New York Child Support Enforcement

By Kit Yona, M.A. | Legally reviewed by Laura Temme, Esq. | Last reviewed February 28, 2025

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Taking care of children as a custodial parent is demanding. Nonpayment of child support by the noncustodial parent (NCP) makes things more difficult. In New York, both parents must provide for their kids regardless of their relationship.

The stress of ensuring your children have everything they need intensifies when the funds you expect from the noncustodial parent don't appear as expected. Knowing your options under New York State law is confusing. To help, we have answers to common questions about child support enforcement.

Who Makes Sure Child Support Payments Get Made in New York?

The Child Support Program (CSP), which is part of the New York State Office of Child Support Services (OCSS), oversees the child support system in New York.

Child support became the responsibility of the states as part of Title IV-D of 1975's Social Security Act. Most child support payments go through the New York State Child Support Processing Center (CSPC).

If an NCP falls behind on payments, also known as going into arrears, New York has safeguards to get the money flowing again. Each county has units dedicated to helping children get prompt child support payments. New York City also has a special unit. The names can vary between jurisdictions and include:

  • Child Support Enforcement Bureau (CSEB)
  • Support Collection Unit (SCU)
  • Child Support Enforcement Unit (CSEU)

These units will contact the noncustodial parent if their payments become overdue. They have several administrative resources to encourage child support payments. They'll also have the NCP contribute to health insurance coverage if the child doesn't have insurance and Medicaid isn't an option.

I'm a Noncustodial Parent. The Child Support Seems Like a Lot. How Did They Determine That Amount, and Where Do I Pay?

For most child support cases, New York courts rely on a set of guidelines to determine how much each parent owes. The quick explanation is that the gross incomes of the parents get combined before getting applied to a table based on the number of children they have. This serves as the base for payments. It gets divided by gross income percentage, who is the NCP, and other factors.

For most NCPs, New York uses automatic enrollment in income execution (IEX). This means the state contacts your employer, who deducts the child support payment amount from your paycheck and sends it to the CSPC. If you're unemployed and getting benefits, the deduction will happen before you get paid.

Several options for payment from the NCP to the CSPC aren't automatic. These include:

By mail: Payment by check or money order is sent to the NYS Child Support Processing Center at PO Box 15363, Albany, NY, 12212-5363. Payment coupons are available through your online account. If not using a coupon, be sure to include the following:

  • Your full name
  • Your child support case numbers or New York Case Identifiers for each account
  • The county you're filing from
  • The amount of your payment

In-person: There are several ways to make a child support payment in person:

  • Some retailers (Walmart and CVS) accept cash payments through Moneygram for a fee of $3.99 for each payment.
  • Local child support offices accept payments of cash, checks, or money orders. You can check to see if there's one near you.
  • Online: Several sites accept online child support payments. The fee for each payment varies by vendor.

If you're using IEX, you're not involved in the transfer of funds each paycheck. Your employer will send it to the CSPC.

I Didn't Get the Child Support Payment From My Ex That I Was Expecting. How Long Does It Take Before CSEB Gets Involved?

Not long at all. The child support enforcement program can get medical coverage and go after accounts in arrears without a court order.

The first step is sending a notice to nonpaying NCPs. This alerts them to their noncompliance, explains the procedures that will follow if the payments aren't made, and lets them know the consequences of not resolving the issue.

Depending on the amount of debt or the length of nonpayment, multiple procedures can start at the same time. If you're in arrears and can't pay, contact your local office and try to make an arrangement.

What Happens if My Kid's NCP Still Refuses To Pay?

If an NCP isn't paying, the enforcement units will apply procedures to extract payments. As the amount in arrears increases, the scheduled child support payments will adjust to 150% of the usual amount to relieve debt.

New York will use all means to ensure an NCP satisfies their child support rule. This includes any or all the following methods:

  • Credit bureau submission: The name of the delinquent noncustodial parent goes to consumer credit reporting agencies such as Experian. This can hurt their creditworthiness until overdue support gets paid.
  • Denial of passport: CSEU can work with the U.S. Department of State to prevent delinquent noncustodial parents from getting or renewing a passport.
  • Driver's license suspension: If an NCP goes four months or longer in arrears, the state can suspend their driver's license. It may allow some use for the person's work.
  • Liens: The state may place liens against real estate assets, personal injury awards, real property, or other assets.
  • Lottery intercept: The state will intercept any New York State lottery winnings and apply them to accounts in arrears.
  • Property execution: Bank accounts and other financial assets can get seized.
  • Revocation of licenses (business, occupational, professional, recreational): The state can revoke or deny any of these licenses after four months of arrears. The NCP has 30 days to comply before the state takes action. This is often a last resort because it's counterproductive to deny the NCP a source of income.
  • Tax referrals: The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance can collect overdue payments using tax remedies and intercepting tax refunds.

