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Request for Order

Ask the family law judge to make or change orders in your case.

Jurisdiction: California Deadline: Notice deadlines run from the hearing date.

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What is FL-300?

California family-law motion to ask the judge to make new orders or change existing orders in an open case. Used for child custody, visitation (parenting time), child support, spousal or partner support, property control, attorney fees, and other relief. Cal. Rules of Court rule 5.92.

What happens if you miss the deadline: If service is not completed by the deadline, the judge cannot make orders against the other party at that hearing and will continue the matter, costing weeks. If you cannot serve in time and the matter is urgent, you can ask the court to shorten time using item 8.

How to file

Filing fee
Filing fee for FL-300 is set by the Judicial Council uniform fee schedule. As of 2026, when the filer has already paid a first-appearance fee in the case, the typical motion fee is $60 (Gov. Code section 70617(a)(4)); in some counties no additional fee is charged when the filer is the petitioner who already paid the petition fee. Pro se filers who cannot afford the fee file FW-001 (Request to Waive Court Fees) at the same time. Confirm the exact amount on selfhelp.courts.ca.gov or the county's local fee schedule.
Filing method
in-person, mail, efile (county-specific; most California family-law courts accept e-filing)
Filing deadline
FL-300 has no statutory deadline of its own. Service deadlines (Cal. Rule of Court 5.92, citing Code Civ. Proc. section 1005): personal service must be completed at least 16 court days before the hearing; service by mail (within California) is 16 court days plus 5 calendar days; service outside California adds more time. The Proof of Service must be filed with the clerk at least 5 court days before the hearing. The responding party's FL-320 (Responsive Declaration) must be served on the requesting party at least 9 court days before the hearing. The judge can shorten any of these timelines on a showing of good cause through item 8.
How to serve
Personal service (FL-330 / POS-040) is the safest method and is required when the court ordered personal service, when the request includes temporary emergency orders, or when the request is to change a judgment on issues other than custody / visitation / child support. Service by mail (FL-335 / POS-030) is allowed for routine post-summons motions if the court did not order personal service and the matter does not include emergency orders. The server must be at least 18 and not a party. Required service packet: FL-300 + any attachments + a blank FL-320 (Responsive Declaration) + a blank FL-150 (Income and Expense Declaration) when support or fees are at issue + a copy of any granted emergency orders.
Wet signature
Yes, sign in pen after printing.
Notarization
No
Original and copies
One original to the clerk plus 2 copies (one for the filer, one to be conformed and served on each other party). Some counties require additional copies; check local rules.

Common pitfalls

Three highest-leverage checks for the AI review on FL-300. (1) Caption and case number must match the underlying case exactly; mismatches get the request rejected at intake. (2) At least one of the form-title category checkboxes (Child Custody, Visitation, Child Support, Spousal/Partner Support, Property Control, Attorney's Fees, Other) must be checked, AND the corresponding section on pages 2-4 must be filled. A category checked with no detail is the most common rejection. (3) Item 9 (Facts to Support) must be filled. The court denies relief if the facts are missing, even if every checkbox is correct. Bonus check: when child support, spousal/partner support, or attorney's fees are requested, FL-150 (Income and Expense Declaration) must be filed and served with FL-300; FL-155 may substitute for FL-150 only when the filer meets the threshold on FL-155 page 2.

You'll likely also file

Other Ezel-supported forms that commonly file alongside FL-300. Each one has its own guided fill, AI review, and PDF render.

Field-by-field guidance

Plain-English notes on every field on the form, with severity for what the AI completeness review treats as a blocker.

Show all 128 fields
Your Name
blocker

Caption must identify the filer.

Firm Name
none

Attorneys only.

Bar Number
none

Attorneys only.

Your Street
blocker

Caption street. DV note: filers leaving abuse should consider Safe at Home or a friend's address rather than the address shared with the abuser.

Your City
blocker

Caption city.

Your State
blocker

Caption state.

Your Zip
blocker

Caption ZIP.

Your Phone
blocker

Caption phone.

Your Fax
none

Optional in practice for self-represented filers.

Your Email
none

Optional in practice for self-represented filers.

Atty For
blocker

Identifies who the filer represents. Pro se filers write 'Self-represented' or 'In Pro Per'.

Court County
blocker

Same county as the underlying case.

Court Street
blocker

Court street address.

Court Mailing
none

Optional; only when different from street.

Court City Zip
blocker

Court city and ZIP.

Court Branch
blocker

Branch name; required for routing in counties with multiple courthouses.

Petitioner Caption
blocker

Petitioner from the underlying case caption. Match the petition spelling exactly.

Respondent Caption
blocker

Respondent from the underlying case caption.

Other Party Caption
none

Used in parentage cases or when a third party (grandparent, local child support agency) has been joined. Most dissolutions leave this blank.

