How to collect unpaid child support in Georgia

Arrears, interest and enforcement, with a letter to the agency.

Checked against official sources: Oct 25, 2026.

Short answer

Arrears means child support that is past due. Child support awards accrue interest at 7% per year, starting 30 days after a payment is due.

Interest on unpaid support
7% a year
Passport denial
Over $2,500 past due (federal law)

How support is collected in Georgia

Arrears means support that is past due. The child support agency can use these tools to collect it:

  • Income withholding (from wages, unemployment and workers' compensation)
  • Federal and state tax refund intercept
  • Credit bureau reporting
  • Driver's, professional, occupational, hunting and fishing license suspension
  • Lottery winnings intercept over $2,500
  • Passport denial when more than $2,500 is owed
  • Liens and seizure of bank accounts, lump-sum workers' compensation and property
  • Contempt of court

Law: O.C.G.A. 19-11-9.3 (license suspension)

Ask the agency in writing to collect what is owed: Ask the agency to collect unpaid support

Court action in Georgia

A parent who does not pay or keep required medical insurance can be held in contempt in superior court and fined or jailed. A judge may send a parent who can't pay to the Fatherhood Program or Parental Accountability Court.

What federal law adds

  • Tax refunds. The federal government can take a federal tax refund to pay past-due child support. Law: 42 U.S.C. 664
  • Passports. A parent who owes more than $2,500 in past-due support can be refused a passport. Law: 42 U.S.C. 652(k)
  • Pay withholding limit. For support, up to 50% of take-home pay can be withheld if the parent supports another spouse or child, or 60% if not. It is 55% or 65% when support is more than 12 weeks behind. Law: 15 U.S.C. 1673(b)
  • Past-due support. Each unpaid payment becomes a judgment on the day it is due. It can't be lowered later, except back to the date the other parent got notice of a request to change the order. Law: 42 U.S.C. 666(a)(9)

Does unpaid support grow in Georgia?

Child support awards accrue interest at 7% per year, starting 30 days after a payment is due. The court may apply, reduce or waive past-due interest.

Law: O.C.G.A. 7-4-12.1

In nearby states

What to do now in Georgia

  1. Keep a payment record

    A simple list of payments received and missed helps the agency.

  2. Contact the agency

    If you don't have a case yet, open one with Georgia Department of Human Services, Division of Child Support Services (DCSS) (1-877-423-4746) · Apply online

  3. Give the agency leads

    Tell the agency where the other parent works or lives.

  4. Ask about interest

    Ask the agency for the total owed, with any interest.

Where to get free help in Georgia

Questions about unpaid support in Georgia

How is unpaid child support collected in Georgia?

Arrears means support that is past due. The child support agency can use these tools to collect it: Income withholding (from wages, unemployment and workers' compensation); Federal and state tax refund intercept; Credit bureau reporting; Driver's, professional, occupational, hunting and fishing license suspension; Lottery winnings intercept over $2,500; Passport denial when more than $2,500 is owed; Liens and seizure of bank accounts, lump-sum workers' compensation and property; Contempt of court.

Can a parent be held in contempt for not paying in Georgia?

A parent who does not pay or keep required medical insurance can be held in contempt in superior court and fined or jailed. A judge may send a parent who can't pay to the Fatherhood Program or Parental Accountability Court.

Is there interest on unpaid child support in Georgia?

Child support awards accrue interest at 7% per year, starting 30 days after a payment is due. The court may apply, reduce or waive past-due interest.

More for Georgia

Sources

Sources

Last checked: Oct 25, 2026.

Federal sources