Child support in Missouri
Missouri 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 Missouri Department of Social Services, Family Support Division (FSD), Child Support Program at 866-313-9960.
Checked against official sources: Oct 25, 2026. · Free letters and checklist ↓
How much child support in Missouri?
Missouri uses the Supreme Court's Form 14 worksheet. The parents' incomes are combined, a basic amount is found in the schedule for the number of children, and each parent pays a share by income, with adjustments for items such as child care, health insurance and overnight parenting time. The Form 14 amount is presumed correct unless the court finds it unjust or inappropriate. A new Form 14 and schedule took effect January 1, 2026.
Law: Rule 88.01; RSMo §452.340.8-.11; Missouri Supreme Court Rule 88.01; Civil Procedure Form No. 14 (order of March 4, 2025, effective January 1, 2026)
We don't estimate Missouri'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:
Open a child support case in Missouri
- Phone
- 866-313-9960 (Child Support; toll-free 800-859-7999); 573-556-3800 (application status); 855-454-8037 (paternity)
- Apply
- Apply online
- How to open a case
If you get Temporary Assistance or MO HealthNet (Medicaid), you are referred automatically. Otherwise apply online, or print the paper application and send it by mail, email (FSD.CS.Documents@dss.mo.gov) or fax (573-635-7545) to Family Support Division, PO Box 6790, Jefferson City, MO 65102. Processing can take up to 20 business days. You can also ask the circuit court for support in a dissolution, legal separation or paternity case.
- Yearly fee
$35 a year on a case where the family never received assistance and at least $550 of support was paid out in the federal fiscal year. Missouri splits it: $17.50 is taken from support paid to the parent receiving support (after the first $550) and $17.50 is billed to the paying parent. Non-IV-D cases paid through the Payment Center have a separate $10 annual processing fee.
Law: 13 CSR 40-110.030; 13 CSR 40-110.040
- Forms
- Paternity (legal fatherhood)
Unmarried parents can sign an Affidavit Acknowledging Paternity at the hospital, or later through the Bureau of Vital Records or FSD. FSD offers free genetic (DNA) testing, but a test alone doesn't establish paternity; you also need the signed affidavit or a court or administrative order. Help: 855-454-8037.
Missouri child support by topic
How support is calculated in Missouri
The model, the percentages or the official calculator, and low-income rules.
Change child support in Missouri
When you can ask, how to ask, and a review letter.
Collect unpaid support in Missouri
Collection tools, interest and license rules, and a letter.
When support ends in Missouri
The end age, high school and disability rules.
How child support is figured in Missouri
- Model
- Income shares
- How it works
Missouri uses the Supreme Court's Form 14 worksheet. The parents' incomes are combined, a basic amount is found in the schedule for the number of children, and each parent pays a share by income, with adjustments for items such as child care, health insurance and overnight parenting time. The Form 14 amount is presumed correct unless the court finds it unjust or inappropriate. A new Form 14 and schedule took effect January 1, 2026.
Law: Rule 88.01
- Low income
The schedule has a built-in self-support reserve (based on the 2024 federal poverty guideline) so a low-income paying parent keeps a minimum to live on. If the paying parent's income falls in the shaded area of the schedule, Form 14 is figured two ways and the lower amount is used.
Source: Form 14 directions, line 5, eff. Jan. 1, 2026
- Official calculator
- Official Missouri child support guidelines
- Health insurance and medical costs
In every IV-D case the order must require health coverage for the child. If a private plan is available at reasonable cost through a parent's job or union, the court or FSD must order it. Health insurance costs and uninsured extraordinary medical costs (over $250 per child a year) are shared on Form 14.
Law: RSMo §454.603
Source: Form 14 lines 6c-6d
Law: RSMo §452.340.8-.11; Missouri Supreme Court Rule 88.01; Civil Procedure Form No. 14 (order of March 4, 2025, effective January 1, 2026)
Change a child support order in Missouri
- When a change is allowed
The court can change support only after a substantial and continuing change in circumstances. If applying Form 14 to current incomes changes support by 20% or more, that is a prima facie showing of such a change. In an FSD case, the order is modified to the guideline amount if it differs. A change applies only to payments due after the other parent is served.
