Parenting classes · Maricopa County, Arizona
Maricopa County Parent Information Program (PIP)
In Maricopa County the court orders the Parent Information Program but does not assign you a class — you choose from the Superior Court's approved-provider list, the class fee is capped at $50 per person, and the court's order (form DR12f) gives each parent 45 days from service of the petition to finish. Start at the court's own page: Maricopa County Superior Court — Family Conciliation Services.
Quick answer: the Maricopa County parenting class
Mandatory, roughly 4 hours, maximum $50 per person, due within 45 days of being served. Under A.R.S. 25-351 and 25-352, both parents in a Maricopa County divorce, legal separation, or paternity case involving legal decision-making, parenting time, or child support must complete the Parent Information Program. The Superior Court's Family Conciliation Services page states the class fee is a maximum of $50 per person, and its Order and Notice to Attend (DR12f) sets completion within 45 days of service of the petition. You pick any provider on the court's approved list — online and Spanish-language options are on it — and the provider files your completion certificate with the court.
Maricopa County PIP at a glance
| Requirement | Parent Information Program (PIP) — mandatory under A.R.S. 25-351 and 25-352 |
|---|---|
| Who takes it | Both parents in a divorce, legal separation, or paternity case involving legal decision-making, parenting time, or child support — each parent separately |
| Cost | Maximum $50 per person (court page and A.R.S. 25-355); several approved providers advertise $35 |
| Deadline | Within 45 days of service of the petition (court's Order and Notice to Attend, form DR12f) — your own order controls |
| Length | About 4 hours (Arizona's minimum PIP curriculum) |
| Format | You choose a court-approved provider; the list is mostly online courses, with Spanish-language options |
| Certificate | Filed with the court by the approved provider after you finish |
| If you don't finish | A.R.S. 25-353: the court may deny relief in your favor, hold you in contempt, or impose other reasonable sanctions |
The court's approved providers (you pick one)
This is the part people get wrong: nobody at the courthouse signs you up. The Superior Court's Family Conciliation Services page lists the approved Parent Information Program providers, and each parent registers and pays a provider directly. As published on the court's page:
| Provider | Contact | Notes (as published) |
|---|---|---|
| Positive Parenting Program | 954-478-2062 · maricopacoparenting.com | Online; court page lists $35 |
| Families in Transition | 480-946-9680 · Español: 602-451-4046 · families-in-transition.com | English and Spanish |
| Certevia Parenting and Divorce | 800-767-8193 · certevia.com | Online; court page lists $35 |
| Children In-Between Online | divorce-education.com/az/maricopa | Online, self-paced |
| Niños En Medio En Linea | online.divorce-education.com/es | Spanish-language version of Children In Between |
| Online Parenting Program | 866-504-2883 · AZ.OnlineParentingPrograms.com | Online; court page lists $35 |
Provider lists change — re-check the current list on the court's Family Conciliation Services page before you register. A certificate from an unlisted provider may not be accepted.
The two numbers that matter: $50 and 45 days
- The $50 ceiling. The court's page states the class fee is a maximum of $50 per person, and Arizona law (A.R.S. 25-351 and the fee provision in A.R.S. 25-355) caps what you can be charged. If a "Maricopa-approved" class quotes you more than $50 for the required PIP, something is off — check the court's list. Fee deferrals and waivers exist for parents who cannot afford it; ask the court, don't skip the class.
- The 45-day clock. The court's Order and Notice to Attend the Parent Information Program (form DR12f) directs each party to complete the program within 45 days of service of the petition. The order in your case file is the controlling document — read its dates.
Both parents complete the class, and they attend separately — Arizona courts run separate sessions as a domestic-violence safety precaution. Under A.R.S. 25-352 the court can excuse a parent in limited circumstances (participation not in the best interests of the parties or child, or a comparable program already completed), and under A.R.S. 25-353 a parent who does not comply can be denied relief, held in contempt, or otherwise sanctioned.
Outside Maricopa County? The Parent Information Program is required statewide under A.R.S. 25-351, but each county Superior Court keeps its own approved-provider list and deadline. See court-ordered parenting classes in Arizona for how the requirement works across the state, or the Arizona Judicial Branch's Parent Education Program page.
Source & accuracy: compiled from the Maricopa County Superior Court's Family Conciliation Services page, the court's DR12f Order and Notice to Attend, and Arizona Revised Statutes 25-351, 25-352, 25-353, and 25-355. Court rules, fees, provider lists, and deadlines change — always confirm the current requirement with the Maricopa County Superior Court or the court that ordered you before you enroll or pay. Next Step Counseling is an independent nationwide directory: we run no classes, enroll no one, and are not affiliated with the Maricopa County Superior Court or any provider listed above; no court requires or endorses a provider through this page. This is general information, not legal advice. Sources: superiorcourt.maricopa.gov — Family Conciliation Services, superiorcourt.maricopa.gov — form DR12f, azleg.gov — A.R.S. 25-351, A.R.S. 25-352, A.R.S. 25-353, azcourts.gov — Parent Education Program.