DV-105-INFO - Asking for Child Custody and Visitation Orders (Domestic Violence Prevention)

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Asking for Child Custody and Visitation Orders (Domestic Violence Prevention)

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Form ID: DV-105-INFO
Title: Asking for Child Custody and Visitation Orders (Domestic Violence Prevention)
Effective Date: 2026-01-01
Mandatory Form: no
Languages: 汉语, 한국어, español, Tagalog, Tiếng Việt
Info Page: https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/jcc-form/DV-105-INFO
Primary Download URL: https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/dv105info.pdf
Alternate Download URLs: https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/dv105infoc.pdf, https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/dv105infok.pdf, https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/dv105infos.pdf, https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/dv105infot.pdf, https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/dv105infov.pdf
Form Detail Page:
Asking for Child Custody and Visitation Orders (Domestic Violence Prevention)
(DV-105-INFO)
Explains the types of orders that the court can make about child custody and visitation (parenting time).
Get form DV-105-INFO
汉语
Get form DV-105-INFO in Chinese Simplified
(Chinese Simplified)
한국어
Get form DV-105-INFO in Korean
(Korean)
español
Get form DV-105-INFO in Spanish
(Spanish)
Tagalog
Get form DV-105-INFO in Tagalog
(Tagalog)
Tiếng Việt
Get form DV-105-INFO in Vietnamese
(Vietnamese)
Effective: January 1, 2026
Go to
How-to instructions for Domestic Violence
Go to
Domestic Violence Form Packets
PDF Text:
DV-105-INFO, Page 1 of 3Asking for Child Custody 
and Visitation Orders 
(Domestic Violence Prevention)
Judicial Council of California, 
New January 1, 2026, Optional Form
Asking for Child Custody and Visitation OrdersDV-105-INFO
What are child custody and visitation orders?
A decision by a judge that tells parents how they will  
be responsible for taking care of their children. The 
judge must grant orders that are in your child’s best 
interests.
What is child custody?
There are two types of child custody:
•   Physical custody: The person who the child lives with 
on a regular basis.
•   Legal custody: The right for a person to make important 
decisions about the child’s health care, education, and 
welfare.
For both types of custody, parents can share custody (joint 
custody) or one parent can have full custody (sole 
custody). A judge grants custody based on what's in the 
best interest of a child. Note that a parent can still have 
parenting time (visitation), even if the judge does not 
grant them custody. And if the judge finds that there has 
been domestic violence in your case, special laws on child 
custody may apply. For more information on the law, go 
to selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/domestic-violence-child-custody.
What is visitation or parenting time?
It is a schedule of how your children will spend time with 
each parent. A judge must decide on a schedule that is best 
for your children.  If you have safety concerns, tell the 
judge by writing these concerns in your court papers. 
How do I ask for child custody and visitation 
orders?
To ask for these orders with a restraining order, complete  
form DV-105, Request for Child Custody and Visitation 
Orders, and turn it in with the other court papers you must 
complete to ask for a restraining order. For more 
information on how to ask for a restraining order, read 
form DV-505-INFO, How to Ask for a Domestic Violence 
Restraining Order.
Do I have to pay to file form DV-105 with 
the court?
No, there is no court fee.
Types of Visitation
•  Unsupervised visits
A parent and child visit freely, without anyone else 
present. This may be a good option if there are no 
safety concerns. 
•  Supervised visits
A parent and child have a neutral third person 
watching and listening during the visit. The neutral 
third person can be a professional or nonprofessional 
provider. 
Professional provider
A professional provider is a person with special 
training that has passed a background check. 
Professional providers charge a fee. They are also 
mandated reporters, which means that they must 
report suspected child abuse to the local child 
welfare department (also known as CPS). 
Professional providers can be used for short visits 
(example: 1–2 hours). Your local court may have a 
list of local professional providers. 
Nonprofessional provider
A nonprofessional provider is usually a friend or 
family member who does not have special 
training, and does not get paid for supervising 
visits. The provider you choose must:
•   Make safety the top priority;
•   Follow the judge’s order;
•   Speak the same language as the child and visiting 
parent; and
•   Be comfortable ending the visit, if needed.
For more information on supervised visits, go to 
selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/guide-supervised-visitation.

