Virginia Custody Forms: DC-511, DC-620, DC-409, and DC-606 Explained

Four Forms to Know

The main statewide forms for filing for custody of a grandchild or relative's child in Virginia's Juvenile and Domestic Relations (JDR) District Court are DC-511 and DC-620. Use DC-409 to request a fee waiver and DC-606 when the court assesses Guardian ad Litem costs. The forms are free to download from the Supreme Court of Virginia's website at vacourts.gov — you do not need to buy forms from a template seller.

Here is what each one does and what you need to fill it out.

Form DC-511: Petition for Custody or Visitation

This is the petition itself — the document that officially asks the court to grant you custody or visitation. It captures the basic facts: your name, the child's name, the parents' names, and the legal basis for your petition.

As a grandparent or relative, you file under your status as a "person with a legitimate interest" under Va. Code § 20-124.1. The form asks you to identify who currently has custody and what you are requesting.

Key details to have ready:

• Full legal names of the child and both parents
• Child's date of birth
• Current living arrangement
• Whether any other court has entered a custody or visitation order for this child
• The specific relief you are requesting (legal custody, physical custody, visitation, or a combination)

The petition is child-specific. Fairfax County directs petitioners to file a separate petition for each child; the official form also directs separate petitions for separate matters such as custody and visitation. One $25 fee covers all custody and visitation petitions filed simultaneously by one petitioner.

Form DC-620: UCCJEA Affidavit

The Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA) affidavit is required in a custody case. It gives the court the child's residence and case history needed to decide whether Virginia has jurisdiction; the affidavit does not by itself establish that Virginia has jurisdiction.

This form requires the child's address history for the past five years, including:

• Every address where the child has lived
• The dates at each address
• The names and current addresses of each person the child lived with during that period, if reasonably ascertainable

If the child has moved between relatives' homes, been in foster care, or spent time with different family members, reconstructing this history takes work. Gather it before you go to the courthouse — arriving without a complete DC-620 is one of the most common reasons intake officers send people home.

The form also asks whether you know of any other custody proceedings involving this child in any state. If a Virginia court is deciding whether to exercise jurisdiction and a court in another state appears to have jurisdiction over a proceeding under the UCCJEA, the Virginia court must communicate with that court before deciding jurisdiction.

Form DC-409: Fee Waiver Petition

Form DC-409 is the petition for proceeding in a civil case without payment of fees or costs. It is used to request a fee waiver in a JDR custody or visitation case.

The form asks about public assistance, household income, liquid assets, and exceptional expenses. If you are on Social Security, SSI, TANF, or other public assistance, list those amounts. The court decides whether to approve the request.

Form DC-606: Financial Statement for GAL Costs

Form DC-606 provides financial information for assessment of Guardian ad Litem (GAL) costs. It is not the JDR filing-fee waiver petition; use DC-409 for that request.

Where to Get the Forms

All forms are available at vacourts.gov under the District Court forms section. Your local JDR clerk's office also has printed copies. Do not pay a document-preparation service for these — the forms are standardized statewide and identical whether you print them at home or pick them up at the courthouse.

Filing at the Court Services Unit

In most Virginia jurisdictions, self-represented petitioners start through the Court Services Unit (CSU) at the local JDR court. The intake officer processes petitions to initiate a case. In Fairfax County, you can also file directly with the Clerk's Office.

Bring to your filing appointment:

• Completed DC-511 for each child
• Completed DC-620 with full address history
• DC-409, if requesting a fee waiver
• DC-606, if the court needs a financial statement for GAL costs
• Government-issued photo ID
• Certified copy of the child's birth certificate
• Multiple copies of each form (the clerk keeps originals; you need copies for service on each parent)

After filing, the court issues a summons. A sheriff, a private process server, or another adult who is at least 18 and not a party or otherwise interested in the case may serve the papers on each non-petitioning parent. The $12 service fee applies when the sheriff serves each person.

What Comes After Filing

Once the forms are filed and the parents are served, the court sets a hearing date — typically within 30 to 60 days. Between filing and the hearing, the court may appoint a Guardian ad Litem to represent the child's interests, and the judge may order a home study through the local Department of Social Services or Court Services Unit.

For a complete walkthrough of every step from filing through the hearing and beyond, the Virginia Guardianship and Custody Court Process Guide includes a UCCJEA address worksheet, a filing checklist, and a service-of-process tracking log.

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