What Are the Deadlines to Complete the Florida Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course?
Florida law sets specific deadlines for each party to complete the Florida Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course. Missing your deadline can have serious consequences, including being held in contempt of court.
Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce) Deadlines
Petitioner: Must complete the course within 45 days of the date the petition was filed.
Respondent: Must complete the course within 45 days of the date they were served the petition.
Paternity Action Deadlines
Parent filing the action: Must complete the course within 45 days of filing the paternity petition.
Other party: Must complete within 45 days of acknowledging paternity, an adjudication of paternity, or an order granting time-sharing or support from that party — whichever comes first.
When Should I Start the Course?
Florida recommends completing the course as early as possible in the divorce process. Do not wait until the last few days. The course takes 4 hours, your certificate is emailed immediately after you finish, and you still need to submit that certificate to the court before your deadline.
What Happens If I Miss the Deadline?
Courts may hold a non-complying parent in contempt, deny time-sharing or shared parental responsibility, or impose other sanctions. If you are concerned about your deadline, contact your court or attorney immediately.
Quick Facts
Detail | Information |
Petitioner deadline | 45 days from date of filing |
Respondent deadline | 45 days from date of service |
Paternity — filing parent | 45 days from filing |
Paternity — other party | 45 days from acknowledgment, adjudication, or order — whichever is first |
If deadline missed | Contempt of court, denied time-sharing, other sanctions possible |
Course access | 120 days from enrollment (separate from the legal deadline) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the 45-day deadline include time to submit the certificate to the court? Yes. You need to complete the course and submit your certificate to the court within your 45-day window. Since your certificate is emailed immediately after you finish, completing the course with a few days to spare gives you time to submit.
Can I get an extension on the deadline? Extensions are at the court's discretion. Contact your attorney or the court directly if you need more time. Divorce Parenting Class cannot grant deadline extensions.
My spouse has a different deadline than I do — is that normal? Yes. The petitioner's and respondent's deadlines are measured from different events, so they will typically fall on different calendar dates. Each parent must track and meet their own individual deadline.
My course access is 120 days — does that change my legal deadline? No. The 120-day access period is how long your account remains open. Your legal deadline to complete the course and submit your certificate to the court is still 45 days from filing or service, as required by Florida law.