The goal is to have the NCP make child support payments to provide for their child. While these methods are available for enforcement, the state will give the NCP the opportunity to pay what they owe first before imposing these sanctions.

Can I Go to Jail for Not Making My Child Support Payments?

Indeed you can, and not just for missing payments. If you reduce your income potential on purpose, such as quitting a job for no reason or not looking for new employment, New York can imprison you.

Missing a payment for reasons within your control is non-support of a child in the second degree. It's a class A misdemeanor with up to a year in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, and other punitive measures.

If you have the same thing happen again within five years of a previous voluntary nonpayment, you'll face non-support of a child in the first degree charges. This is a class E felony, which carries up to four years in state prison, a fine of thousands of dollars as set by the court, and other penalties associated with a felony conviction.

I Want To Pay the Child Support I Owe, but I Barely Have Enough To Eat. What Can I Do?

New York understands that people experience rough times in their lives. If making a child support payment as determined by New York guidelines would put your income below the self-support reserve line, also known as the poverty level, you have a source for relief. The new payment minimum is $25 per month, or $50 if you're receiving SSI payments.

New York Child Support Enforcement: Review

Children need help and financial support to survive. The table below recaps what you've learned about how child support enforcement works in New York.

New York State child support enforcement statutes

Consolidated Laws of New York

Chapter — Family Court

Child Support Standards Act (CSSA)

Chapter — Penal

Article 260 — Offenses Related to Children, Disabled Persons, and Vulnerable Elderly Persons
New York child support payment methods

Income Execution (IEX): A notice gets sent to the noncustodial parent's employer, requesting that owed funds be deducted from their paycheck and sent to the New York State Child Support Processing Center (this is not wage garnishment, which requires a court order).

Unemployment Insurance Benefits Intercept (UIB): Current and overdue child support payments get deducted from unemployment payments.

In person: There are multiple ways to make a child support payment in person:

  • Some retailers (Walmart, CVS) accept cash payments through Moneygram for a $3.99 fee
  • Local child support offices may accept payments of cash, checks, or money orders

Online: Several sites accept online child support payments for a fee

By mail: Payment by check or money order is sent to the NYS Child Support Processing Center at PO Box 15363, Albany, NY, 12212-5363

  • Payment coupons are available through your online account
  • Include your full name, child support case numbers or New York Case Identifiers for each account, the county you're filing from, and the amount of the payments

(NYS DCSS Noncustodial Parents Services)
Procedures for collecting overdue (delinquent) support

Notice will go to all accounts in arrears before any administrative actions. Based on the amount owed and how long the account has been in arrears, more than one procedure may go into effect at the same time:

  • Credit bureau submission
  • Lottery intercept
  • Property execution
  • Driver's license suspension (after four months)
  • Denial of passport
  • Liens
  • Tax referrals
  • Revocation of licenses (business, occupational, professional, recreational)

(NYS DCSS Support Enforcement)
Enforcing payment of health insurance coverage

If the court orders the noncustodial parent to provide health insurance coverage for their children, a National Medical Support Notice is sent to their employer requiring them to get the necessary coverage (payable by the employee).

(NY FCA Section 413 C5)
Individuals exempt from professional license revocation for nonpayment of child support
  • Those getting public assistance or supplemental security income
  • Those whose income falls below the self-support reserve amount
  • Those whose income would fall below the self-support reserve amount after payment of support obligations

(NY FCA Section 413 D)

Note: New York laws are subject to change through the passage of new legislation, higher court rulings that include federal decisions, ballot initiatives, and other means. To confirm current state child support laws, please speak with a New York family law attorney.

New York Child Support Enforcement: Related Resources

Issues With Child Support Enforcement In New York? An Attorney Can Help

No child should have to grow up in a house with an absent parent, but it happens. When a noncustodial parent fails to pay, is late, or takes drastic measures to avoid financial responsibility for their child, seeking legal help is a good idea. An experienced New York family law attorney can help you with child support enforcement.

A lawyer can alert you to temporary assistance programs, show you how to get the most out of the Department of Social Services, and be your legal advocate. When facing issues of child support enforcement in New York, talking to a child support attorney is a good idea.

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