The California visitation verification form, officially DCSS 0053, is the one-page document the Department of Child Support Services uses to record how many hours a child spends with each parent over the past twelve months.1California Child Support Services. Visitation Verification Those hours feed directly into the timeshare percentage that drives California’s child support formula, so what you write on this form can move a monthly support obligation by hundreds of dollars. Fill it out from real records, sign it, and return it to the local child support agency handling your case.
Where to Get the Form
You can download DCSS 0053 as a PDF from the California Child Support Services website, in English or Spanish.1California Child Support Services. Visitation Verification If you already have an open case, the agency may mail it to you with a cover letter explaining why they need the information. A blank copy is also available at any of the 47 local child support agency offices in the state.2California Department of Child Support Services. About the California Department of Child Support Services To find the office handling your case, use the agency locator at childsupport.ca.gov/find-my-local-agency.3California Child Support Services. Find a Local Office
Filling Out Part 1: The Twelve-Month Hours Chart
Part 1 asks the noncustodial parent to report the total number of hours spent with the child during each of the last twelve months.1California Child Support Services. Visitation Verification The chart has one row per month with a column for the month and year and a column for hours. You total all twelve months at the bottom. If visitation differs for each child, complete a separate form for each.
This is where most people stumble. The agency wants hours, not descriptions like “every other weekend.” Translate your schedule into actual numbers. A standard every-other-weekend arrangement running Friday 6 p.m. through Sunday 6 p.m. is 48 hours per visit. Two of those in a month is 96 hours. Add midweek dinners, holiday time, and vacation blocks on top.
If you haven’t kept a calendar, rebuild your schedule from whatever records you have. Text messages about pickups and drop-offs, school sign-in and sign-out records, medical appointment histories, and shared digital calendars can all pin down specific dates. The tighter your count, the less likely the caseworker will come back with questions.
Filling Out Part 2: Your Custody and Visitation Details
Part 2 captures the shape of your arrangement. Start by checking one of three boxes: Shared Custody, Visitation Only, or Neither.1California Child Support Services. Visitation Verification Shared Custody means both parents have significant, roughly comparable time. Visitation Only means one parent has primary custody and the other has scheduled parenting time. Neither means the noncustodial parent currently has no contact.
Then write in your regular visitation schedule by day of the week with start and end times, circling a.m. or p.m. for each. The form asks four yes-or-no questions about specific categories of time:
- Vacation visitation outside the normal routine, with dates and times
- Summer visitation during the school break, with dates and times
- Holiday visitation, including Thanksgiving, winter break, spring break, and any other holidays where the schedule changes
- Overnight visitation, meaning the child sleeps at the noncustodial parent’s home, with dates and times
For each “Yes,” write in the specific dates and times. The form also asks whether a court-ordered custody or visitation arrangement exists. If one does, check “Yes.” The agency may compare your reported schedule against the order on file. An “Additional Information” field at the bottom is where you explain anything unusual, like a recent move, a temporary change tied to your work schedule, or an informal agreement that departs from the court order.
Signing Under Penalty of Perjury
The bottom of the form contains a declaration that everything you reported is true and correct to the best of your knowledge and belief, and warns that the information may be shared with the other parent and that either side can be asked to back up their claims with documentation.1California Child Support Services. Visitation Verification Print your name, sign, and date.
That signature matters. Under California law, an unsworn written declaration signed under penalty of perjury has the same force as a statement made under oath.4California Legislative Information. California Code CCP 2015.5 Perjury in California is a felony punishable by two, three, or four years in state prison.5California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 126 A court that discovers false statements on a child support form can also issue adverse rulings on custody or support against the parent who lied. Report the schedule you actually have, even if the numbers are not what you would prefer.
Submitting the Completed Form
Return the signed form to the local child support agency handling your case. Mail it to the office address on the cover letter, or deliver it in person during business hours. Dropping it off in person lets you ask the front desk for a stamped copy or written receipt showing the date you submitted it. If you mail it, certified mail or a tracked delivery service gives you the same kind of proof.
The California Customer Connect portal lets you view case information, message your caseworker, and check payment history, but it is a communication tool rather than a document-upload portal.6California Child Support Services. Customer Connect After you send the form, you can use it or call your local office to confirm receipt.
Respond quickly. If the agency requested the form and you don’t return it, the caseworker may proceed with whatever information is already on file. In a default situation, the timeshare can be set at zero percent, which produces the highest possible support amount for the noncustodial parent.7California Legislative Information. California Code FAM 4055
How the Hours Translate to a Timeshare Percentage
Your reported hours get converted into a single timeshare figure that plugs into California’s statewide child support formula under Family Code Section 4055.7California Legislative Information. California Code FAM 4055 To estimate your timeshare, divide your total annual hours with the child by 8,760, the number of hours in a year. Reporting 2,190 hours works out to a 25 percent timeshare. Modest swings in that percentage move the support amount noticeably, which is why precision in Part 1 is worth the effort.
One recurring question is how school and daycare hours count. California courts generally credit school hours to the parent who had physical custody the night before, meaning the parent who got the child ready and sent them to school that morning. When the child isn’t physically with either parent, courts look at factors like who pays for transportation, who responds to emergencies, who covers school expenses, and who participates in school activities.
When Each Parent Reports Different Numbers
The agency sends the form to both parents, so conflicting reports are common. One parent says every other weekend; the other says once a month. The declaration flags that the information may be shared with the other side, and either party can be asked to produce documentation.1California Child Support Services. Visitation Verification
If the difference is large enough to change the support amount, the agency or court will need to resolve it. California law requires courts to send contested custody and visitation issues to mediation.8Justia Law. California Family Code 3170-3173 The caseworker may also schedule a conference to review each parent’s evidence, like calendars, text messages, and school records, and try to reach an agreed figure. If no agreement is reached, a judge or commissioner weighs the evidence and sets the timeshare.
Documentation is what decides these disputes. A parent who can produce a year of text messages showing pickup and drop-off times stands in a much stronger position than one who says “I have the kids a lot” with nothing to back it up. If you expect your schedule to be contested, keep a running log now.
Updating the Form After Your Schedule Changes
The visitation verification form captures the past twelve months, but parenting schedules shift. If custody or visitation changes significantly after a support order is already in place, you can ask the local child support agency for a review and adjustment at no charge.9California Child Support Services. Changing A Child Support Amount A change in custody or visitation is specifically listed as a qualifying reason to request a modification.
The agency will generally modify a support order when the new calculation would change the amount by at least 20 percent or $50, whichever is less.9California Child Support Services. Changing A Child Support Amount You’ll need evidence of the changed schedule: text messages, updated calendars, drop-off logs, or a new visitation verification form. If both parents agree on the new amount, you can file a stipulated agreement with the court. If you can’t agree, the court decides. Even if the agency denies the request, you can still ask a judge directly, and your county’s Family Law Facilitator can help you with the paperwork.