How to Set Up Child Support Online in Ontario Without Going to Court

Can you set up child support in Ontario without going to court?

Yes, if your case qualifies. Ontario's Ministry of the Attorney General operates the Child Support Service, an online process that can establish child support for eligible separated parents or caregivers without a court hearing.

The first action is to check whether your family meets the service's eligibility conditions. For an initial calculation, you should also speak with the other parent or caregiver because their consent is required.

The official starting point is Ontario's Set up or update child support online service. The service calculates support using the applicable child support tables and income information.

The application fee is $80 for each participating applicant, subject to a possible low-income fee waiver. The province does not publish one fixed processing time for the complete application.

Who can use the online Child Support Service?

Ontario's service is designed for relatively straightforward cases where child support can be calculated administratively from the information provided.

You may qualify if:

• Both parents or caregivers and all children involved live in Ontario.
• The parents or caregivers live separate and apart.
• One parent or caregiver has the child or children at least 60% of the time.
• The children meet the service's age and marital-status requirements.
• The paying parent's income can be handled under the service's calculation rules.
• For a new child support arrangement, the other parent or caregiver agrees to participate.

Parents may be considered separated even while living in the same home if they genuinely live separate and apart. Relevant circumstances can include separate sleeping areas, separate daily routines and an intention to live independently.

When is the online service unavailable?

The online service cannot be used in several situations, including:

• Either parent or caregiver, or any child in the application, lives outside Ontario.
• A child is older than 17.5 years or is married.
• The parents have shared or split parenting time rather than one parent having the child at least 60% of the time.
• The paying parent is self-employed, receives income in cash, or is a partner or majority shareholder of a business.
• The paying parent's annual income is below $12,000 or above $150,000.
• The paying parent receives most of their income from being a landlord or seasonal worker.
• The income calculation includes a deduction for union dues.
• An existing support order being updated was based on undue hardship or imputed income.
• An existing support amount being recalculated includes post-secondary education expenses.

Some exclusions specifically concern recalculating existing arrangements, while others apply to establishing support for the first time. Review the official eligibility information before paying a non-refundable fee.

Which child support arrangement method should you choose?

Ontario recognizes different ways to establish child support. The appropriate route depends on whether the case is eligible for administrative calculation and whether the parents can cooperate.

For example, separated Ontario parents whose child lives primarily with one parent and whose income circumstances fit the online service may choose the administrative route. If the parents share parenting time equally or the paying parent is self-employed, the online service is not the appropriate route.

Ontario also explains the available methods of arranging child support.

What documents and information do you need?

The online application asks for information about the adults, children and financial circumstances. Prepare these details before starting:

• Your Social Insurance Number or Temporary Tax Number.
• The other parent's or caregiver's current mailing address.
• Names, dates of birth and contact details requested for the family members involved.
• Contact information for the paying parent's workplace payroll representative, when applicable.
• Relevant existing court order, separation agreement or Notice of Calculation or Recalculation, if one exists.
• Information about income and any eligible special expenses included in the application.

What income evidence is accepted?

The service may obtain income information directly from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) when the required consent is provided. Depending on the circumstances, alternative income evidence may be needed.

If the relevant person did not file an income tax return for the previous year, or that return does not reflect current income, the province identifies alternatives such as:

• The three most recent pay statements.
• The most recent statement of income from Employment Insurance, social assistance, a pension, workers' compensation or disability payments.

Choose the income evidence that accurately reflects the situation and follow the instructions provided by the online service. If the recipient believes the paying parent's income cannot be accurately established from tax records or pay statements, the online service may not be appropriate.

How to apply for child support online in Ontario

1. Review the eligibility conditions. Check Ontario residence, the children's ages, parenting time and the paying parent's employment and income.
2. Contact the other parent or caregiver. Confirm they are willing to use the service for a first-time calculation.
3. Visit the official provincial service. Open Set up or update child support online and follow the link to start an application.
4. Enter the requested family information. Provide the details about the parents or caregivers, children and support circumstances.
5. Complete income authorization. Provide consent for CRA income information or the alternative proof requested by the service.
6. Pay or request a fee waiver. Complete the payment or low-income waiver portion of the application.
7. Allow the other parent to respond. The service sends an invitation by mail after an eligible application is received.
8. Wait for the calculation. If all requirements are satisfied, the service issues the Notice of Calculation and sends it to both parties.

This is an online administrative process. It is not the same as electronically filing a family court application.

What happens after the first parent applies?

