Child support in Louisiana

Louisiana uses the income-shares model: both parents' incomes count, and each parent pays a share of the child's support. To open a case, contact the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), Child Support Enforcement at 1-877-752-3237.

Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), Child Support EnforcementCall 1-877-752-3237Apply onlineAgency website
Estimate supportOpen a caseChange my orderCollect unpaid support

Checked against official sources: Oct 25, 2026. · Free letters and checklist ↓

How much child support in Louisiana?

Both parents' adjusted gross incomes are added together. The total and the number of children give a basic amount from the state schedule, and each parent owes a share in proportion to their income. Health insurance for the child, child care and some other costs are added on top.

Law: La. R.S. 9:315 to 9:315.20; schedule in La. R.S. 9:315.19 (as replaced by Acts 2024, No. 86, eff. Jan. 1, 2025)

We don't estimate Louisiana's amount here: its formula uses both parents' incomes and other facts, and a home-made number could mislead you. The official tool gives the real starting number:

Official Louisiana child support calculator

Open a child support case in Louisiana

Agency
Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), Child Support Enforcement
Phone
1-877-7LA-DCFS (1-877-752-3237), DCFS Customer Service
Apply
Apply online
How to open a case

Apply online through the LA CAFÉ self-service portal, or print the paper application and mail it in. Families getting FITAP, KCSP or Medicaid are enrolled automatically. You can also file for support in the district court (or family or juvenile court) in a divorce, custody or paternity case. Each parent must give the court a verified income statement with pay stubs and the most recent federal tax return.

Source: form CSE-101, also in Spanish

Application fee

$25 for full services unless you get FITAP, KCSP or Medicaid; $10 for locate-only service (plus $4 if you don't give the other parent's Social Security number). No new fee if you reapply within six months after your case closed, unless it closed at your request or for not cooperating (DCFS application form CSE-101; LAC 67:III.2521).

Yearly fee

$35 a year for a parent who has never received FITAP-type assistance, once the state has collected at least $550 in the federal fiscal year. It is taken from support collected, but not from the first $550 (LAC 67:III.2523).

Forms
Paternity (legal fatherhood)

Unmarried parents can sign a voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity (AOP) affidavit: free at the hospital when the child is born, at Vital Records (small fee), or at a local child support office. If paternity is disputed, DCFS can arrange genetic testing and bring a court case to establish paternity, or a parent can file a paternity suit.

Law: La. R.S. 46:236.1.2

Source: application and fee required; DCFS Paternity Establishment Program

Checklist: what to bring to open a case

Louisiana child support by topic

How support is calculated in Louisiana

The model, the percentages or the official calculator, and low-income rules.

Change child support in Louisiana

When you can ask, how to ask, and a review letter.

Collect unpaid support in Louisiana

Collection tools, interest and license rules, and a letter.

When support ends in Louisiana

The end age, high school and disability rules.

How child support is figured in Louisiana

Model
Income shares
How it works

Both parents' adjusted gross incomes are added together. The total and the number of children give a basic amount from the state schedule, and each parent owes a share in proportion to their income. Health insurance for the child, child care and some other costs are added on top.

Low income

The schedule starts at a combined adjusted income of $1,050 a month. Below that, the court sets support based on actual income, earning ability and other evidence of the parent's ability to pay.

Law: La. R.S. 9:315.13(A)

Official calculator
Official Louisiana child support calculator
Health insurance and medical costs

The court may order either parent to enroll the child in health insurance, considering each parent's plan, job and income. The cost of the child's premium is added to the basic support amount. In DCFS cases, the order must provide medical support.

Law: La. R.S. 9:315.4

Law: La. R.S. 9:315 to 9:315.20; schedule in La. R.S. 9:315.19 (as replaced by Acts 2024, No. 86, eff. Jan. 1, 2025)

Change a child support order in Louisiana

When a change is allowed

The person asking must show a material change in circumstances that is substantial and continuing since the last order. In cases where DCFS provides services, a change of at least 25% under the guidelines is presumed to be a material change. Past-due support alone is not a reason to lower support. Support is suspended by law while the paying parent is incarcerated for 180 days or more.

Law: La. R.S. 9:311, 9:311.1

How to ask

If DCFS handles your case, ask for a review: use the online Request for Review, message your worker in the LA CAFÉ portal, call 1-877-752-3237, or mail the Request for Review form to DCFS Document Processing Center / Child Support Enforcement, P.O. Box 260032, Baton Rouge, LA 70826. DCFS can ask the court for a change if the order is more than three years old, would change by at least 25%, or there has been a material and substantial change. You can also file a motion (a "rule") to modify in the court that made the order.

