How child support works
Every state has a child support program. It can find the other parent, legally establish who the parent is, set a support order and collect the payments. You apply through a state, local or tribal child support office. A federal office oversees the program but does not handle cases.
Who runs it
The federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, oversees the national program and helps states and tribes follow federal law. It does not have case information and does not collect payments from parents. Each state, and some tribes, run the program and the offices that work on cases. In some states the state runs the local offices. In others, local governments such as counties run them.
1. Apply for services
Anyone with custody of a child can sign up, including a mother, father, grandparent or legal guardian. A parent whose child does not live with them can also apply, for example to establish legal parentage. Families getting Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid or federally funded foster care may be referred to the program.
You can sign up at any local, state or tribal child support office. The federal contact map lists each state and tribal agency, and the state agency can send you to the right local office. See child support offices.
Bring as much as you can of the following:
- the other parent's name, address and Social Security number, and their current or recent employer
- information about the other parent's income and assets, and a photo if possible
- your children's birth certificates
- any existing support order, divorce decree or separation agreement
- records of support paid in the past
- your own income, assets and costs such as health care and day care for your child
If you fear the other parent, tell your caseworker. The office can flag your case to keep your personal information from being released. If you get public benefits and must cooperate with child support, you may be excused for good cause.
What it costs
The agency can charge an application fee of up to $25. Some states pay all or part of it, or collect it from the other parent, and it can sometimes be waived. Parents who are not in a public assistance program may also owe a $35 yearly fee once the state has collected and paid out $550 in a year. Depending on the state, that fee is charged to either parent, taken out of the support collected, or paid by the state. There can be other costs, such as for locating a parent or for DNA tests. Ask your local office what it charges.
2. Find the other parent
The office searches state records, such as motor vehicle, workforce, tax and prison records, through the State Parent Locator Service. It can also ask the Federal Parent Locator Service, which checks a national directory of new hires. Employers must report new employees to the state within 20 days, so a new job can show up quickly. Tell your caseworker as soon as you learn of a new address or job.
3. Establish paternity
Establishing paternity means legally naming the child's father. It is a basis for child support, and it can give the child rights such as inheritance and Social Security and veterans' benefits. Fathers can sign a voluntary acknowledgment form, available at the hospital or the state vital records office. If paternity is in doubt, either parent or the agency can ask for a DNA test. If the alleged father ignores a properly served notice, a court may establish paternity by default.
4. Set a support order
Every state has child support guidelines that decide how much a parent should pay. Some states base the amount on both parents' incomes. Others use only the income of the parent who does not live with the child. In some states a court sets the order. In others the child support agency does, or both do. Every order must also address the child's health care. Go to the hearing and bring the papers the notice asks for.
5. Collect payments
Orders require income withholding, where the employer takes support out of the paycheck, unless both parents and the court agree on another way to pay. In most states, all payments go to a single State Disbursement Unit for processing. The agency records each payment and sends the money to the parent raising the child. If payments stop, the agency can intercept federal tax refunds, report the debt to credit bureaus, suspend driver's and professional licenses, and deny a passport when more than $2,500 is owed.
If your family got cash assistance in the past and still owes the state, some of what is collected beyond the amount owed to you may go to repay it.
Asking for a review of an order
An order does not change on its own when income changes. Either parent can ask the agency to review it at least every three years, or sooner after a big change, such as a drop in income, a promotion or a child's special needs. The review uses the state guidelines and can raise or lower the amount. If your case does not meet the state's rules for a review, you can still ask the court for a hearing. Many courts post forms on their websites.
When parents live in different states
An agency must provide services even when a parent lives in another state. A law called the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA) makes sure only one order for current support is enforced. Your agency can send the case to the state where the other parent lives to set, change or enforce the order. It can also send a withholding order straight to an employer in another state. Each state has a Central Registry that receives these cases. UIFSA does not apply to tribes. International cases go through the Hague Child Support Convention or agreements with single countries.
Where it works differently
- County agencies. In California, 47 local child support agencies, run at the county level, provide services to the public.
- County domestic relations offices. In Pennsylvania, applications go to the Domestic Relations Section in your county. An online request is not filed until that office reviews and accepts it.
- A statewide office. In Texas, the Child Support Division of the Office of the Attorney General runs the program, and you can apply online.
State by state
The official statewide page for each state and territory. For a local office near you, search your county or city above.
Sources
- Administration for Children and Families: Office of Child Support Enforcement
- Office of Child Support Enforcement: Parents and frequently asked questions
- Office of Child Support Enforcement: How it works
- Office of Child Support Enforcement: Glossary of common child support terms
- Office of Child Support Enforcement: Structure Matters issue brief (August 2026)
- California: Department of Child Support Services
- Pennsylvania Department of Human Services: Apply for child support services
- Texas Office of the Attorney General: Child support
- Texas Office of the Attorney General: Get started
Checked against the sources above on Oct 16, 2026. GovDir is a guide, not legal advice. The agency that handles your case has the final say.