Child support in North Carolina
North Carolina 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 NC DHHS Child Support Services (CSS), Division of Social Services at 1-800-992-9457.
Checked against official sources: Oct 25, 2026. · Free letters and checklist ↓
How much child support in North Carolina?
Both parents' adjusted gross incomes are added together. The Schedule of Basic Support Obligations shows the support for that combined income and number of children, and each parent's share is in proportion to income. Work-related child care and the children's health insurance are added. Worksheet A is for primary custody, B for joint (shared) custody and C for split custody.
Law: N.C.G.S. 50-13.4(c), (c1); North Carolina Child Support Guidelines (AOC-A-162), effective January 1, 2023
We don't estimate North Carolina'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 North Carolina
- Phone
- 1-800-992-9457 (CSS Customer Service Center)
- Apply
- Apply online
- How to open a case
Apply at your county Child Support Services office or online, or call CSS for an Application for Child Support Services (DSS-4451) and Supplemental Data Sheet. CSS finds the other parent, establishes paternity and asks the court for a support order. Parents can also sign a Voluntary Support Agreement that a judge approves, or you can file your own civil complaint for child support in district court.
- Application fee
Up to $25, non-refundable, for non-public-assistance cases; you may qualify for a reduced $10 fee - ask when you apply. Free if you are referred from public assistance (IV-A) or foster care (IV-E). Source: NC DHHS CSS home page and FAQ.
- Yearly fee
The $35 federal annual fee is deducted automatically from support paid out to the parent receiving support until it is paid in full.
Source: OCSS Intergovernmental Reference Guide, North Carolina profile
- Forms
- Paternity (legal fatherhood)
Both parents can sign an Affidavit of Parentage, which becomes a legal finding of paternity; don't sign it if there is any doubt. Either parent can ask for genetic testing (a cheek swab), and when more than one man could be the father, each may be asked to take a test. Paternity can also be established in a court paternity action.
North Carolina child support by topic
How support is calculated in North Carolina
The model, the percentages or the official calculator, and low-income rules.
Change child support in North Carolina
When you can ask, how to ask, and a review letter.
Collect unpaid support in North Carolina
Collection tools, interest and license rules, and a letter.
When support ends in North Carolina
The end age, high school and disability rules.
How child support is figured in North Carolina
- Model
- Income shares
- How it works
Both parents' adjusted gross incomes are added together. The Schedule of Basic Support Obligations shows the support for that combined income and number of children, and each parent's share is in proportion to income. Work-related child care and the children's health insurance are added. Worksheet A is for primary custody, B for joint (shared) custody and C for split custody.
- Low income
If the paying parent's adjusted gross income is under $1,150 a month, a minimum order of $50 a month is set unless the judge deviates. Above that, the schedule includes a self-support reserve based on the 2022 federal poverty level for one person ($1,133 a month); in the shaded area of the schedule, support is based only on the paying parent's income.
- Official calculator
- Official North Carolina child support calculator
- Health insurance and medical costs
The order must address the child's health care. Health insurance is reasonable in cost if covering the child costs the parent no more than 5% of the parent's gross income (cost of adding the child, child-only coverage, or the difference between self-only and family coverage). The court may also order dental or vision insurance and split uninsured expenses.
Law: N.C.G.S. 50-13.11(a1); Guidelines (2023)
Law: N.C.G.S. 50-13.4(c), (c1); North Carolina Child Support Guidelines (AOC-A-162), effective January 1, 2023
Change a child support order in North Carolina
- When a change is allowed
An order can be modified when there is a substantial change in circumstances. If the order is at least three years old, a difference of 15% or more between the current order and the new guideline amount is presumed to be a substantial change. Needing to provide for the child's health care is also a substantial change. Incarceration is not treated as voluntary unemployment.
