Child support in Texas
Texas figures child support as a percentage of the paying parent's income: 20% for 1 child, 25% for 2 and 30% for 3. To open a case, contact the Office of the Attorney General of Texas, Child Support Division at (800) 252-8014.
- 1 child20%
- 2 children25%
- 3 children30%
- 4 children35%
- 5 children40%
Percent of income by number of children.
Checked against official sources: Oct 25, 2026. · Free letters and checklist ↓
Estimate child support in Texas
Enter the income and the number of children. We apply Texas's guideline percentage. It is a starting point, not the amount a court or agency will order.
Open a child support case in Texas
- Phone
- (800) 252-8014
- Apply
- Apply online
- How to open a case
You can open a case with the Attorney General's Child Support Division online (fastest), or call (800) 252-8014 to get a paper application by mail. You can also ask for child support in a court case (for example a divorce or a suit affecting the parent-child relationship).
- Yearly fee
$35 a year, taken from the child support payment, for parents with full-service cases who have never received TANF, in each year they receive at least $550 in support. Registry-only cases pay a $3 monthly State Disbursement Unit fee instead.
Law: Tex. Fam. Code 231.103
Source: OAG Child Support Fees page
- Paternity (legal fatherhood)
Unmarried parents can sign an Acknowledgment of Paternity (AOP) with an OAG-certified entity, such as a hospital (AOP Hotline (866) 255-2006). Either signer can rescind within 60 days of filing or before a court case about the child starts, whichever comes first. If paternity is disputed, the Attorney General can ask the court to order genetic testing.
Texas child support by topic
How support is calculated in Texas
The model, the percentages or the official calculator, and low-income rules.
Change child support in Texas
When you can ask, how to ask, and a review letter.
Collect unpaid support in Texas
Collection tools, interest and license rules, and a letter.
When support ends in Texas
The end age, high school and disability rules.
How child support is figured in Texas
- Model
- Percentage of income
- How it works
Support is a set percentage of the paying parent's monthly net resources (income after Social Security and federal income tax, plus other allowed deductions). The percentages apply to net resources up to a cap; above the cap the court can add more based on the child's proven needs.
- Percentages
1 child 20%, 2 children 25%, 3 children 30%, 4 children 35%, 5 children 40%, 6 or more not less than the 5-child amount. Applies to monthly net resources up to $11,700 (cap effective Sept. 1, 2025). Different percentages apply if the parent also supports children in another household.
Law: Tex. Fam. Code 154.129
- Low income
If the paying parent's monthly net resources are under $1,000, a lower schedule applies: 1 child 15%, 2 children 20%, 3 children 25%, 4 children 30%, 5 children 35%.
Law: Tex. Fam. Code 154.125(c)
- Official calculator
- Official Texas child support calculator
- Health insurance and medical costs
The court must order health insurance for the child. Priority goes to insurance through a parent's job at reasonable cost. If none is available, the paying parent pays cash medical support of up to 9% of annual resources, on top of regular support. Dental coverage can also be ordered.
Law: Tex. Fam. Code 154.182, 154.1825
Law: Tex. Fam. Code 154.061-154.062, 154.125, 154.126, 154.129
Change a child support order in Texas
- When a change is allowed
The court can change support if circumstances of the child or a person affected by the order have materially and substantially changed since the order, or if it has been 3 years since the order was made or last changed and the amount differs by 20% or $100 from what the guidelines would give. If the original amount was agreed and different from the guidelines, only a material and substantial change counts. Jail or prison for more than 180 days counts as a material and substantial change. A change usually applies only to payments due after the other parent is served or appears in the case.
Law: Tex. Fam. Code 156.401
- How to ask
Ask the Attorney General to review your case (online modification request), or file a Petition to Modify the Parent-Child Relationship in the court that made the order. TexasLawHelp forms are for agreed or default cases.
Can I ask for a change? Check your situation
Collect unpaid child support in Texas
Arrears means support that is past due. The child support agency can use these tools to collect it:
- Collection tools
- Income withholding from wages
- Driver's, professional, hunting and fishing license suspension
- Denial of motor vehicle registration renewal
- Passport denial
- Liens on property, bank accounts, retirement plans, insurance settlements and other assets
- Federal tax refund intercept
- Contempt of court, probation and possible jail
- License suspension
Overdue support equal to at least 3 months of support, after you were offered a repayment schedule and did not follow it.
Law: Tex. Fam. Code 232.003
- Contempt of court
The court can hold a parent in contempt for not paying, which can lead to probation or jail.
Law: Tex. Fam. Code ch. 157
- Interest on unpaid support
6% simple interest per year on overdue child support and on child support judgments.
