Child Relocation

Notice on Intended Relocation of Children
"Relocate" means a change in principal residence either permanently or for a protracted period of time.
The person proposing to relocate with the child shall provide his or her reasons for the intended relocation. There is a rebuttable presumption that the intended relocation of the child will be permitted. A person entitled to object to the intended relocation of the child may rebut the presumption by demonstrating that the detrimental effect of the relocation outweighs the benefit of the change to the child and the relocating person, based upon. Read the RCW for the specific factors listed.

Filing Fee Due
A filing fee will be collected when the 1st of either of these documents is "filed" with the Clerk:
  • Notice of Relocation
  • Objection to Relocation / Petition for Modification of Custody Decree/Parenting Plan/Residential Schedule
In most cases, there will have to be a modification to the parenting plan. Clerk's staff may inquire of you if a new parenting plan will be entered, the filing fee is due, or if there is a pending parenting plan modification and the fee has already been paid - you do not need to pay it again.

If you are filing a Notice of Relocation and the parenting plan arrangements are not going to be changed by the Court, no fee is due.

Refer to the Relocation of Children section of the  Fee Schedule (PDF).