Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte
Parenting classes Fort Myers parents take for a divorce follow Florida’s statewide rules, because we found no official Lee County or Twentieth Circuit page on the course. That means a DCF-approved Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course, finished within 45 days of filing or service, with proof filed before the final judgment. For local steps, such as how to file the certificate or whether an online class is accepted, ask the Lee County Clerk of Court or the family court.
Key Facts
- Local page: we found no official Lee County or Twentieth Circuit page on the course. See what we could find.
- The rule: section 61.21 applies in Lee County as in every Florida county. See the state rule.
- Deadline: 45 days after filing for the petitioner, or after service for the other party. See the 45-day clock.
- Approval: the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) approves courses. See picking a course.
- Local steps: ask the Clerk about filing and online classes. See questions for the Clerk.
What We Could and Could Not Find
Lee County is part of Florida’s Twentieth Judicial Circuit. The circuit’s website also names Charlotte, Collier, Glades and Hendry counties.
We looked for an official page from the circuit or Lee County on the parenting course. We did not find one.
We also read the circuit’s list of administrative orders. Its family law section lists these orders, and none is about the course:
| Twentieth Circuit family order | About the parenting course? |
|---|---|
| 12.1 Citizen Review Panels | No |
| 12.2 and 12.4 Unified Family Court | No |
| 12.3 Supervised Visitation Programs | No |
| 12.5 Lee County Pay or Appear Program | No |
| 12.6 Civil Contempt in Child Support Matters | No |
| 12.8 Designated Judge for Hague Convention cases | No |
That does not mean Lee County has no local practice. It means we could not find one in writing. So this guide sticks to state law and points you to the Clerk for the rest.
Parenting Classes Fort Myers Parents Must Take: The State Rule
Section 61.21 of the Florida Statutes applies in every county, Lee included. It names who must complete the Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course:
- all parties to a divorce (dissolution of marriage) with minor children
- the parties to a paternity case that involves parental responsibility
In a case that changes a parenting plan or time-sharing schedule, the court may require the course. A divorce with no minor children is not covered by this law.
Each parent takes the course. One parent’s certificate does not cover the other.
Why Florida Requires It
The law explains its own purpose in section 61.21(1). The Legislature found that children of divorcing parents can suffer lasting harm, more so when parents are in long legal conflict.
It also found that parents gain from early, general education on the court process, emotional adjustment and community help. See why parenting classes are required.
The 45-Day Clock
State law sets the deadlines. They start at different times for each parent:
- The petitioner: 45 days after filing the petition.
- The other party in a divorce: 45 days after service of the petition.
- The other party in a paternity case: 45 days after an acknowledgment of paternity, an adjudication of paternity, or an order granting time-sharing or support.
Take a petition filed on July 7. The petitioner’s 45th day is August 21. The law also says each parent should begin “as expeditiously as possible.”
Only the court can excuse a parent from the course or the deadline. It must find good cause. See who has to take it and when for the full statewide picture.
Picking a DCF-Approved Course
DCF approves every Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course, along with its providers and sites. DCF’s course page links to the approved provider list.
The list has these columns: course name, provider, languages, phone, website, city, indigent status, delivery method and expiration date. The city and delivery method columns help you spot classes near Fort Myers or in other formats.
Under rule 65C-32.005, an approval lasts three years. Check the expiration date before you pay.
Children With Special Needs
If your children have special needs or emotional concerns, state law says you must select a course made for that. DCF keeps a special-needs course list. The court can also order extra classes on top of the required course.
What Every Course Must Do
DCF’s rule 65C-32.002 sets the ground rules for every approved course:
- It runs at least four hours, counting teaching, exercises and the end-of-course test.
- An online course must block anyone from finishing in under four hours.
- Every course must have a way to confirm who is taking it.
- Online and mail students can contact an instructor, who answers content questions within one business day.
Instructors also need training. The rule calls for a related bachelor’s degree and two years of experience, or four years of related experience.
Rule 65C-32.003 lists eight required topics, from divorce as a loss to parenting time. Every parent also gets a written notice that the course is for education only and is not therapy.
The Test and the Certificate
Each course ends with a test. Under DCF rule 65C-32.004, these rules apply:
- A score of 70 percent passes.
- You may try as many times as you need.
- After a miss, you review the material before you try again.
- No extra fee may be charged for the added time.
Once you pass, the provider gives you a certificate. It lists the course name, the provider’s name and contact details, the curriculum name if any, and the dates you started and finished. Providers keep copies for five years.
Filing Proof in Lee County
State law says each party files proof of completion with the court before the final judgment. It does not say what form the proof takes or how to file it.
We found no Lee County instructions on this step. So ask the Clerk how your case should receive the certificate. Our guide on getting your certificate covers the statewide side.
The Course Is Not the Parenting Plan
A Lee County divorce with children has other parts besides the course. One is the parenting plan.
Under section 61.046, a parenting plan governs how parents make decisions about the child. The time-sharing schedule must be part of it.
The course teaches ideas for building a plan. But finishing the course does not create or file one. Each is its own step in the case.
Online Classes and Lee County
Florida law requires DCF to approve at least one statewide internet course and one correspondence course. But that does not mean every court accepts them.
