Child custody and support in Vermont
The Vermont rules for parents who divorce, from official sources: the legal term for custody, the parenting class, the official support calculator and the child support agency.
Checked against official sources: Oct 24, 2026
Quick answer
Vermont law uses the term “parental rights and responsibilities (legal and physical) and parent-child contact” for custody. About the parenting class: Required: both parents must take 'Helping Children Cope With Separation and Divorce' (COPE), offered online (Vermont Judiciary, Divorce Process). Vermont publishes an official child support calculator or guidelines.
- Custody term
- Parental rights and responsibilities (legal and physical) and parent-child contact
- Parenting class
- Required
- Child support calculator
- Official child support calculator or guidelines
- Child support agency
- Vermont Office of Child Support (DCF)
Custody terms in Vermont
Parental rights and responsibilities (legal and physical) and parent-child contact
Parenting class in Vermont
Required: both parents must take 'Helping Children Cope With Separation and Divorce' (COPE), offered online (Vermont Judiciary, Divorce Process).
Child support in Vermont
Child support follows Vermont's guidelines. Estimate it with the official calculator, and contact the state's child support agency for help setting up or collecting it.
Children in a Vermont divorce: what the process includes
Custody
The court's orders use Vermont's term for custody: parental rights and responsibilities (legal and physical) and parent-child contact.
Parenting class
Take the parenting class described above if Vermont requires it in your case.
Child support
Estimate it first: the official calculator
The child support agency
For help setting up or collecting support, contact the state's child support agency.
Questions about custody and child support in Vermont
What is child custody called in Vermont?
Vermont uses the term “parental rights and responsibilities (legal and physical) and parent-child contact”.
Do parents have to take a class in a Vermont divorce?
Required: both parents must take 'Helping Children Cope With Separation and Divorce' (COPE), offered online (Vermont Judiciary, Divorce Process).
Is there an official child support calculator for Vermont?
Yes. Vermont's official calculator or guidelines: the official calculator
Which agency handles child support in Vermont?
More about divorce in Vermont
- All Vermont divorce laws
- Uncontested divorce in Vermont
- Vermont divorce forms and filing fees
- Alimony in Vermont
- Serving divorce papers in Vermont
- Divorce timeline estimator for Vermont
- Divorce checklist for Vermont
- How to file for divorce without a lawyer
- Served with divorce papers: what to do
Custody and support in nearby states
Sources
Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.