Law: RSMo §452.370
Source: and the old amount was the Form 14 presumed amount
- How to ask
Every 3 years you can ask FSD to review your order (sooner only with a specific reason). Mail or fax a written request to FSD and complete the Financial and Informational Statement. FSD sends a proposed modification; either parent has 30 days to request an administrative hearing. You can also file a motion to modify in circuit court.
Can I ask for a change? Check your situation
Collect unpaid child support in Missouri
Arrears means support that is past due. The child support agency can use these tools to collect it:
- Collection tools
- Income withholding
- Driver's, professional, occupational, hunting and fishing license suspension
- Tax refund offset
- Liens
- Credit bureau reporting
- Court contempt
- License suspension
Arrears equal to or more than three months of support or $2,500, whichever is less, as of the date the notice of intent to suspend is served; or failing to obey a subpoena or a genetic testing order. Business, professional and occupational licenses can only be suspended by a court.
Law: RSMo §454.1003
- Interest on unpaid support
Past-due child support on Missouri orders entered on or after September 1, 1982 draws simple interest of 1% per month (12% a year). It accrues automatically, but no payment counts as interest until all the unpaid support is paid. To collect interest by execution, the parent owed support must file a sworn affidavit of payment history with the circuit clerk.
Law: RSMo §454.520
When child support ends in Missouri
- Support ends
18. Support continues to 21 at the latest if the child is still in high school and progressing, or enrolls in college or vocational school by October 1 after high school and keeps completing at least 12 credit hours each semester with grades good enough to re-enroll
- Exceptions
Support can continue past 18 for a child who is physically or mentally unable to support themselves and is insolvent and unmarried. It ends earlier if the child dies, marries, enters active military duty or becomes self-supporting. A child working 15+ hours a week may take 9 credit hours; a child with a developmental or physical disability may take fewer. The child must send each parent transcripts every semester.
Law: RSMo §452.340.3-.5
When does support end? Check your situation
Free help in Missouri
- Legal Services of Eastern Missouri
- Legal Services of Southern Missouri
- The Missouri Bar (lawyer search and referral)
- Find free legal help at LawHelp.org
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 Missouri's agency contact.
Good to know in Missouri
- Missouri charges 1% a month simple interest on unpaid child support (RSMo §454.520).
- Support can continue to 21 for a child in college or vocational school, but only if the child completes at least 12 credit hours a semester (9 if working 15+ hours a week), keeps grades good enough to re-enroll and sends both parents transcripts (RSMo §452.340.5).
- Missouri splits the $35 federal annual fee between both parents, $17.50 each (13 CSR 40-110.030).
Changes in 2024–2026
The Missouri Supreme Court adopted a new Form 14 worksheet, directions and schedule of basic child support obligations by order of March 4, 2025, effective January 1, 2026. The schedule was updated to 2024 price levels and 2024 tax rates, and the self-support reserve reflects the 2024 federal poverty guideline.
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 Missouri
How is child support calculated in Missouri?
Missouri uses the Supreme Court's Form 14 worksheet. The parents' incomes are combined, a basic amount is found in the schedule for the number of children, and each parent pays a share by income, with adjustments for items such as child care, health insurance and overnight parenting time. The Form 14 amount is presumed correct unless the court finds it unjust or inappropriate. A new Form 14 and schedule took effect January 1, 2026.
What if the paying parent has a low income in Missouri?
The schedule has a built-in self-support reserve (based on the 2024 federal poverty guideline) so a low-income paying parent keeps a minimum to live on. If the paying parent's income falls in the shaded area of the schedule, Form 14 is figured two ways and the lower amount is used.
How do I apply for child support in Missouri?
If you get Temporary Assistance or MO HealthNet (Medicaid), you are referred automatically. Otherwise apply online, or print the paper application and send it by mail, email (FSD.CS.Documents@dss.mo.gov) or fax (573-635-7545) to Family Support Division, PO Box 6790, Jefferson City, MO 65102. Processing can take up to 20 business days. You can also ask the circuit court for support in a dissolution, legal separation or paternity case.
Is there a yearly fee for child support services in Missouri?
$35 a year on a case where the family never received assistance and at least $550 of support was paid out in the federal fiscal year. Missouri splits it: $17.50 is taken from support paid to the parent receiving support (after the first $550) and $17.50 is billed to the paying parent. Non-IV-D cases paid through the Payment Center have a separate $10 annual processing fee.