Case Number
blocker

FL-300 is filed inside an existing case, so the case number is always assigned.

Request Type
blocker

Either 'REQUEST FOR ORDER' (new) or 'CHANGE' to existing order. The form's title bar shows whichever is checked.

Request Emergency
warning

Boolean. Triggers emergency (ex parte) review with FL-303 + FL-305 attachments. Must be true emergency under FL-300-INFO ('immediate danger or irreparable harm').

Category Child Custody
none

Page 1 category checkbox. At least one of the seven category boxes (or 'Other') must be checked. Drives the conditional section on page 2.

Category Visitation
none

Page 1 category checkbox. Drives the conditional section on page 2.

Category Child Support
none

Page 1 category checkbox. Drives the conditional section on page 3 (item 3) and requires FL-150 / FL-155.

Category Spousal Support
none

Page 1 category checkbox. Drives item 4 and requires FL-150.

Category Property Control
none

Page 1 category checkbox. Drives item 5.

Category Atty Fees
none

Page 1 category checkbox. Drives item 6 and requires FL-150 + FL-319 + FL-158 (or equivalent declaration).

Category Other
none

Page 1 category checkbox. Drives item 7.

Category Other Specify
warning

Short label only; required when category_other is checked.

Served Party Name
blocker

Name of party who will receive this request. Required ('List the name(s) of the other person(s) in your case who will receive your request').

Served Party Role
blocker

Role of the served party. One of Petitioner / Respondent / Other Parent or Party / Other.

Served Party Other Role
warning

Required when served_party_role == other_role.

Restraining Orders Exist
warning

Item 1 on page 2 is a notice to the judge about any active criminal, family, juvenile, or other-court protective order between the parties. Required so the requested orders do not conflict with existing protections.

Ro Against Petitioner
info

Sub-checkbox; used when restraining_orders_exist == true.

Ro Against Respondent
info

Sub-checkbox; used when restraining_orders_exist == true.

Ro Against Other Party
none

Sub-checkbox; used when restraining_orders_exist == true.

Ro Criminal County State
none

County/state for any criminal protective order. Optional if not applicable.

Ro Criminal Case Number
none

Criminal case number. Optional ('if known').

Ro Family County State
none

County/state for family-court protective order. Optional if not applicable.

Ro Family Case Number
none

Family case number. Optional.

Ro Juvenile County State
none

Juvenile court county/state. Optional.

Ro Juvenile Case Number
none

Juvenile case number. Optional.

Ro Other County State
none

Other court county/state. Optional.

Ro Other Case Number
none

Other case number. Optional.

Custody Emergency
none

Boolean. Required only when emergency custody orders are sought.

Custody Topic Custody
warning

Item 2 sub-checkbox. Should match category_child_custody on page 1.

Custody Topic Visitation
warning

Item 2 sub-checkbox. Should match category_visitation on page 1.

Child1 Name
warning

Item 2a row 1: child name. Required when custody/visitation orders are requested.

Child1 Dob
warning

Item 2a row 1: date of birth. Required if child1_name is filled.

Child1 Legal Custody
warning

Item 2a row 1: legal custody to. Required if child1_name is filled.

Child1 Physical Custody
warning

Item 2a row 1: physical custody to. Required if child1_name is filled.

Child2 Name
none

Item 2a row 2. Optional.

Child2 Dob
none

Optional.

Child2 Legal Custody
none

Optional.

Child2 Physical Custody
none

Optional.

Child3 Name
none

Item 2a row 3. Optional.

Child3 Dob
none

Optional.

Child3 Legal Custody
none

Optional.

Child3 Physical Custody
none

Optional.

More Children Attachment
none

Mark Attachment 2a if more than 3 children. Continue on FL-311 or plain paper labeled 'Attachment 2a'.

Custody Orders Basis
warning

How the custody/visitation orders are specified: attached forms (FL-311 etc.) or narrative. Required when item 2 is engaged.

Custody Attach Fl305
warning

FL-305 (Temporary Emergency Orders proposed). Required if custody_emergency == true.

Custody Attach Fl311
none

FL-311 attachment with detailed schedule. Common when category_visitation is true.

Custody Attach Fl312
none

FL-312 (Child Abduction Prevention Orders). Use only if abduction risk.

Custody Attach Fl341c
none

FL-341(C) holiday schedule. Optional.

Custody Attach Fl341d
none

FL-341(D) physical custody provisions. Optional.

Custody Attach Fl341e
none

FL-341(E) joint legal custody. Optional.

Custody Orders Narrative
warning

Narrative custody/visitation orders requested. Required when custody_orders_basis == narrative.

Custody Best Interest
blocker

Why the requested orders are in the best interest of the children. Required when custody/visitation orders are requested.

Custody Change From Existing
none

Boolean for item 2d (change from current order).

