Child support in North Dakota
North Dakota uses a percentage-of-income guideline: the amount depends on the paying parent's income and the number of children. To open a case, contact the North Dakota Health and Human Services, Child Support at (701) 328-5440.
Checked against official sources: Oct 25, 2026. · Free letters and checklist ↓
How much child support in North Dakota?
North Dakota looks only at the income of the parent who pays support. You find that parent's monthly net income and the number of children on the state schedule, and the schedule gives the amount. Adjustments exist for extended parenting time, equal or split residential responsibility, other children and more.
Law: N.D. Cent. Code 14-09-09.7; N.D. Admin. Code ch. 75-02-04.1 (amended guidelines effective July 1, 2023)
North Dakota's guideline changes with income in a way we can't restate safely, so we don't show a home-made number. The official tool gives the real starting number:
Open a child support case in North Dakota
- Phone
- (701) 328-5440; toll-free (800) 231-4255
- Apply
- Apply online
- How to open a case
Apply to Child Support for full services online or by mail (Child Support, PO Box 7190, Bismarck, ND 58507-7190). Families on TANF, foster care or Medicaid are referred automatically. Full services include locating a parent, paternity, setting an order, enforcement and reviews. If your North Dakota court order includes support, you get limited services (payment processing and income withholding) automatically.
- Yearly fee
$35 per year, charged to the parent who receives support when federal conditions are met. North Dakota also charges the parent who receives support $5 for each month support is collected.
- Forms
- Paternity (legal fatherhood)
Unmarried parents can sign the North Dakota Acknowledgment of Paternity form (not available online), which has the same effect as a court order. In full-services cases Child Support offers free genetic (DNA) testing. Paternity can also be set by a court.
North Dakota child support by topic
How support is calculated in North Dakota
The model, the percentages or the official calculator, and low-income rules.
Change child support in North Dakota
When you can ask, how to ask, and a review letter.
Collect unpaid support in North Dakota
Collection tools, interest and license rules, and a letter.
When support ends in North Dakota
The end age, high school and disability rules.
How child support is figured in North Dakota
- Model
- Percentage of income
- How it works
North Dakota looks only at the income of the parent who pays support. You find that parent's monthly net income and the number of children on the state schedule, and the schedule gives the amount. Adjustments exist for extended parenting time, equal or split residential responsibility, other children and more.
- Percentages
The percentage changes with income. Example at $3,000 monthly net income of the paying parent: 1 child $590 (20%), 2 children $846 (28%), 3 children $1,007 (34%), 4 children $1,122 (37%), 5 children $1,217 (41%), 6 or more $1,298.
- Low income
On the schedule, a paying parent with $800 or less monthly net income has a $0 amount. Income can be imputed (counted as if earned) when a parent is unemployed or underemployed.
- Official calculator
- Official North Dakota child support calculator
- Health insurance and medical costs
Every support order must include health insurance for the children. Generally the parent who receives support must carry it if it is available at low or no cost; otherwise the paying parent must provide it if it is available at reasonable cost (through an employer or union, or on a group basis).
Law: N.D. Cent. Code 14-09-08.10 and following
Law: N.D. Cent. Code 14-09-09.7; N.D. Admin. Code ch. 75-02-04.1 (amended guidelines effective July 1, 2023)
Change a child support order in North Dakota
- When a change is allowed
If the order is at least 1 year old, the court must bring the amount in line with the guidelines even without a material change of circumstances (unless the guideline amount is rebutted). Within 1 year of the order, you must show a material change of circumstances. Child Support reviews orders it enforces on request at least every 36 months under the statute; its own policy lets either parent in a full-services case ask every 18 months. Child Support must seek a change if the order is below 85% or above 115% of the guideline amount.
- How to ask
Send a Request for Review form to Child Support (full-services cases), with the Financial Declaration and Contact Information form if you pay support. The court must approve the new amount. Or file a motion in district court yourself, using the ND Legal Self Help Center's Motion to Review and Amend Child Support forms.
Law: N.D. Cent. Code 14-09-08.4
Can I ask for a change? Check your situation
Collect unpaid child support in North Dakota
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
- Credit bureau reporting
- Passport denial ($2,500 past due)
- Driver's, occupational and recreational license suspension
- Vehicle registration hold
- Public Lien Registry and liens on property
- Gaming and lottery winnings intercept
- Freezing and seizing bank accounts
- Order to show cause (contempt) hearing
- Criminal prosecution
- License suspension
2 months of support or $2,000 past due, whichever is less, or breaking a payment plan
- Contempt of court
At an order to show cause hearing a judge or referee decides if the paying parent is willfully not paying. Missing the hearing can lead to an arrest warrant. Willful nonpayment can also be prosecuted, up to a Class C felony.
- Interest on unpaid support
Simple interest is charged on past-due support ordered by a North Dakota court, at the yearly judgment rate (10% for 2026: prime rate plus 3 points). Interest counts as child support, and payments on arrears go first to the oldest interest. A payment plan can suspend interest, and remaining interest may be waived after you comply. Orders from other states carry that state's interest rules unless a North Dakota court modifies them.
Law: N.D. Cent. Code 14-09-08.19, 14-09-25, 28-20-34
Law: North Dakota HHS Child Support enforcement table; N.D. Cent. Code ch. 14-09
When child support ends in North Dakota
- Support ends
18. If the child is 18, still in high school and living with the parent who receives support, support continues to the end of the month of high school graduation or age 19, whichever comes first.