The Fourth Circuit, around Jacksonville, requires an in-person class. A 2014 DCF provider list also noted that “Some Florida counties have Administrative Orders requiring parents to take the Course in a live-classroom setting.” That list is old, but its advice still fits: check locally first.
We found nothing that says how Lee County treats online classes. Ask the Clerk or the court before you enroll online.
Cost and Fee Help
No state price exists for the course. The law lets a provider charge “a reasonable fee” to each parent. DCF must list at least one site in each circuit with a sliding fee scale, if one is available.
Providers also report their options for parents who cannot pay, such as scholarships or accepting court fee waivers. Under rule 65C-32.001, “indigent” means civil indigent status found by the clerk of the circuit court.
Together, Safety and Privacy
Parents do not have to take the course together. If there is a history of domestic violence, the court can prohibit taking it together.
Statements made in the course are not used to decide your case. The exception is when both parents agree in writing.
If a Parent Does Not Finish
Under section 61.21(9), a parent who skips a required course can be held in contempt. The court may also deny that parent shared parental responsibility or time-sharing, or impose other sanctions.
The course also stands in the way of the final judgment. Section 61.21 says proof must be filed before the court enters it. Parents cannot agree to skip the course; only the court can excuse a parent, for good cause.
Questions for the Lee County Clerk
Because we found no local page, a call or visit to the Clerk is the best next step. Ask:
- How should I file my course certificate in this case?
- Does the court accept an online or correspondence course?
- Is there a local order or form for the course?
- How do I ask for civil indigent status?
- Does anything else need to be filed before the final judgment?
For advice about your own case, talk with a Florida family law attorney.
What We Found on the Official Pages
On the Twentieth Circuit order list we checked on October 26, 2026, the family law section had no order on the parenting course. We found no Lee County Clerk or circuit page that explains the course.
The sources we could confirm were state sources. They are section 61.21, DCF’s course page and provider list, and the DCF rules described above.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Each point comes from section 61.21 or DCF rules:
- Assuming no local page means no rule. Section 61.21 still applies in Lee County.
- Taking a course not on DCF’s list. Only DCF-approved courses meet the law.
- Enrolling online without asking. No Lee source says online is accepted.
- Missing the paternity trigger. The other parent’s 45 days start at a different event.
- Forgetting to file. Finishing the course does not file the certificate for you.
How Requirements Can Vary
Section 61.21 of the Florida Statutes sets the course requirement for the whole state, and DCF approves the courses. Each judicial circuit can still add its own steps, such as how to file the certificate or which class formats it accepts. The Fourth Circuit (Duval, Clay and Nassau counties), for example, requires an in-person class.
Laws, court orders and local rules can change. Check your court’s instructions, your county clerk’s website and DCF’s provider list before you enroll or file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a Lee County rule on parenting classes?
We found none in writing. The Twentieth Circuit’s order list has no order on the course, so the state law in section 61.21 is the rule we can confirm.
Do Fort Myers parents have to take a parenting class?
Yes, in a divorce with minor children or a paternity case involving parental responsibility. Both parents take it.
Can I take the class online in Lee County?
We found no Lee County source that answers this. Ask the Clerk or the court before you enroll in an online course.
How long do I have?
The petitioner has 45 days after filing. The other parent in a divorce has 45 days after service.
Where do I file my certificate?
With the court, before the final judgment. Ask the Lee County Clerk how your case should receive it.
Who approves classes for Fort Myers parents?
DCF. Check the course and its expiration date on DCF’s provider list.
Is what I say in the class used in my case?
No, unless both parents agree in writing. Section 61.21(8) keeps statements made in the course out of the case.
What if I cannot afford the class?
Look at the Indigent Status column on DCF’s list and ask about sliding fees. DCF must list a sliding-fee site in each circuit, if one is available.
Conclusion
Fort Myers parents should follow the statewide rules: a DCF-approved course, finished within 45 days, with proof filed before the final judgment. If you are considering DivorceParentingClass.net’s online Florida parent education course, first ask the Lee County Clerk or the court to confirm that it accepts an online course. The Clerk can also tell you how to file your certificate.
Related Articles
- Parenting Classes Florida by County: Court Certificate Guide
- Florida Parenting Class Requirement: Who Takes It and When
- Parenting Classes Near Me or Online? Florida Divorce Guide
- How to Get Your Florida Parenting Class Certificate
Sources
- Florida Statutes § 61.21 — Parenting course
- Florida Statutes § 61.046 — Definitions
- Fla. Admin. Code R. 65C-32.001 — Definitions
- Fla. Admin. Code R. 65C-32.002 — Course length and delivery
- Fla. Admin. Code R. 65C-32.003 — Required course content
- Fla. Admin. Code R. 65C-32.004 — Test and certificate
- Fla. Admin. Code R. 65C-32.005 — Provider approval
- Florida DCF — Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course
- Florida DCF — Approved course provider list
- Florida DCF — Courses for children with special needs or emotional concerns
Billy Forte is the owner of DivorceParentingClass.net.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Court rules, local practice, and case facts can differ by county, judge, and case type in Florida. Use official court and state sources, and consult a qualified Florida family law attorney for legal guidance specific to your case.