Custody Change Topic Custody
warning

Sub-checkbox; required when custody_change_from_existing == true and the change is to custody.

Custody Change Topic Visitation
warning

Sub-checkbox; required when custody_change_from_existing == true and the change is to visitation.

Custody Existing Order Date
warning

Date of the existing custody order. Required when custody_change_from_existing == true.

Custody Existing Order Text
warning

Text of the existing custody order. Required when custody_change_from_existing == true.

Visitation Existing Order Date
none

Date of existing visitation order. Optional.

Visitation Existing Order Text
none

Text of existing visitation order. Optional.

Cs Request Guideline
warning

Boolean: request guideline child support. Standard pro se ask.

Cs Child1 Name Age
warning

Item 3a row 1. Required if requesting child support.

Cs Child1 Amount
none

Optional non-guideline amount.

Cs Child2 Name Age
none

Optional second child.

Cs Child2 Amount
none

Optional.

Cs Child3 Name Age
none

Optional third child.

Cs Child3 Amount
none

Optional.

Cs More Children Attachment
none

Mark Attachment 3a for more than 3 children.

Cs Change Existing
none

Item 3b. Boolean: changing an existing child support order.

Cs Existing Order Date
warning

Date of existing order. Required when cs_change_existing == true.

Cs Existing Order Text
warning

Existing order text. Required when cs_change_existing == true.

Cs Reason
blocker

Item 3d. Reason for the support orders. Required when child support is requested. Modification requires a 'change in circumstances' since the prior order.

Ss Amount Requested
warning

Monthly amount of spousal/partner support requested. Required when category_spousal_support == true.

Ss Change Or End
none

Item 4b. Choice: change, end, or none.

Ss Existing Order Date
warning

Required when ss_change_or_end is change or end.

Ss Existing Amount
warning

Existing support amount. Required when ss_change_or_end is change or end.

Ss Post Judgment
none

Item 4c. Triggers FL-157 attachment requirement.

Ss Reason
blocker

Item 4e. Reason for support orders. Required when category_spousal_support == true.

Pc Emergency
none

Boolean for emergency property control. Optional.

Pc Exclusive Use To
warning

Choice: petitioner / respondent / other parent / none. Required when property control is requested.

Pc Property Describe
warning

Property description. Required when pc_exclusive_use_to is set.

Pc Property Status
warning

Owned or rented. Required when pc_exclusive_use_to is set.

Pc Debt Payer
none

Item 5b. Choice: which party should pay debts. Optional unless requesting debt payment orders.

Pc Debt1 Pay To
warning

Debt 1 creditor. Required if pc_debt_payer is set.

Pc Debt1 For
warning

Debt 1 type. Required if pc_debt_payer is set.

Pc Debt1 Amount
warning

Debt 1 amount.

Pc Debt1 Due Date
warning

Debt 1 due date.

Pc Debt2 Pay To
none

Optional.

Pc Debt2 For
none

Optional.

Pc Debt2 Amount
none

Optional.

Pc Debt2 Due Date
none

Optional.

Pc Debt3 Pay To
none

Optional.

Pc Debt3 For
none

Optional.

Pc Debt3 Amount
none

Optional.

Pc Debt3 Due Date
none

Optional.

Pc Debt4 Pay To
none

Optional.

Pc Debt4 For
none

Optional.

Pc Debt4 Amount
none

Optional.

Pc Debt4 Due Date
none

Optional.

Pc Change Existing
none

Item 5c. Optional.

Pc Existing Order Date
warning

Required when pc_change_existing == true.

Af Amount
warning

Item 6. Total attorney's fees and costs requested. Triggers FL-150 + FL-319 + FL-158 attachment requirement.

Other Orders Text
warning

Item 7. Required when category_other == true.

Tfs Request Shortened
none

Item 8. Boolean: ask the court to shorten time for service. Optional.

Tfs Court Days
warning

Item 8a. Number of court days requested. Required if tfs_request_shortened == true.

Tfs Sooner Hearing
none

Item 8b. Optional.

Tfs Reason
warning

Item 8 reason. Required when shortening is requested.

Facts Text
blocker

Item 9. Facts in date order. The form's own text caps the facts (form + attachment) at 10 pages unless the court grants permission for more. Without facts, the judge cannot grant relief.

Facts Use Attachment
none

Mark Attachment 9 if facts continue on a separate page (or MC-031). Optional.

Verification Date
blocker

Date the filer signs. Form is signed under penalty of perjury under California law.

Verification Print Name
blocker

Type or print full legal name. Sign with a pen on the line below after printing.

Ezel is a self-help tool. Ezel is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. You are the filer. Review the form carefully before submitting it to the court, and consult a licensed attorney if you have questions about your case. For free legal help, contact your local legal aid office or court self-help center.

Sources