Who pays for supervised visitation in California, and how does it work?

What the law says

Family Code section 3200.5(c) defines a nonprofessional provider as “any person who is not paid for providing supervised visitation services,” and a professional provider as “any person paid for providing supervised visitation services, or an independent contractor, employee, intern, or volunteer operating independently or through a supervised visitation center or agency.”

Standard 5.20(c) of the California Standards of Judicial Administration: “Who provides the supervision and the manner in which supervision is provided depends on different factors, including local resources, the financial situation of the parties, and the degree of risk in each case.” Where the court has found domestic violence or child abuse or neglect and decides supervision is necessary, section 3200.5(b) requires it to consider a professional or nonprofessional provider based on the child’s best interest.

The forms carry the split. Form FL-311, item 6c(1)(B), asks for “Professional provider fees to be paid by” each party by percent, and the order, form FL-341(A), has a payment responsibility line by percentage for professional supervised visits (item 4d) and professional supervised exchanges (item 6a). The self-help page says fees “are paid directly to the provider, or sometimes can be free or low-cost.”

• Family Code section 3200.5 (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov)
• California Standards of Judicial Administration, standard 5.20 (courts.ca.gov)
• Form FL-311, Child Custody and Visitation (Parenting Time) Application Attachment, Rev. January 1, 2026 (PDF)
• Form FL-341(A), Supervised Visitation (Parenting Time) and Exchanges Order, Rev. January 1, 2026 (PDF)
• California Courts self-help: professional providers to supervise visits

How a supervised visit works

Under section 3200.5(g) through (i), a professional provider prepares a written contract for the parties to sign before visits start, keeps a record of each visit, and reports suspected child abuse, and any provider may interrupt or end a visit if the rules are broken, the child becomes acutely distressed, or safety is at risk. Unless the court orders otherwise, standard 5.20(l)(4) says the provider should keep all contact between the child and the noncustodial party within the provider’s hearing and sight. A professional provider signs form FL-324(P); a nonprofessional provider signs FL-324(NP) or a local court form (standard 5.20(d)(3)).

• Family Code section 3200.5 (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov)
• California Standards of Judicial Administration, standard 5.20 (courts.ca.gov)
• Form FL-324(P), Declaration of Supervised Visitation and Exchange Services Provider (Professional), Rev. January 1, 2026 (PDF)
• California Courts self-help: guide to supervised visitation

What to do next

To ask for supervised visits, complete FL-311 item 6, with the provider’s name if you have one and the fee split you propose. The self-help guide notes that a professional provider is not always possible because of cost or language needs.

• What supervised visitation is
• Supervised exchanges versus supervised visits
• FL-300, box by box