What is the 73-overnight rule in Florida child support?
It’s the threshold where parenting time starts changing the formula. When the parent who has the children less of the time reaches at least 73 overnights a year — about 20% of nights — Florida switches to the gross-up method under § 61.30(11)(b): the basic obligation is multiplied by 1.5, then apportioned by income and by each parent’s exact share of overnights. Below 73 overnights, the standard calculation applies with no adjustment.
Do you still pay child support with 50/50 custody in Florida?
Often, but less. With an equal timesharing schedule, both parents are well past the 73-overnight threshold, so the gross-up applies and each parent’s overnight percentage is factored in. When parents split time equally and earn similar incomes, the support transfer can be small or close to zero. When one parent earns significantly more, that parent usually still pays something even with equal time, because the formula evens out the children’s standard of living between two homes.
At what age does child support end in Florida?
Usually 18. Florida support generally ends at the child’s 18th birthday, but it can continue if the child is between 18 and 19, still in high school, and on track to graduate before turning 19 — ending at graduation, with 19 as the ceiling. It can also continue for an adult child who is dependent because of a disability that began before 18, and it ends earlier if the child marries or otherwise becomes emancipated.
Does Florida child support cover college or daycare?
Daycare, yes — work-related childcare is added to the obligation and split between the parents by income share. College, no — Florida support generally ends at 18 or upon high school graduation, and the state does not require parents to pay for college or post-secondary education as part of a child support order.
Who runs child support in Florida?
The Florida Department of Revenue (DOR) Child Support Program administers child support statewide — applications, payment processing through the State Disbursement Unit, and enforcement. That’s different from many states, where the attorney general’s office or a separate child support agency runs the program. You apply and manage your case through the DOR’s eServices portal.
What happens if you don’t pay child support in Florida?
The Department of Revenue can withhold wages, suspend a driver’s license, vehicle registration, or professional license, intercept tax refunds and lottery winnings, place liens, levy bank accounts, report the debt to credit bureaus, deny a passport once arrears reach $2,500, and pursue contempt that can carry jail time. Unpaid support keeps accruing and can’t be discharged in bankruptcy, so request a modification if you can’t keep up rather than letting a balance build.
Note: This article is general information, not legal advice. Child support laws and amounts change, and individual cases vary. For decisions about your specific situation, consult a family-law attorney licensed in Florida.
