How to collect unpaid child support in Michigan

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. No automatic interest. If the court finds a parent willfully failed to pay, it may order a surcharge on past-due support twice a year (January 1 and July 1) at 1% plus the average 5-year Treasury note rate; it is not charged in a cycle when the parent paid 90% or more of the support due.

License suspension
Arrears greater than 2 months of support, and income withholding not working.
Passport denial
Over $2,500 past due (federal law)

What the agency can do in Michigan

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

  • Income withholding
  • Tax refund intercept
  • Freezing or seizing bank accounts
  • Occupational, recreational and sporting license suspension
  • Driver's license suspension (only after an ability-to-pay finding)
  • Passport denial
  • Liens
  • Credit reporting
  • Civil contempt (show cause)
  • Felony charges in serious cases

Law: MCL 552.628; MCL 552.631; Support and Parenting Time Enforcement Act, MCL 552.601 and following

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

Interest on unpaid support in Michigan

No automatic interest. If the court finds a parent willfully failed to pay, it may order a surcharge on past-due support twice a year (January 1 and July 1) at 1% plus the average 5-year Treasury note rate; it is not charged in a cycle when the parent paid 90% or more of the support due.

Law: MCL 552.603a

Court action in Michigan

If income withholding does not work, the parent receiving support or the Friend of the Court can start a civil contempt (show cause) proceeding. If the paying parent does not come to the hearing, the court can issue a bench warrant.

Law: MCL 552.631

When a license can be suspended in Michigan

Arrears greater than 2 months of support, and income withholding not working. For a driver's license, the court must also find the parent able to pay but willfully not paying, and that no other sanction would work.

Law: MCL 552.628

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)

In nearby states

Steps to collect support in Michigan

  1. Keep a payment record

    Keep a log of every payment and every missed payment.

  2. Contact the agency

    If you don't have a case yet, open one with Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Office of Child Support · Apply online

  3. Give the agency leads

    Tell the agency where the other parent works or lives.

  4. Ask about interest

    Request a written statement of what is owed.

  5. Ask for free help

    Ask for free help: Michigan Legal Help (legal aid guides and referrals).

Where to get free help in Michigan

Questions about unpaid support in Michigan

How is unpaid child support collected in Michigan?

Arrears means support that is past due. The child support agency can use these tools to collect it: Income withholding; Tax refund intercept; Freezing or seizing bank accounts; Occupational, recreational and sporting license suspension; Driver's license suspension (only after an ability-to-pay finding); Passport denial; Liens; Credit reporting; Civil contempt (show cause); Felony charges in serious cases.

When can Michigan suspend a license for support?

Arrears greater than 2 months of support, and income withholding not working. For a driver's license, the court must also find the parent able to pay but willfully not paying, and that no other sanction would work.

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

If income withholding does not work, the parent receiving support or the Friend of the Court can start a civil contempt (show cause) proceeding. If the paying parent does not come to the hearing, the court can issue a bench warrant.

Is there interest on unpaid child support in Michigan?

No automatic interest. If the court finds a parent willfully failed to pay, it may order a surcharge on past-due support twice a year (January 1 and July 1) at 1% plus the average 5-year Treasury note rate; it is not charged in a cycle when the parent paid 90% or more of the support due.

Related Michigan pages

Sources

Sources

Last checked: Oct 25, 2026.

Federal sources