DV-105-INFO, Page 2 of 3Asking for Child Custody and 
Visitation Orders 
(Domestic Violence Prevention)
New January 1, 2026
Asking for Child Custody and Visitation OrdersDV-105-INFO
•  Virtual Visits
A parent and child visit using electronic communication 
where they can see and hear each other (examples: 
Zoom, FaceTime, WhatsApp). Virtual visits may 
require the child and visiting parent to have access to 
the internet during the visit. Virtual visits may be a good 
option if you have safety concerns, or if the other parent 
lives far away from the children. It can also be a good 
option if the other parent hasn't seen the children in a 
long time. Virtual visits can be supervised or 
unsupervised. The length of each visit should also 
depend on the child’s age (example: a younger child 
may not be able to pay attention for a long visit). For 
more information on virtual visits, go to  
selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/domestic-violence-child-custody.
•  No Visits
In some situations, it may not be safe for your child to 
visit with the other parent.
Will I have to meet the other parent for 
child exchanges?
You can ask for orders that would not require you to 
meet the other parent, like having the other parent pick 
up the children from school or daycare. Or you can ask 
for supervised exchanges. Like supervised visits, 
supervised exchanges mean that a neutral third person is 
involved and will help you exchange the children with 
the other parent so you don't have to meet with the other 
parent.
What if I am worried that the other parent 
will kidnap our children?
You can ask for the custody and visitation orders that will 
best protect your children. There are also other orders you 
can ask for to prevent abduction. If you want to ask for 
these orders, complete form DV-108, Request for Orders 
to Prevent Child Abduction, and turn it in with your 
completed form DV-105, and other required forms for 
your restraining order request.
What if the other parent has access to 
firearms and ammunition?
If a restraining order is granted against the other 
parent, that parent will not be able to have any 
firearms or ammunition. If the other parent has access 
to firearms or ammunition, you may include the 
information on form DV-100, Request for Domestic 
Violence Restraining Order. The court will consider 
whether a parent has illegal access to firearms and 
ammunition, when making custody and visitation 
orders. If you are staying in a confidential shelter, the 
judge must consider the other parent's access to 
firearms or ammunition in deciding whether the other 
parent should have in-person visits with your child. 
Where can I find free legal help?
Self-help center staff will not act as your lawyer but 
may be able to give you information to help you decide 
what to do in your case, and help you with the forms. 
Find your local court's self-help center at 
selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/find. Also, free legal aid may be 
available in your community. For more information, go 
to lawhelpca.org.
Information about the court process is also 
available online
selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/DV-restraining-order/process.
Where can I find other help?
The National Domestic Violence Hotline provides free 
and private safety tips. Help is available every day, 24 
hours a day, and in over 100 languages. Visit online at  
thehotline.org or call 1-800-799-7233.

DV-105-INFO, Page 3 of 3
Asking for Child Custody 
and Visitation Orders 
(Domestic Violence Prevention)
New January 1, 2026
Asking for Child Custody and Visitation OrdersDV-105-INFO
I have a disability. How can I get help?
You may use form MC-410 to request assistance. 
Contact the disability or ADA coordinator at your local 
court for more information.
What if I need an interpreter?
If you need an interpreter, use form INT-300 to 
request an interpreter or ask the court clerk how 
you can request one.
Request for Accommodations 
Assistive listening systems, computer-assisted 
real-time captioning, or sign language 
interpreter services are available if you ask at 
least five days before the hearing. Contact the 
clerk’s office or go to courts.ca.gov/forms for 
Disability Accommodation Request (form 
MC-410). (Civ. Code, § 54.8.)

Retrieval chunks

• #1

  Form ID: DV-105-INFO Title: Asking for Child Custody and Visitation Orders (Domestic Violence Prevention) Effective Date: 2026-01-01 Mandatory Form: no Languages: 汉语, 한국어, español, Tagalog, Tiếng Việt Info Page: https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/jcc-form/DV-105-INFO Primary Download URL: https://www.courts.ca.gov/d…

• #2

  to selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/domestic-violence-child-custody. What is visitation or parenting time? It is a schedule of how your children will spend time with each parent. A judge must decide on a schedule that is best for your children. If you have safety concerns, tell the judge by writing these concerns in your …

• #3

  require the child and visiting parent to have access to the internet during the visit. Virtual visits may be a good option if you have safety concerns, or if the other parent lives far away from the children. It can also be a good option if the other parent hasn't seen the children in a long time. Virtual visits …

• #4

  what to do in your case, and help you with the forms. Find your local court's self-help center at selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/find. Also, free legal aid may be available in your community. For more information, go to lawhelpca.org. Information about the court process is also available online selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/D…