Montana · Custody and support · Updated Oct 2026
Child custody and support in Montana
Custody and child support in a Montana divorce: the legal term for custody, the official support calculator and the child support agency.
In short
Montana law uses the term “parenting plan (parenting time and decision-making)” for custody. Montana publishes an official child support calculator or guidelines.
- Custody term
- Parenting plan (parenting time and decision-making)
- Child support calculator
- Official child support calculator or guidelines
- Child support agency
- Montana DPHHS Child Support Services Division (CSSD)
Custody terms in Montana
Parenting plan (parenting time and decision-making)
Child support in Montana
- Child support calculator: Official child support calculator or guidelines
- Child support agency: Montana DPHHS Child Support Services Division (CSSD)
Good to know
No change found to the core divorce statutes (40-4-104, -105, -108, -202, -203) in 2024-2026; Montana child support guideline tables were updated effective Feb. 1, 2026 (CSSD).
Children in a Montana divorce: what the process includes
Custody
The court's orders use Montana's term for custody: parenting plan (parenting time and decision-making).
Child support
The official calculator or guidelines: Official child support calculator or guidelines
The child support agency
Montana's child support agency: Montana DPHHS Child Support Services Division (CSSD)
Questions about custody and child support in Montana
What is child custody called in Montana?
Montana uses the term “parenting plan (parenting time and decision-making)”.
Is there an official child support calculator for Montana?
Yes. Montana's official calculator or guidelines: Official child support calculator or guidelines
Which agency handles child support in Montana?
More about divorce in Montana
- All Montana divorce laws
- Uncontested divorce in Montana
- Montana divorce forms and filing fees
- Alimony in Montana
- Serving divorce papers in Montana
- Divorce timeline estimator for Montana
- Divorce checklist for Montana
- How to file for divorce without a lawyer
- Served with divorce papers: what to do
Custody and support in nearby states
- Official child support calculator or guidelines
- Montana DPHHS Child Support Services Division (CSSD)
- Mont. Code Ann. 40-4-104
- Mont. Code Ann. 40-4-105
- Mont. Code Ann. 40-4-108
- Mont. Code Ann. 40-4-202
- Mont. Code Ann. 40-4-203
- Mont. Code Ann. 25-1-201 (district court fees)
- Montana Judicial Branch: Divorce forms
- Montana Judicial Branch: Dissolution with Children forms
Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.