- How to ask
If you have a CSS case, ask your caseworker; CSS reviews public assistance cases automatically every three years and other cases on request (or any time there is a substantial change). Otherwise file a Motion and Notice of Hearing for Modification of Child Support Order (AOC-CV-600) in district court; a judge holds a hearing.
Law: N.C.G.S. 50-13.7; NC Child Support Guidelines (2023), 'Modification'
Can I ask for a change? Check your situation
Collect unpaid child support in North Carolina
Arrears means support that is past due. The child support agency can use these tools to collect it:
- Collection tools
- Income withholding
- Federal and state tax refund intercept (federal: $500+ owed in non-assistance cases; state: $50+)
- Credit bureau reporting
- Passport denial or revocation (over $2,500 owed)
- Liens on property (3 months' support or $3,000, whichever is less)
- Bank account levy (6 months' support or $1,000, whichever is less)
- Driver's, professional/occupational and hunting/fishing (wildlife) license revocation
- Contempt of court and jail
- License suspension
A judge can order revocation of a driver's license when the parent is 90 days behind in payments; CSS can also ask licensing boards to revoke professional or occupational licenses. Licenses are not reissued until the debt is paid or a payment plan is set up.
Source: NC DHHS CSS FAQ.
- Contempt of court
If you don't have a CSS case, you can file a Motion and Order to Show Cause (AOC-CV-601) asking the court to hold the other parent in contempt; a judge can order wage withholding or jail.
Law: N.C.G.S. 50-13.4; 5A-21 (civil contempt); NC DHHS CSS FAQ
When child support ends in North Carolina
- Support ends
18; if the child is still in primary or secondary school at 18, support continues until graduation, the child stops attending regularly or fails to make satisfactory progress, or the child turns 20, whichever comes first
- Exceptions
Support ends earlier if the child is emancipated (for example by marriage, military service or court order). A child in a cooperative innovative high school program can be supported until the later of age 18 or completing the fourth year. Parents can agree in a separation agreement or consent order to pay longer, for example through college or for a disabled child. If arrears are owed when support ends, payments continue in the same amount until the arrears are paid.
Law: N.C.G.S. 50-13.4(c)
When does support end? Check your situation
Free help in North Carolina
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 North Carolina's agency contact.
Good to know in North Carolina
- Support can continue to age 20 for a child who is still in high school and making progress (N.C.G.S. 50-13.4(c)).
- The minimum support order is $50 a month (NC Child Support Guidelines 2023).
- The current guidelines took effect January 1, 2023, and were scheduled for review during 2026 (NC Child Support Guidelines).
Changes in 2024–2026
No guideline change took effect in 2024-2026: the guidelines effective January 1, 2023 are current, and the guidelines say the next review happens during 2026. A new version may apply to cases heard on or after January 1, 2027, so check the NC Judicial Branch guidelines page.
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 North Carolina
How is child support calculated in North Carolina?
Both parents' adjusted gross incomes are added together. The Schedule of Basic Support Obligations shows the support for that combined income and number of children, and each parent's share is in proportion to income. Work-related child care and the children's health insurance are added. Worksheet A is for primary custody, B for joint (shared) custody and C for split custody.
Is there an official child support calculator for North Carolina?
What if the paying parent has a low income in North Carolina?
If the paying parent's adjusted gross income is under $1,150 a month, a minimum order of $50 a month is set unless the judge deviates. Above that, the schedule includes a self-support reserve based on the 2022 federal poverty level for one person ($1,133 a month); in the shaded area of the schedule, support is based only on the paying parent's income.
How do I apply for child support in North Carolina?
Apply at your county Child Support Services office or online, or call CSS for an Application for Child Support Services (DSS-4451) and Supplemental Data Sheet. CSS finds the other parent, establishes paternity and asks the court for a support order. Parents can also sign a Voluntary Support Agreement that a judge approves, or you can file your own civil complaint for child support in district court.
Does it cost money to open a child support case in North Carolina?