Forms

Law: La. R.S. 9:311; La. R.S. 9:311.1

Can I ask for a change? Check your situation

Louisiana's rule: The person asking must show a material change in circumstances that is substantial and continuing since the last order. In cases where DCFS provides services, a change of at least 25% under the guidelines is presumed to be a material change. Past-due support alone is not a reason to lower support. Support is suspended by law while the paying parent is incarcerated for 180 days or more.

Law: La. R.S. 9:311, 9:311.1; La. R.S. 9:311; La. R.S. 9:311.1

Until a new order is made, the current amount is still owed. A change can count only from the date the other parent gets notice of your request, so ask soon.

Law: 42 U.S.C. 666(a)(9)

How to ask in Louisiana: If DCFS handles your case, ask for a review: use the online Request for Review, message your worker in the LA CAFÉ portal, call 1-877-752-3237, or mail the Request for Review form to DCFS Document Processing Center / Child Support Enforcement, P.O. Box 260032, Baton Rouge, LA 70826. DCFS can ask the court for a change if the order is more than three years old, would change by at least 25%, or there has been a material and substantial change. You can also file a motion (a "rule") to modify in the court that made the order.

Ask the agency to review (change) your order

Collect unpaid child support in Louisiana

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

Collection tools
  • Income assignment (wage withholding)
  • Driver's, professional, hunting and fishing license suspension
  • Federal and state tax refund offset
  • Lottery winnings intercept ($600 or more)
  • Credit bureau reporting
  • Liens and child support mortgage
  • Court contempt
License suspension

Delinquent at least 90 days in paying support or in making ordered payments on arrears, or not providing court-ordered health insurance (LAC 67:III.2545; R.S. 9:315.30-315.36).

Contempt of court

The court can hold a parent who does not pay in contempt. Failing to pay support can also be a crime.

Law: La. R.S. 46:236.6

Law: La. R.S. 9:315.30-9:315.36; La. R.S. 46:236.1.2; La. R.S. 46:236.3; LAC 67:III.2535-2545

Ask the agency to collect unpaid support

When child support ends in Louisiana

Support ends

18, or up to 19 if the unmarried child is a full-time student in good standing in high school (or its equivalent) and still depends on a parent

Exceptions

Support continues to age 22 for a child with a developmental disability who is a full-time high school student. Support can continue indefinitely for a child who cannot support themselves because of an intellectual or physical disability that showed up before age 18; the motion must be filed before the child turns 18 for a minor child. Parents can agree to more.

Law: La. R.S. 9:315.22; La. R.S. 9:315.22.1; La. R.S. 9:315.14

When does support end? Check your situation

Louisiana's rule: 18, or up to 19 if the unmarried child is a full-time student in good standing in high school (or its equivalent) and still depends on a parent

Law: La. R.S. 9:315.22; La. R.S. 9:315.22.1; La. R.S. 9:315.14

Your own order may set a different end date, for example when the parents agreed to one. Read it.

Free help in Louisiana

Official self-help

Free letters and checklist

Ask the agency to review (change) your order

A letter to the child support agency asking for a review and adjustment.

Ask the agency to collect unpaid support

A letter asking the agency to enforce the order and collect what is past due.

Checklist: what to bring to open a case

IDs, birth certificates, the other parent's details and your papers, with Louisiana's agency contact.

Good to know in Louisiana

  • In Louisiana, support is automatically suspended (set to $0) when the paying parent is jailed for 180 days or more, and it restarts by law on the first day of the second full month after release (La. R.S. 9:311.1).
  • Since January 1, 2025, a court can order support for an adult child with a serious disability for an indefinite period (La. R.S. 9:315.22.1).

Changes in 2024–2026

Acts 2024, No. 86 replaced the support schedule effective January 1, 2025. Acts 2024, No. 448 (effective January 1, 2025) added support for adult disabled children and new pleading rules.

Law: La. R.S. 9:315.19; R.S. 9:315.22.1; R.S. 9:315.14

Federal rules in every state

  • Applying. If you don't get TANF, Medicaid or foster care help, a state may charge an application fee of up to $25 to open a child support case. Law: 42 U.S.C. 654(6)(B)(i)
  • Yearly fee. If you never got TANF and the agency collected at least $550 for you in a year, the state charges a $35 yearly fee. It can come out of your support, but never out of the first $550. Law: 42 U.S.C. 654(6)(B)(ii)
  • Review every 3 years. If your case is with the child support agency, either parent can ask it to review the order every 3 years and adjust it to the guidelines. Law: 42 U.S.C. 666(a)(10)(A); 45 CFR 303.8
  • 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)
  • 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)
  • How long support lasts. How long support lasts follows the law of the state that made the order, even if you move. Law: 28 U.S.C. 1738B(h)(2)

Questions about child support in Louisiana

How is child support calculated in Louisiana?