When can child support be changed in Missouri?
The court can change support only after a substantial and continuing change in circumstances. If applying Form 14 to current incomes changes support by 20% or more, that is a prima facie showing of such a change. In an FSD case, the order is modified to the guideline amount if it differs. A change applies only to payments due after the other parent is served.
How do I ask to change child support in Missouri?
Every 3 years you can ask FSD to review your order (sooner only with a specific reason). Mail or fax a written request to FSD and complete the Financial and Informational Statement. FSD sends a proposed modification; either parent has 30 days to request an administrative hearing. You can also file a motion to modify in circuit court.
What happens if child support is not paid in Missouri?
Arrears means support that is past due. The child support agency can use these tools to collect it: Income withholding; Driver's, professional, occupational, hunting and fishing license suspension; Tax refund offset; Liens; Credit bureau reporting; Court contempt.
Can a license be suspended for unpaid child support in Missouri?
Arrears equal to or more than three months of support or $2,500, whichever is less, as of the date the notice of intent to suspend is served; or failing to obey a subpoena or a genetic testing order. Business, professional and occupational licenses can only be suspended by a court.
Is there interest on unpaid child support in Missouri?
Past-due child support on Missouri orders entered on or after September 1, 1982 draws simple interest of 1% per month (12% a year). It accrues automatically, but no payment counts as interest until all the unpaid support is paid. To collect interest by execution, the parent owed support must file a sworn affidavit of payment history with the circuit clerk.
When does child support end in Missouri?
18. Support continues to 21 at the latest if the child is still in high school and progressing, or enrolls in college or vocational school by October 1 after high school and keeps completing at least 12 credit hours each semester with grades good enough to re-enroll
Does child support continue while my child finishes high school in Missouri?
Support continues to 21 at the latest if the child is still in high school and progressing, or enrolls in college or vocational school by October 1 after high school and keeps completing at least 12 credit hours each semester with grades good enough to re-enroll
Can child support continue past the usual age in Missouri?
Support can continue past 18 for a child who is physically or mentally unable to support themselves and is insolvent and unmarried. It ends earlier if the child dies, marries, enters active military duty or becomes self-supporting. A child working 15+ hours a week may take 9 credit hours; a child with a developmental or physical disability may take fewer. The child must send each parent transcripts every semester.
How is paternity established in Missouri?
Unmarried parents can sign an Affidavit Acknowledging Paternity at the hospital, or later through the Bureau of Vital Records or FSD. FSD offers free genetic (DNA) testing, but a test alone doesn't establish paternity; you also need the signed affidavit or a court or administrative order. Help: 855-454-8037.
Who pays for the child's health insurance in Missouri?
In every IV-D case the order must require health coverage for the child. If a private plan is available at reasonable cost through a parent's job or union, the court or FSD must order it. Health insurance costs and uninsured extraordinary medical costs (over $250 per child a year) are shared on Form 14.
More help on our sister sites
Sources
- RSMo §452.340 Child support; termination; support after 18
- RSMo §452.370 Modification
- RSMo §454.520 Interest on delinquent support
- RSMo §454.1003 License suspension
- RSMo §454.425 Services and fees
- 13 CSR 40-110 Fees
- Missouri DSS Child Support
- FSD CS-9 Changing your support order
- Supreme Court of Missouri order of March 4, 2025: new Form 14 effective Jan. 1, 2026 (Missouri Bar copy)
- Form 14 (2026) worksheet, directions and schedule (PDF, Missouri Bar copy of the order attachment)
- RSMo §454.603 Health benefit plan
- DSS contact information
Last checked: Oct 25, 2026.
- State plan requirements: application fee, annual fee, safeguards, 42 U.S.C. 654
- Required state laws: arrears as judgments, review every 3 years, UIFSA, 42 U.S.C. 666
- Federal tax refund offset, 42 U.S.C. 664
- Passport denial for child support arrears, 42 U.S.C. 652(k)
- Garnishment limits for support orders, 15 U.S.C. 1673(b)
- Full faith and credit for child support orders, 28 U.S.C. 1738B
- Office of Child Support Enforcement (federal)