Child Support Enforcement in Texas

Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last reviewed May 10, 2018

If you're a single parent, then you understand how difficult it can be to make ends meet even when your child's other parent is contributing funds each month. But even when you have a child support order in place, the obligor (the individual paying child support, typically the noncustodial parent) doesn't always cooperate. It can be even more difficult securing child support payments when you don't have a court order or when the presumptive father denies paternity. That's why the enforcement of child support by state officials is so important for families.

The Office of the Attorney General is the official child support enforcement agency in Texas. In addition to enforcing payment, the AG's Child Support Division helps locate noncustodial parents, establish paternity, collect and distribute payments, and review and adjust child support orders.

Texas Child Support Enforcement: The Basics

Time is of the essence when you're a single parent and need help covering the rent and putting food on the table. You don't have time to read legalese; you need answers. The following table highlights the basics of how Texas courts enforce child support orders.

Statutes	Texas Family Code Section 231.001, et seq.
Information Needed for Locating a Noncustodial Parent	If you're having trouble locating your child's noncustodial parent, you may not have access to all of the following information. But the more you can provide, the better the odds of locating the parent: Parent's name and current address (or last known); Name and address of parent's current employer; Social Security number and date of birth; Names and addresses of relatives and friends; Names of banks or creditors; Names of organizations, unions, clubs, etc. to which the noncustodial parent belongs; and Places where the noncustodial parent spends their time.
Options for Collecting Overdue (Delinquent) Support	If a noncustodial parent subject to a child support order falls behind in payments or fails to pay, the state has a number of options to compel payment. Procedures vary by case and a judge may sentence a nonpaying parent to jail. Enforcement options include the following: Requiring employers to deduct court-ordered child support from the noncustodial parent's paycheck through wage withholding; Intercepting federal income tax refund checks, lottery winnings, or other money that may be due from state or federal sources; Filing liens against his or her property or other assets; Suspending driver’s, professional, and hunting and fishing licenses (Noncustodial parents who hold a state license, owe more than 3 months of past-due child support, and are not in compliance with an existing court-ordered or voluntary repayment schedule face license suspension.); and Filing a lawsuit against the noncustodial parent asking the court to enforce its order.
Child Support Enforcement Forms	Child Support Complaint Form Federally Mandated Income Withholding for Support (instructions and links to forms) Request for Warrant Cancellation Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity Parent Survey on the Acknowledgment of Paternity Vital Statistics Forms (requests for birth certificates) Military Affidavit Affidavit of Direct Payments (custodial parent) Affidavit of Direct Payments (noncustodial parent) Child Support Review Questionnaire Affidavit in Support of Nondisclosure of Information in Exceptional Circumstance National Medical Support Notice Form & Instructions Request for Review of National Medical Support Notice TAC (Team Around the Child) Forms
Contact Information	Contact the Child Support Division of the Office of the Attorney General of Texas for further assistance at: (800) 252-8014 TTY (800) 572-2686

Note: State laws are always subject to change through the passage of new legislation, rulings in the higher courts (including federal decisions), ballot initiatives, and other means. While we strive to provide the most current information available, please consult an attorney or conduct your own legal research to verify the state law(s) you are researching.

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Texas Child Support Enforcement: Related Resources

Get Professional Legal Help Enforcing a Child Support Order

Child support is an essential legal requirement for noncustodial parents, intended to help cover the expenses involved in raising a child. But not all parents take their responsibilities seriously, or may not even know they have a child in need of support. If you're having difficulty collecting child support, consider getting help from an experienced Texas child support attorney near you.

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