Find your state's parenting class rule.
Requirements change by state, and sometimes by county. We track the statute, the hours, and the deadline so you do not have to. Select your state on the map, or read the table below.
Application in progressState requirement, building nextFull rollout to followRequires in-person delivery, or closed to new providers
Select any state for its statute, required hours, and your price. Not sure what your order says? We will read it with you.
Every state, in one table
Each state page carries the controlling citation, who the rule binds, the deadline and what starts it, where the certificate gets filed, and what happens if it is not done in time. Where we cannot verify a detail from an official source, we leave it off the page rather than guess.
| State | The rule | Hours | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida parenting class | 4 hours, every divorce with kids | 4 minimum | Fla. Stat. 61.21; Fla. Admin. Code 65C-32 |
| South Dakota parenting class | Both parties, 60 days, and no decree until it is filed | No minimum set by rule; ours runs 4 hours | SDCL 25-4A-32 |
| Alaska parenting class | Required before a final decree | Video or class based | Alaska Court System family rules |
| Arizona parenting class | Ordered in every divorce and paternity case with children | 2 to 6 by court rule | A.R.S. 25-351 to 25-355; ACJA 3-202 |
| Delaware parenting class | Required, certified statewide, 180-day clock | 4 to be certified; programs run 6 to 8 | 13 Del. C. 1507(h) |
| Illinois parenting class | 4 hours, 60 days from the first case management conference | 4 minimum | Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 924 |
| Iowa parenting class | 45 days from service, and the decree waits | No minimum set by statute; content areas are specified instead | Iowa Code 598.15 |
| Minnesota parenting class | 8 hours, and only in contested cases | 8 minimum, contested cases | Minn. Stat. 518.157 |
| Missouri parenting class | The court must order it, the circuit sets the rules | Set by circuit rule | RSMo 452.600, 452.605, 452.610 |
| Nebraska parenting class | Ordered in every Parenting Act case | 2 to 6 hours, basic level | Neb. Rev. Stat. 43-2928 |
| New York parenting class | Only when a judge orders it | 6 minimum, 8 maximum, in two sessions. Waivable on good cause to one 4 hour session | 22 NYCRR Part 144 |
| Oklahoma parenting class | 45 days from the temporary order | None set by statute | 43 O.S. 107.1, 107.2 |
| Tennessee parenting class | 4 hours in any permanent parenting plan case | 4 minimum | T.C.A. 36-6-408 |
| West Virginia parenting class | Required, and finished before mediation | Not set for the basic course; the advanced course is 8 | W. Va. Code 48-9-104; W. Va. Fam. Ct. R. 37 |
| Alabama parenting class | County requirements | About 4 | Ala. Code 30-3-8; county rules |
| Arkansas parenting class | Commonly ordered | About 2 | Ark. Code Ann. 9-12-322 |
| California parenting class | Mediation first | Varies | Fam. Code 3170; county rules |
| Colorado parenting class | District practice | 4 to 6 | C.R.S. 14-10-123.7 |
| Georgia parenting class | Circuit by circuit, capped at 4 hours | 4 maximum, not a minimum | USCR 24.8; circuit standing orders |
| Hawaii parenting class | Kids First, and the children attend too | About 2 in a single session | HRS 607-5.6; Family Court notice |
| Idaho parenting class | Only if the court orders it | None set statewide | Idaho R. Fam. L. P. 1001(c); district orders |
| Indiana parenting class | County by county | About 4 | County local rules |
| Kansas parenting class | District by district | 2 to 4 | District local rules |
| Kentucky parenting class | County programs | 4 to 8 | County local rules |
| Louisiana parenting class | Parish seminars, $25 cap | 3 to 4 | La. R.S. 9:306 |
| Maine parenting class | Ordered case by case | About 4 when ordered | 19-A M.R.S. 251 |
| Maryland parenting class | Circuit court ordered | About 6 | Md. Rule 9-204 |
| Michigan parenting class | County Friend of the Court | 2 to 4 | County programs (SMILE) |
| Mississippi parenting class | Chancellor discretion | Varies | Chancery practice |
| Montana parenting class | Judge discretion | Varies | District court orders |
| Nevada parenting class | Required in major counties | 3 to 5 | EDCR 5.302; county rules |
| New Jersey parenting class | Court run, before judgment | Not set by statute | N.J.S.A. 2A:34-12.5 |
| New Mexico parenting class | District requirements | 4 to 6 | District court rules |
| North Carolina parenting class | Mediation mandate | Varies | N.C.G.S. 50-13.1 |
| North Dakota parenting class | Only if your scheduling order says so | None set by rule | N.D. R. Ct. 8.3(b)(4); 8.3.1(b)(4) |
| Ohio parenting class | Only where your county requires it | None set by statute | Ohio Rev. Code 3109.053; county local rules |
| Oregon parenting class | Most counties require it | About 4 | ORS 3.425; county rules |
| Pennsylvania parenting class | County programs | About 4 | 23 Pa. C.S. 3401; county rules |
| Rhode Island parenting class | Judge discretion | Varies | Family Court practice |
| South Carolina parenting class | Judge discretion | Varies | Family court practice |
| Texas parenting class | Only if the judge orders it, 4 to 12 hours | 4 to 12 band | Tex. Fam. Code 105.009 |
| Vermont parenting class | No general mandate | Varies | Family Division practice |
| Washington parenting class | County by county, with no statewide rule | None set by state law | RCW 26.12.170, 26.12.172; county local rules |
| Wisconsin parenting class | County programs | 2 to 4 | Wis. Stat. 767.401 |
| Wyoming parenting class | Only if your judge orders it | None set by statute | W.S. 20-2-201(f); district standing orders |
| Connecticut parenting class | Judicial Department contract only | Statute caps the programme at 10 hours. The 6 hour figure is practice, not statute [verify] | C.G.S. 46b-69b |
| Massachusetts parenting class | One designated online course, 4 hours | 4 | P&F Ct. Standing Order 3-23 |
| New Hampshire parenting class | 4 hours within 45 days of service | 4 | RSA 458-D |
| Utah parenting class | Two courses, both mandatory | Orientation at least 1; parenting course not set | Utah Code 81-4-105, 81-9-103; UCJA R. 4-907 |
| Virginia parenting class | 4 hours, live, in contested cases | 4 minimum, $50 fee cap | Va. Code 20-103(A); 16.1-278.15(A) |
Nothing on these pages is legal advice, and your own court order and county rules control. We publish the citation on every page so you can check us.