FL-191 is the Child Support Case Registry Form that the Judicial Council of California publishes for use in the California superior courts. It gives the court information about a child support or family support order and about the parents named in the case. Both parents complete one, and the court clerk receives it together with the support order. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the official PDF and its instructions are published by the Judicial Council at courts.ca.gov.
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What is FL-191?
Form FL-191, Child Support Case Registry Form, is the Judicial Council of California form on which a parent or attorney reports the terms of a child or family support order, the children covered and the parent's own contact and employment details to the court.
The form is adopted for mandatory use under Family Code, § 4014. It is not placed in the court file. The form states that it is kept in a confidential file with the State of California, and the information sheet adds that the data goes into a national database that, among other things, is used to locate absent parents.
Page 1 records the support order: the date it was filed, whether it is an initial order or a modification, the monthly amounts for child, family and spousal support, additional monthly support, past-due support, payments on past-due support, and whether wage withholding was ordered. It also names the payer and the recipient. Page 2 lists the children and gives the parents' personal details, any domestic violence restraining, protective or nondisclosure order, and a signature under penalty of perjury. Pages 3 and 4 are an information sheet and are not delivered to the court.
The Judicial Council's self-help page lists translations of FL-191 in Chinese Simplified, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese. The form is not for people who receive spousal support only.
Who needs to file FL-191?
Both parents in a case with a child or family support order must complete a Child Support Case Registry Form. If you have an attorney, your attorney should complete it; the information sheet gives its instructions to people without an attorney.
- If you filed the court order, you deliver the completed form to the court clerk along with the order.
- If you did not file the order, you deliver the completed form yourself after you receive a copy of the order.
- If any information you gave earlier changes, you complete a new form and check Change to previous information.
You must complete the information about yourself. You are not required to provide information about the other parent, but the form encourages you to give what you know.
Do NOT complete the form if you receive spousal support only. An attorney for the mother checks the mother box, and an attorney for the father checks the father box.
When to file FL-191
When you file a court order, deliver the completed form to the court clerk along with that order. If you did not file the order, the form must reach the court clerk within 10 days of the date you received a copy of the support order.
Changes follow the same clock: any later change to the information on the form must be delivered to the court on another form within 10 days of the change. The form also stresses that you should keep the court informed in writing of any change of your address and telephone number. The form prints no other due date.
Documents you need
- The court order for support: deliver the completed form to the court clerk along with the order when you file it; the support details in items 1 to 4 come from this order.
- An additional sheet of paper listing the remaining children with their dates of birth and social security numbers, only if the support order covers more children than the item 4 lines hold.
- The restraining order, protective order or nondisclosure order, only if one is in effect; item 7 takes the people protected and the expiration date from it.
How to fill out FL-191
Complete the top of page 1
If the top section is blank, print your name, address, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address in the first box; attorneys add the State Bar number. Then give the county and the court's address as on the court order, and the names of the petitioner/plaintiff, respondent/defendant and other parent.
Check your role and form type
Check Mother or Father (an attorney checks the box for the parent represented). Check First form completed if this is your first FL-191, or Change to previous information if you are changing earlier information.
Enter the case number
Print the court case number in the CASE NUMBER box, as it appears on the court papers. Leave the court's stamp box blank.
Describe the order in item 1a and 1b
Item 1a: the date the order was filed, shown in the stamp box at the top of the order; leave it blank for the clerk if the order is not filed. Item 1b: check Initial child support or family support order or Modification.
Enter support amounts in item 1c
Check every type of current support the order provides in (1), using Reserved order or $0 (zero) order where the order says so. Use (2) for set additional monthly support, (3) for past-due support the order determined, and (4) for the amount ordered toward past-due support.
Mark wage withholding in item 1c(5)
Check ordered if withholding was ordered with no conditions, or ordered but stayed until and enter the date if it starts later. Check only one box.
Name the payer and the recipient
Item 2: the person required to pay support and that person's relationship to the child. Item 3: the person or agency that receives the payments and the relationship to the child, if applicable.