When the application is eligible to proceed, the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General notifies the other parent or caregiver by mail.

The responding person must use the online service and respond within 25 calendar days from the date specified in the invitation letter. The invitation contains an identification number needed for the response.

The responding parent or caregiver must provide the required information, confirm the relevant details, consent to the calculation and income-information process, and pay the applicable fee or obtain a waiver.

For an initial calculation, the responding parent can refuse to use the online service. If they do, the initial application cannot be completed through this administrative route.

What if the other parent does not agree or misses the deadline?

For a first-time child support calculation, consent matters. If the other parent refuses or does not provide the required consent within the applicable period, the service cannot establish the initial arrangement through that application.

The parents may instead negotiate a written agreement or use the family court process.

Different non-response rules can apply when the service is recalculating an existing child support arrangement. Those rules should not be confused with the consent requirement for establishing support for the first time.

If you are dealing with an existing support amount rather than setting one up for the first time, the related procedure on changing child support in Ontario explains that separate situation.

How much does it cost to set up child support online?

The Ontario Child Support Service charges a non-refundable $80 application fee to each participating applicant.

The service accepts Visa Debit, Debit Mastercard and credit cards.

A fee waiver may be available when the applicant's household meets the service's low-income requirements. The waiver request is available within the online application.

The fee is not automatically refunded if the application cannot be processed because information was inaccurate, including when the responding parent disputes the accuracy of the initial application.

Check the official Child Support Service fee information before submitting.

How is the child support amount calculated?

The calculation generally uses the applicable child support tables and information such as:

• The number of children.
• The province or territory relevant to the paying parent's support calculation.
• The paying parent's annual income.
• Any eligible special expenses that can be included under the service's rules.

Ontario applies the 2025 federal child support tables to child support matters from October 1, 2025. Notices of Calculation issued by the service on or after that date use the updated amounts.

The exact amount cannot be determined from the number of children alone. The paying parent's verified income and the applicable table must be considered.

For a preliminary estimate, Ontario directs parents to the federal child support calculator through its Arranging child support guidance. An estimate does not replace the official Notice of Calculation.

What happens when the application is approved?

Once the required information is received and the service completes the calculation, both parents or caregivers are mailed a Notice of Calculation.

The notice identifies the child support arrangement and the amount to be paid. It has an enforceable effect similar to a court order for child support.

The service automatically sends a copy to Ontario's Family Responsibility Office (FRO), which administers and enforces support obligations.

The Family Responsibility Office does not decide parenting-time disputes or independently change the support amount. Its role is to administer and enforce the support arrangement.

For information about payment administration and enforcement, consult Ontario's child and spousal support guidance.

What if your application is rejected or cannot be completed?

The online process may not proceed when the family does not meet eligibility rules, the responding parent does not consent, required information is missing or the application contains inaccurate details.

If you receive a notice requesting information or explaining why the application cannot proceed, review the specific reason before taking another step. Do not assume that paying the fee guarantees a calculation.

For help with an existing online application, contact the Child Support Service Contact Centre at 1-866-656-7753.

If the service is unavailable for your situation, Ontario identifies two alternatives:

• Written agreement: the parents can establish child support through an agreement signed before a witness. Review Ontario's written-agreement process.
• Family court: a parent or caregiver may seek a child support order through the court process. Review Ontario's court procedure.

These alternatives have different documentation, costs and legal requirements. A failed online application does not automatically create a court proceeding.

Common mistakes that delay or prevent a calculation

• Applying without the other parent's agreement: initial calculations require the responding person's consent.
• Using the service for shared parenting time: the service requires one parent or caregiver to have the children at least 60% of the time.
• Overlooking residence requirements: everyone included in the application must live in Ontario.
• Entering an incorrect mailing address: the other parent receives their invitation by mail.
• Using outdated income evidence: the information must be appropriate for the calculation.
• Ignoring the response deadline: the responding parent must act within the specified 25-calendar-day period.
• Assuming the fee is refundable: the $80 application fee is non-refundable, subject to the applicable waiver process.
• Confusing a new calculation with a recalculation: existing arrangements have different rules in some circumstances.

Official services and further assistance

Use the following Ontario government resources to confirm eligibility and choose the correct process:

• Set up or update child support online.
• Arranging child support.
• Set up child support through a written agreement.
• Set up child support in court.
• Child and spousal support enforcement.

For questions about the online service, call 1-866-656-7753. The published toll-free TTY number in Canada is 1-800-263-7776.