Child support in South Carolina
South 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 South Carolina Department of Social Services, Child Support Services Division (CSSD) at 1-800-768-5858.
Checked against official sources: Oct 25, 2026. · Free letters and checklist ↓
How much child support in South Carolina?
Both parents' monthly gross incomes are added together. The state schedule gives the basic support for that combined income and number of children, and each parent's share matches his or her percentage of the combined income. Health insurance, extraordinary medical costs and work-related child care are added and shared.
Law: S.C. Code Regs. 114-4710 to 114-4750; S.C. Code 63-17-470, 43-5-580
We don't estimate South 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 South Carolina
- Phone
- 1-800-768-5858
- Apply
- Apply online
- How to open a case
If your child lives with you, apply online through the Child Support Customer Service Portal or print the application and send it in. A parent whose child does not live with him or her can apply to establish paternity with DSS Form 27103. Families on TANF are referred automatically. Applications are also at regional child support offices, county DSS offices and clerks of court.
Source: DSS Form 2700
- Application fee
$0. It is free to apply for child support services (SC DSS, How to Apply).
- Yearly fee
$35 each federal fiscal year (October 1 - September 30) for families that never received public assistance (AFDC/TANF), charged only after the yearly collection threshold is paid out. Federal law sets that threshold at $550; the DSS FAQ still lists $500. Each eligible case is charged separately.
Law: 42 U.S.C. 654(6)(B)
- Forms
- Paternity (legal fatherhood)
Unmarried parents can sign a Paternity Acknowledgement Affidavit at the hospital, at SC Department of Public Health Vital Records or any county health department. It cannot be used if the mother was married during the pregnancy or at birth. If parentage is uncertain, DSS provides free DNA testing and can help get a court order of paternity.
South Carolina child support by topic
How support is calculated in South Carolina
The model, the percentages or the official calculator, and low-income rules.
Change child support in South Carolina
When you can ask, how to ask, and a review letter.
Collect unpaid support in South Carolina
Collection tools, interest and license rules, and a letter.
When support ends in South Carolina
The end age, high school and disability rules.
How child support is figured in South Carolina
- Model
- Income shares
- How it works
Both parents' monthly gross incomes are added together. The state schedule gives the basic support for that combined income and number of children, and each parent's share matches his or her percentage of the combined income. Health insurance, extraordinary medical costs and work-related child care are added and shared.
- Low income
The guidelines include a self-support reserve of $1,010.50 a month for the paying parent; in the shaded low-income part of the schedule the amount is figured to protect that reserve. The schedule's lowest amount is $100 a month (at $750 combined income).
- Official calculator
- Official South Carolina child support calculator
- Health insurance and medical costs
The court must provide for the children's health care through health insurance and/or cash medical support, usually from the parent who can get the most complete coverage at the most reasonable cost. The parent who pays the premium for the children gets credit in the calculation.
Law: S.C. Code Regs. 114-4720 (guidelines section 12)
Law: S.C. Code Regs. 114-4710 to 114-4750; S.C. Code 63-17-470, 43-5-580
Change a child support order in South Carolina
- When a change is allowed
Either parent can ask CSSD to review the order every three years; if the order differs from the guideline amount, it can be adjusted. A parent can also ask the Family Court to change support when circumstances change.
- How to ask
Ask CSSD for a review (it requests updated financial information from both parents; if both agree the change can be made administratively, otherwise a Family Court judge decides), or file in Family Court yourself.
Law: S.C. Code Regs. 114-4740
Can I ask for a change? Check your situation
Collect unpaid child support in South Carolina
Arrears means support that is past due. The child support agency can use these tools to collect it:
- Collection tools
- Income withholding
- Rule to Show Cause (contempt) hearing
- License suspension or revocation
- Federal and state tax refund offset
- Unemployment benefits intercept
- Liens on bank and insurance accounts ($1,000+ arrears)
- Administrative lien and seizure of property ($1,000+ arrears)
- Passport denial ($2,500+ arrears)
- Federal administrative offset
- Credit bureau reporting
- License suspension
Arrears of at least $500 with no payment in 60 days; you get 45 days' notice to make a payment agreement first
- Contempt of court
At a Rule to Show Cause hearing, a judge can fine a parent up to $1,500 and/or jail the parent up to one year for not paying. Missing the hearing can lead to a bench warrant.
Law: SC DSS, Available Enforcement Remedies
When child support ends in South Carolina
- Support ends
18. If the child is still enrolled in and attending high school, support continues until high school graduation or the end of the school year after the child turns 19, whichever is later.
- Exceptions
Support can continue past 18 under an earlier agreement or order, or at the court's discretion for a child with a physical or mental disability or other exceptional circumstances. Support ends earlier if the child marries or becomes self-supporting. The paying parent may need to ask the court for a dismissal order.