List the children in item 4
For each child in the order, enter the full name, date of birth and social security number. If there are more children than lines, check the box for additional children and attach another sheet.
Repeat names and case number on page 2
At the top of page 2, print the same names and case number as on page 1.
Enter your personal details in item 5 or 6
Use item 5 if you are the father and item 6 if you are the mother: name, date of birth, social security number, street and mailing addresses, driver's license number and state, telephone, and employment status with employer details if employed. Other-parent details are optional.
Answer item 7 on protective orders
If a restraining, protective or nondisclosure order due to domestic violence is in effect, check the item box. Then check who the order protects in 7a, who is restrained in 7b, and the expiration date in 7c.
Review, sign and download the PDF
Print your name, enter the date and sign under penalty of perjury. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF, then deliver pages 1 and 2 to the court clerk as described under How to submit.
How to submit FL-191
Deliver pages 1 and 2 of the completed form to the court clerk, together with the court order for support. The form names no other channel.
- Where: the address of the court clerk is the same as the one shown for the superior court on your order.
- What to deliver: pages 1 and 2, plus an extra sheet listing any children who do not fit in item 4. Do not deliver pages 3 and 4, the information sheet.
- Court stamp: leave the "COURT PERSONNEL: STAMP DATE RECEIVED HERE" box blank; the court uses it.
- Confidentiality: the form is not placed in the court file and is kept in a confidential file with the State of California.
The form prints no fee or processing time. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Delivering pages 3 and 4, the information sheet, to the court clerk; the form says only pages 1 and 2 are delivered.
- Missing the 10-day deadline after receiving a copy of a support order you did not file, or after a change in the information.
- Completing the form when you receive spousal support only; the instructions say not to.
- Including child care, special needs, uninsured medical expenses or travel for visitation in item 1c(1) instead of item 1c(2).
- Checking the additional support box in item 1c(2) when the order sets only a percentage, such as 50% of child care.
- Checking both wage withholding boxes in item 1c(5); the instructions say to check only one.
- Writing in the court's stamp box, which the court uses to date receipt, or in the item 1a date when the order has not been filed.
- Leaving out your own information in items 5 or 6, which you are required to complete, or signing without printing your name and dating the form.
- Writing a new set of details but checking First form completed instead of Change to previous information.
Frequently asked questions
What is form FL-191 used for?
FL-191 is the Child Support Case Registry Form. A parent or attorney uses it to give the California superior court the terms of a child or family support order, the children covered and the parent's contact and employment details. It is kept in a confidential state file, not the court file.
Who has to complete the Child Support Case Registry Form?
Both parents must each complete one; an attorney should complete it for a represented parent. You do not complete it if you receive spousal support only. You must give information about yourself and may add what you know about the other parent.
What is the deadline for delivering FL-191?
Deliver it with the court order when you file the order. If you did not file the order, the form must reach the court clerk within 10 days of the date you received a copy of the support order. Later changes are due on a new form within 10 days of the change.
Is FL-191 part of the public court file?
No. The form says it will not be placed in the court file and will be maintained in a confidential file with the State of California. The information goes into a national database used, among other things, to locate absent parents.
Where do I deliver the Child Support Case Registry Form?
To the court clerk, at the address shown for the superior court on your support order. Deliver pages 1 and 2 with the order; pages 3 and 4 are an information sheet and are not delivered. The form names no other delivery channel.
How do I update FL-191 if my information changes?
Complete a new FL-191, check Change to previous information, and deliver it to the court clerk within 10 days of the change. The form also tells you to keep the court informed in writing of any change of address or telephone number.
Can I fill out FL-191 online?
You can complete the fillable PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service, not affiliated with the Judicial Council, and does not file the form; you deliver it to the court clerk yourself.
Is there a Spanish version of FL-191?
Yes. The Judicial Council's self-help page offers FL-191 in Spanish, and also in Chinese Simplified, Korean, Tagalog and Vietnamese. This page covers the English form, Rev. July 1, 2005.
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