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Information for lawyers

Enforcing support orders is our business. Collecting support for families is our commitment. By understanding how the Family Responsibility Office works, you can help us better serve our mutual clients.

• serve FRO and when?
  You need to serve us by mail, fax or delivery when your client requests enforcement relief, or we have started an enforcement proceeding. Here's how
• remove a writ?
  A writ of seizure and sale will be withdrawn by the Sherriff's Office if the arrears owing on a case are paid, or if FRO receives a solicitor's undertaking to pay the arrears. Contact us
• confirm that my client is not the person identified as owing support arrears during a property sale?
  If your client has the same or similar name as a FRO support payor, you must submit a completed Confirmation of Identity letter to FRO. Go to FRO forms
• find out if support is assigned to a social assistance delivery agency?
  Complete a Confirmation of Assignment form and send it to the address or fax number indicated on the form. Learn more
• find the FRO forms that I need?
  All the forms that you may need are available on this website, including the six forms set out in the regulations under the Family Responsibility and Support Arrears Enforcement Act, 1996. Go to FRO forms

• lives outside of Ontario (or the other party does)?
  FRO has enforcement arrangements with every Canadian province and territory, every state in the United States of America, as well as 31 countries. If one party lives in a reciprocating jurisdiction, you can usually get, change or enforce a support order. Learn more
• wants to stop support payments?
  The court sets the terms of support orders and domestic contracts. FRO does not have the authority to change them. If the order or contract does not say when support payments end, the payor and recipient must both agree to end the payments. If they cannot agree, they may have to go to court and have a judge decide. Learn more
• wants to withdraw his or her case?
  If the support payor and the recipient would prefer to arrange for support payments to take place between them without FRO’s involvement, they can withdraw their case. Learn more
• receives a notice of default hearing?
  FRO may send payors a Notice of Default Hearing when they fall behind in their support payments. Payors can avoid the hearing by bringing payments up to date, or by making a payment plan with FRO. They have ten days to take action. Learn more
• receives a notice of driver’s licence suspension?
  If a payor is not making support payments, he or she may receive a First Notice of Driver’s License Suspension. This notice is sent 30 days before the suspension. To avoid the suspension, the payor can bring the payments up to date, make a payment plan with FRO or get a refraining order from the court. Learn more
• falls behind on payments?
  If your client falls behind on payments, it is important for them to contact FRO as soon as possible at 416-326-1817 or toll free at 1-800-267-4330 to work out a voluntary repayment plan. Otherwise, we may take enforcement action to recover the money owed. Learn more about enforcement actions.

• change a support order or payment amount?
  No. The court sets the terms of support orders and domestic contracts, including the amount. FRO helps support payments flow from the payor to the recipient, but cannot change the amount of support that must be paid. Learn how to change a support order.
• help with child custody and access issues?
  FRO does not become involved in child custody or access issues. Visit the Ministry of the Attorney General’s website for information on child custody and access.
• take enforcement action against or on behalf of my client?
  Yes. If a payor does not meet their support responsibilities, FRO has the legal authority and responsibility to take enforcement action to recover the money owed. Learn more about enforcement action.
• continue enforcement action after the support order has ended?
  Yes. We can continue enforcement to collect outsanding costs and fees owed to FRO. This could include enforcement costs, administrative costs or fees or court costs. Learn more about enforcement action.

• can FRO do or not do?
  The Family Responsibility Office only enforces Support Orders, Support Deduction Orders, and Domestic Contracts filed with the court. We are not involved in motions to change or other entitlement issues. Learn more
• special expenses are not enforceable?
  Special or extraordinary expenses (e.g. child care or medical) must be set out in a support order in order for FRO to enforce them. They should be set out either as a fixed amount or as an expense which must be claimed on a sworn statement of arrears submitted by the support recipient. Read tips on drafting support orders.
• legislation does FRO operate under?
  FRO is mandated through the Family Responsibility and Support Arrears Enforcement Act, 1996 and the Interjurisdictional Support Orders Act, 2002. Learn more
• kind of enforcement action can FRO take?
  If a payor does not meet his or her support responsibilities, FRO can take a variety of enforcement actions to recover the money owed, including garnishing bank accounts, suspending driver’s licences and placing a lien on property. Learn more
• should I know before drafting or changing a support order?
  If a support order is not clearly written or lacks important information, we may not be able to enforce it. Here are some tips to help you draft a support order. Read tips