Law: S.C. Code 63-3-530(A)(17)
When does support end? Check your situation
Free help in South 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 South Carolina's agency contact.
Good to know in South Carolina
- Support for a high school student can run until the end of the school year after the child turns 19 (S.C. Code 63-3-530(A)(17)).
- Not paying can bring a fine up to $1,500 and up to one year in jail after a Rule to Show Cause hearing (SC DSS).
- DSS pays for paternity DNA testing (SC DSS FAQ).
Changes in 2024–2026
Revised Child Support Guidelines took effect January 1, 2024, with new basic support tables and a higher self-support reserve; DSS released updated calculators on January 15, 2024 and reissued the guidelines booklet in November 2024. The next review is set for January 1, 2028.
Law: S.C. Code Regs. 114-4710 to 114-4750; $1,010.50 a month
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 South Carolina
How is child support calculated in South Carolina?
Both parents' monthly gross incomes are added together. The state schedule gives the basic support for that combined income and number of children, and each parent's share matches his or her percentage of the combined income. Health insurance, extraordinary medical costs and work-related child care are added and shared.
Is there an official child support calculator for South Carolina?
What if the paying parent has a low income in South Carolina?
The guidelines include a self-support reserve of $1,010.50 a month for the paying parent; in the shaded low-income part of the schedule the amount is figured to protect that reserve. The schedule's lowest amount is $100 a month (at $750 combined income).
How do I apply for child support in South Carolina?
If your child lives with you, apply online through the Child Support Customer Service Portal or print the application and send it in. A parent whose child does not live with him or her can apply to establish paternity with DSS Form 27103. Families on TANF are referred automatically. Applications are also at regional child support offices, county DSS offices and clerks of court.
Does it cost money to open a child support case in South Carolina?
$0. It is free to apply for child support services (SC DSS, How to Apply).
Is there a yearly fee for child support services in South Carolina?
$35 each federal fiscal year (October 1 - September 30) for families that never received public assistance (AFDC/TANF), charged only after the yearly collection threshold is paid out. Federal law sets that threshold at $550; the DSS FAQ still lists $500. Each eligible case is charged separately.
When can child support be changed in South Carolina?
Either parent can ask CSSD to review the order every three years; if the order differs from the guideline amount, it can be adjusted. A parent can also ask the Family Court to change support when circumstances change.
How do I ask to change child support in South Carolina?
Ask CSSD for a review (it requests updated financial information from both parents; if both agree the change can be made administratively, otherwise a Family Court judge decides), or file in Family Court yourself.
What happens if child support is not paid in South Carolina?
Arrears means support that is past due. The child support agency can use these tools to collect it: Income withholding; Rule to Show Cause (contempt) hearing; License suspension or revocation; Federal and state tax refund offset; Unemployment benefits intercept; Liens on bank and insurance accounts ($1,000+ arrears); Administrative lien and seizure of property ($1,000+ arrears); Passport denial ($2,500+ arrears); Federal administrative offset; Credit bureau reporting.
Can a license be suspended for unpaid child support in South Carolina?
Arrears of at least $500 with no payment in 60 days; you get 45 days' notice to make a payment agreement first
Can a parent be held in contempt for not paying in South Carolina?
At a Rule to Show Cause hearing, a judge can fine a parent up to $1,500 and/or jail the parent up to one year for not paying. Missing the hearing can lead to a bench warrant.
When does child support end in South Carolina?
18. If the child is still enrolled in and attending high school, support continues until high school graduation or the end of the school year after the child turns 19, whichever is later.
Does child support continue while my child finishes high school in South Carolina?
If the child is still enrolled in and attending high school, support continues until high school graduation or the end of the school year after the child turns 19, whichever is later.
Can child support continue past the usual age in South Carolina?
Support can continue past 18 under an earlier agreement or order, or at the court's discretion for a child with a physical or mental disability or other exceptional circumstances. Support ends earlier if the child marries or becomes self-supporting. The paying parent may need to ask the court for a dismissal order.
How is paternity established in South Carolina?
Unmarried parents can sign a Paternity Acknowledgement Affidavit at the hospital, at SC Department of Public Health Vital Records or any county health department. It cannot be used if the mother was married during the pregnancy or at birth. If parentage is uncertain, DSS provides free DNA testing and can help get a court order of paternity.
Who pays for the child's health insurance in South Carolina?
The court must provide for the children's health care through health insurance and/or cash medical support, usually from the parent who can get the most complete coverage at the most reasonable cost. The parent who pays the premium for the children gets credit in the calculation.
More help on our sister sites
Sources
- SC DSS Child Support
- How to Apply
- Child Support FAQ
- Enforcement Remedies
- Establishing Paternity
- SC Child Support Guidelines 2024 Edition
- 2024 Guidelines Review Committee Final Report
- S.C. Code Title 63 Chapter 3
- 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)