How to change child support in Colorado

The rule for changing support, the forms, and a ready letter to the agency.

Checked against official sources: Oct 25, 2026.

Short answer

To modify an order means to change the amount by a new order. You need a substantial and continuing change in circumstances. A change is substantial if the new calculation raises or lowers support by at least 10%; it is continuing if it is more than temporary.

Agency review
Every 3 years if a parent asks (federal law)
First form
Motion to Modify Child Support (JDF 1403)

The rule for changing support in Colorado

You need a substantial and continuing change in circumstances. A change is substantial if the new calculation raises or lowers support by at least 10%; it is continuing if it is more than temporary. You can also change an order that does not cover medical or dental support. CSS also reviews orders every three years on request.

Law: C.R.S. 14-10-122

Can I ask for a change? Check your situation

Colorado's rule: You need a substantial and continuing change in circumstances. A change is substantial if the new calculation raises or lowers support by at least 10%; it is continuing if it is more than temporary. You can also change an order that does not cover medical or dental support. CSS also reviews orders every three years on request.

Law: C.R.S. 14-10-122

Until a new order is made, the current amount is still owed. A change can count only from the date the other parent gets notice of your request, so ask soon.

Law: 42 U.S.C. 666(a)(9)

How to ask in Colorado: In court: file a Motion to Modify Child Support (JDF 1403), or a Stipulation (JDF 1404) if both parents agree, with the proposed Order (JDF 1405). With a CSS case: send a written review request and an Income and Expense Affidavit to your county office; a review can take up to six months.

How to ask for a change in Colorado

In court: file a Motion to Modify Child Support (JDF 1403), or a Stipulation (JDF 1404) if both parents agree, with the proposed Order (JDF 1405). With a CSS case: send a written review request and an Income and Expense Affidavit to your county office; a review can take up to six months.

Write to the child support agency to ask for a review: Ask the agency to review (change) your order

Recent changes in Colorado

HB 25-1159 rewrote parts of the guideline in C.R.S. 14-10-115(3), (7) and (8), effective March 1, 2026: a new parenting-time credit table that gives a credit for every overnight (replacing the old 92-overnight shared-care threshold), a self-support reserve tied to the state minimum wage (29 hours a week), a revised low-income adjustment with a 10% cap, a 20% cap for parents earning up to full-time minimum wage, and a rule that concurrent-enrollment college programs don't extend support. The Judicial Branch posted a new worksheet (JDF 1821) in March 2026.

Incarceration and changes

State guidelines may not treat time in jail or prison as choosing not to work, when support is set or changed.

Law: 45 CFR 302.56(c)(3)

In nearby states

What to do now in Colorado

  1. Get the order

    Note the date it was made or last changed and the amount.

  2. Check the rule

    The rule in Colorado: You need a substantial and continuing change in circumstances. A change is substantial if the new calculation raises or lowers support by at least 10%; it is continuing if it is more than temporary.

  3. Gather proof

    Bring proof of the change, such as pay stubs or a layoff notice.

  4. File the request

    Request a review from Colorado Department of Human Services, Child Support Services (CSS) program ((303) 866-4300) · Apply online

  5. Get help

    Legal aid can help for free: Colorado Legal Services.

Free help in Colorado

Questions about changing support in Colorado

When can child support be changed in Colorado?

You need a substantial and continuing change in circumstances. A change is substantial if the new calculation raises or lowers support by at least 10%; it is continuing if it is more than temporary. You can also change an order that does not cover medical or dental support. CSS also reviews orders every three years on request.

How do I ask to change child support in Colorado?

In court: file a Motion to Modify Child Support (JDF 1403), or a Stipulation (JDF 1404) if both parents agree, with the proposed Order (JDF 1405). With a CSS case: send a written review request and an Income and Expense Affidavit to your county office; a review can take up to six months.

Related Colorado pages

Sources

Sources

Last checked: Oct 25, 2026.

Federal sources