Up to $25, non-refundable, for non-public-assistance cases; you may qualify for a reduced $10 fee - ask when you apply. Free if you are referred from public assistance (IV-A) or foster care (IV-E). Source: NC DHHS CSS home page and FAQ.
Is there a yearly fee for child support services in North Carolina?
The $35 federal annual fee is deducted automatically from support paid out to the parent receiving support until it is paid in full.
When can child support be changed in North Carolina?
An order can be modified when there is a substantial change in circumstances. If the order is at least three years old, a difference of 15% or more between the current order and the new guideline amount is presumed to be a substantial change. Needing to provide for the child's health care is also a substantial change. Incarceration is not treated as voluntary unemployment.
How do I ask to change child support in North Carolina?
If you have a CSS case, ask your caseworker; CSS reviews public assistance cases automatically every three years and other cases on request (or any time there is a substantial change). Otherwise file a Motion and Notice of Hearing for Modification of Child Support Order (AOC-CV-600) in district court; a judge holds a hearing.
What happens if child support is not paid in North Carolina?
Arrears means support that is past due. The child support agency can use these tools to collect it: Income withholding; Federal and state tax refund intercept (federal: $500+ owed in non-assistance cases; state: $50+); Credit bureau reporting; Passport denial or revocation (over $2,500 owed); Liens on property (3 months' support or $3,000, whichever is less); Bank account levy (6 months' support or $1,000, whichever is less); Driver's, professional/occupational and hunting/fishing (wildlife) license revocation; Contempt of court and jail.
Can a license be suspended for unpaid child support in North Carolina?
A judge can order revocation of a driver's license when the parent is 90 days behind in payments; CSS can also ask licensing boards to revoke professional or occupational licenses. Licenses are not reissued until the debt is paid or a payment plan is set up.
Can a parent be held in contempt for not paying in North Carolina?
If you don't have a CSS case, you can file a Motion and Order to Show Cause (AOC-CV-601) asking the court to hold the other parent in contempt; a judge can order wage withholding or jail.
When does child support end in North Carolina?
18; if the child is still in primary or secondary school at 18, support continues until graduation, the child stops attending regularly or fails to make satisfactory progress, or the child turns 20, whichever comes first
Does child support continue while my child finishes high school in North Carolina?
18; if the child is still in primary or secondary school at 18, support continues until graduation, the child stops attending regularly or fails to make satisfactory progress, or the child turns 20, whichever comes first
Can child support continue past the usual age in North Carolina?
Support ends earlier if the child is emancipated (for example by marriage, military service or court order). A child in a cooperative innovative high school program can be supported until the later of age 18 or completing the fourth year. Parents can agree in a separation agreement or consent order to pay longer, for example through college or for a disabled child. If arrears are owed when support ends, payments continue in the same amount until the arrears are paid.
How is paternity established in North Carolina?
Both parents can sign an Affidavit of Parentage, which becomes a legal finding of paternity; don't sign it if there is any doubt. Either parent can ask for genetic testing (a cheek swab), and when more than one man could be the father, each may be asked to take a test. Paternity can also be established in a court paternity action.
Who pays for the child's health insurance in North Carolina?
The order must address the child's health care. Health insurance is reasonable in cost if covering the child costs the parent no more than 5% of the parent's gross income (cost of adding the child, child-only coverage, or the difference between self-only and family coverage). The court may also order dental or vision insurance and split uninsured expenses.
More help on our sister sites
Sources
- NC DHHS Child Support Services
- NC DHHS CSS FAQ
- North Carolina Child Support Guidelines, effective Jan. 1, 2023 (AOC-A-162)
- NC Judicial Branch Help Topic: Child Support
- N.C.G.S. 50-13.4
- AOC-CV-600 Motion for Modification of Child Support Order
- AOC-CV-601 Motion and Order to Show Cause (child support)
- NC DHHS online child support calculators
- OCSS Intergovernmental Reference Guide - North Carolina profile
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)