Both parents' adjusted gross incomes are added together. The total and the number of children give a basic amount from the state schedule, and each parent owes a share in proportion to their income. Health insurance for the child, child care and some other costs are added on top.

Is there an official child support calculator for Louisiana?

Yes: Official Louisiana child support calculator.

What if the paying parent has a low income in Louisiana?

The schedule starts at a combined adjusted income of $1,050 a month. Below that, the court sets support based on actual income, earning ability and other evidence of the parent's ability to pay.

How do I apply for child support in Louisiana?

Apply online through the LA CAFÉ self-service portal, or print the paper application and mail it in. Families getting FITAP, KCSP or Medicaid are enrolled automatically. You can also file for support in the district court (or family or juvenile court) in a divorce, custody or paternity case. Each parent must give the court a verified income statement with pay stubs and the most recent federal tax return.

Does it cost money to open a child support case in Louisiana?

$25 for full services unless you get FITAP, KCSP or Medicaid; $10 for locate-only service (plus $4 if you don't give the other parent's Social Security number). No new fee if you reapply within six months after your case closed, unless it closed at your request or for not cooperating (DCFS application form CSE-101; LAC 67:III.2521).

Is there a yearly fee for child support services in Louisiana?

$35 a year for a parent who has never received FITAP-type assistance, once the state has collected at least $550 in the federal fiscal year. It is taken from support collected, but not from the first $550 (LAC 67:III.2523).

When can child support be changed in Louisiana?

The person asking must show a material change in circumstances that is substantial and continuing since the last order. In cases where DCFS provides services, a change of at least 25% under the guidelines is presumed to be a material change. Past-due support alone is not a reason to lower support. Support is suspended by law while the paying parent is incarcerated for 180 days or more.

How do I ask to change child support in Louisiana?

If DCFS handles your case, ask for a review: use the online Request for Review, message your worker in the LA CAFÉ portal, call 1-877-752-3237, or mail the Request for Review form to DCFS Document Processing Center / Child Support Enforcement, P.O. Box 260032, Baton Rouge, LA 70826. DCFS can ask the court for a change if the order is more than three years old, would change by at least 25%, or there has been a material and substantial change. You can also file a motion (a "rule") to modify in the court that made the order.

What happens if child support is not paid in Louisiana?

Arrears means support that is past due. The child support agency can use these tools to collect it: Income assignment (wage withholding); Driver's, professional, hunting and fishing license suspension; Federal and state tax refund offset; Lottery winnings intercept ($600 or more); Credit bureau reporting; Liens and child support mortgage; Court contempt.

Can a license be suspended for unpaid child support in Louisiana?

Delinquent at least 90 days in paying support or in making ordered payments on arrears, or not providing court-ordered health insurance (LAC 67:III.2545; R.S. 9:315.30-315.36).

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

The court can hold a parent who does not pay in contempt. Failing to pay support can also be a crime.

When does child support end in Louisiana?

18, or up to 19 if the unmarried child is a full-time student in good standing in high school (or its equivalent) and still depends on a parent

Does child support continue while my child finishes high school in Louisiana?

18, or up to 19 if the unmarried child is a full-time student in good standing in high school (or its equivalent) and still depends on a parent

Can child support continue past the usual age in Louisiana?

Support continues to age 22 for a child with a developmental disability who is a full-time high school student. Support can continue indefinitely for a child who cannot support themselves because of an intellectual or physical disability that showed up before age 18; the motion must be filed before the child turns 18 for a minor child. Parents can agree to more.

How is paternity established in Louisiana?

Unmarried parents can sign a voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity (AOP) affidavit: free at the hospital when the child is born, at Vital Records (small fee), or at a local child support office. If paternity is disputed, DCFS can arrange genetic testing and bring a court case to establish paternity, or a parent can file a paternity suit.

Who pays for the child's health insurance in Louisiana?

The court may order either parent to enroll the child in health insurance, considering each parent's plan, job and income. The cost of the child's premium is added to the basic support amount. In DCFS cases, the order must provide medical support.

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Sources

Sources

Last checked: Oct 25, 2026.

Federal sources

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