- Exceptions
The court may order support past 18 if the parents agree or the court finds it appropriate. The receiving parent files a declaration with Child Support to continue support for a high school student; there is no fee.
Law: N.D. Cent. Code 14-09-08.2
When does support end? Check your situation
Free help in North Dakota
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 Dakota's agency contact.
Good to know in North Dakota
- North Dakota's guideline uses only the paying parent's income, not the receiving parent's (ND HHS, Review and Adjustment page).
- Being $25 past due can put the paying parent on the public Lien Registry (ND HHS enforcement table).
- Interest is charged on unpaid support from North Dakota orders, 10% in 2026 (ND HHS, Interest Charges).
Changes in 2024–2026
No change to the guidelines in 2024-2026; the current guidelines took effect July 1, 2023. The official calculator was updated January 1, 2026 for tax amounts.
Law: N.D. Admin. Code ch. 75-02-04.1
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 Dakota
How is child support calculated in North Dakota?
North Dakota looks only at the income of the parent who pays support. You find that parent's monthly net income and the number of children on the state schedule, and the schedule gives the amount. Adjustments exist for extended parenting time, equal or split residential responsibility, other children and more.
What percentage of income is child support in North Dakota?
The percentage changes with income. Example at $3,000 monthly net income of the paying parent: 1 child $590 (20%), 2 children $846 (28%), 3 children $1,007 (34%), 4 children $1,122 (37%), 5 children $1,217 (41%), 6 or more $1,298.
Is there an official child support calculator for North Dakota?
What if the paying parent has a low income in North Dakota?
On the schedule, a paying parent with $800 or less monthly net income has a $0 amount. Income can be imputed (counted as if earned) when a parent is unemployed or underemployed.
How do I apply for child support in North Dakota?
Apply to Child Support for full services online or by mail (Child Support, PO Box 7190, Bismarck, ND 58507-7190). Families on TANF, foster care or Medicaid are referred automatically. Full services include locating a parent, paternity, setting an order, enforcement and reviews. If your North Dakota court order includes support, you get limited services (payment processing and income withholding) automatically.
Is there a yearly fee for child support services in North Dakota?
$35 per year, charged to the parent who receives support when federal conditions are met. North Dakota also charges the parent who receives support $5 for each month support is collected.
When can child support be changed in North Dakota?
If the order is at least 1 year old, the court must bring the amount in line with the guidelines even without a material change of circumstances (unless the guideline amount is rebutted). Within 1 year of the order, you must show a material change of circumstances. Child Support reviews orders it enforces on request at least every 36 months under the statute; its own policy lets either parent in a full-services case ask every 18 months. Child Support must seek a change if the order is below 85% or above 115% of the guideline amount.
How do I ask to change child support in North Dakota?
Send a Request for Review form to Child Support (full-services cases), with the Financial Declaration and Contact Information form if you pay support. The court must approve the new amount. Or file a motion in district court yourself, using the ND Legal Self Help Center's Motion to Review and Amend Child Support forms.
What happens if child support is not paid in North Dakota?
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; Credit bureau reporting; Passport denial ($2,500 past due); Driver's, occupational and recreational license suspension; Vehicle registration hold; Public Lien Registry and liens on property; Gaming and lottery winnings intercept; Freezing and seizing bank accounts; Order to show cause (contempt) hearing; Criminal prosecution.
Can a license be suspended for unpaid child support in North Dakota?
2 months of support or $2,000 past due, whichever is less, or breaking a payment plan
Can a parent be held in contempt for not paying in North Dakota?
At an order to show cause hearing a judge or referee decides if the paying parent is willfully not paying. Missing the hearing can lead to an arrest warrant. Willful nonpayment can also be prosecuted, up to a Class C felony.
Is there interest on unpaid child support in North Dakota?
Simple interest is charged on past-due support ordered by a North Dakota court, at the yearly judgment rate (10% for 2026: prime rate plus 3 points). Interest counts as child support, and payments on arrears go first to the oldest interest. A payment plan can suspend interest, and remaining interest may be waived after you comply. Orders from other states carry that state's interest rules unless a North Dakota court modifies them.
When does child support end in North Dakota?
18. If the child is 18, still in high school and living with the parent who receives support, support continues to the end of the month of high school graduation or age 19, whichever comes first.
Does child support continue while my child finishes high school in North Dakota?
If the child is 18, still in high school and living with the parent who receives support, support continues to the end of the month of high school graduation or age 19, whichever comes first.
Can child support continue past the usual age in North Dakota?
The court may order support past 18 if the parents agree or the court finds it appropriate. The receiving parent files a declaration with Child Support to continue support for a high school student; there is no fee.
How is paternity established in North Dakota?
Unmarried parents can sign the North Dakota Acknowledgment of Paternity form (not available online), which has the same effect as a court order. In full-services cases Child Support offers free genetic (DNA) testing. Paternity can also be set by a court.
Who pays for the child's health insurance in North Dakota?
Every support order must include health insurance for the children. Generally the parent who receives support must carry it if it is available at low or no cost; otherwise the paying parent must provide it if it is available at reasonable cost (through an employer or union, or on a group basis).
More help on our sister sites
Sources
- ND HHS Child Support
- Current Child Support Guidelines
- Guidelines Schedule with Percentages
- Enforcement
- Interest Charges
- Review and Adjustment of Orders
- N.D. Cent. Code ch. 14-09
- N.D. Cent. Code 28-20-34
- Medical Support
- Establish Paternity
- N.D. Admin. Code ch. 75-02-04.1 (Child Support Guidelines)
- ND Child Support Contact Us
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)