Law: Tex. Fam. Code 157.265
Law: Tex. Fam. Code 154.007, ch. 157, ch. 158, 232.003; 42 U.S.C. 664
When child support ends in Texas
- Support ends
18, or high school graduation if later (the child must be enrolled and meet attendance rules)
- Exceptions
Support can continue indefinitely for a disabled child who needs substantial care and cannot support themself, if the disability existed before age 18. Support also ends if the child marries, is emancipated by a court, dies, or begins active military service. Texas law does not require college support.
Law: Tex. Fam. Code 154.001, 154.002, 154.006, 154.302
When does support end? Check your situation
Free help in Texas
- TexasLawHelp.org (legal aid network)
- State Bar of Texas Lawyer Referral Information Service
- 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 Texas's agency contact.
Good to know in Texas
- The guideline cap on net resources rose to $11,700 a month on Sept. 1, 2025; it is adjusted for inflation every 6 years. (OAG 2025 Revised Tax Charts; Tex. Fam. Code 154.125(a-1))
- The Attorney General does not enforce visitation orders; call the Access & Visitation Hotline at (866) 292-4636. (OAG What We Can & Cannot Do)
- Paying parents who are jailed or imprisoned more than 180 days can get an order changed, since that counts as a material and substantial change. (Tex. Fam. Code 156.401(c-1))
Changes in 2024–2026
The cap on monthly net resources covered by the percentage guidelines went from $9,200 to $11,700 effective Sept. 1, 2025. In 2023, S.B. 870 added rules on administrative adjustment of support for parents in jail or prison. The percentage tables themselves did not change.
Law: Tex. Fam. Code 231.1015-231.1017
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 Texas
How is child support calculated in Texas?
Support is a set percentage of the paying parent's monthly net resources (income after Social Security and federal income tax, plus other allowed deductions). The percentages apply to net resources up to a cap; above the cap the court can add more based on the child's proven needs.
What percentage of income is child support in Texas?
1 child 20%, 2 children 25%, 3 children 30%, 4 children 35%, 5 children 40%, 6 or more not less than the 5-child amount. Applies to monthly net resources up to $11,700 (cap effective Sept. 1, 2025). Different percentages apply if the parent also supports children in another household.
Is there an official child support calculator for Texas?
What if the paying parent has a low income in Texas?
If the paying parent's monthly net resources are under $1,000, a lower schedule applies: 1 child 15%, 2 children 20%, 3 children 25%, 4 children 30%, 5 children 35%.
How do I apply for child support in Texas?
You can open a case with the Attorney General's Child Support Division online (fastest), or call (800) 252-8014 to get a paper application by mail. You can also ask for child support in a court case (for example a divorce or a suit affecting the parent-child relationship).
Is there a yearly fee for child support services in Texas?
$35 a year, taken from the child support payment, for parents with full-service cases who have never received TANF, in each year they receive at least $550 in support. Registry-only cases pay a $3 monthly State Disbursement Unit fee instead.
When can child support be changed in Texas?
The court can change support if circumstances of the child or a person affected by the order have materially and substantially changed since the order, or if it has been 3 years since the order was made or last changed and the amount differs by 20% or $100 from what the guidelines would give. If the original amount was agreed and different from the guidelines, only a material and substantial change counts. Jail or prison for more than 180 days counts as a material and substantial change. A change usually applies only to payments due after the other parent is served or appears in the case.
How do I ask to change child support in Texas?
Ask the Attorney General to review your case (online modification request), or file a Petition to Modify the Parent-Child Relationship in the court that made the order. TexasLawHelp forms are for agreed or default cases.
What happens if child support is not paid in Texas?
Arrears means support that is past due. The child support agency can use these tools to collect it: Income withholding from wages; Driver's, professional, hunting and fishing license suspension; Denial of motor vehicle registration renewal; Passport denial; Liens on property, bank accounts, retirement plans, insurance settlements and other assets; Federal tax refund intercept; Contempt of court, probation and possible jail.
Can a license be suspended for unpaid child support in Texas?
Overdue support equal to at least 3 months of support, after you were offered a repayment schedule and did not follow it.
Can a parent be held in contempt for not paying in Texas?
The court can hold a parent in contempt for not paying, which can lead to probation or jail.
Is there interest on unpaid child support in Texas?
6% simple interest per year on overdue child support and on child support judgments.
When does child support end in Texas?
18, or high school graduation if later (the child must be enrolled and meet attendance rules)
Does child support continue while my child finishes high school in Texas?
18, or high school graduation if later (the child must be enrolled and meet attendance rules)
Can child support continue past the usual age in Texas?
Support can continue indefinitely for a disabled child who needs substantial care and cannot support themself, if the disability existed before age 18. Support also ends if the child marries, is emancipated by a court, dies, or begins active military service. Texas law does not require college support.
How is paternity established in Texas?
Unmarried parents can sign an Acknowledgment of Paternity (AOP) with an OAG-certified entity, such as a hospital (AOP Hotline (866) 255-2006). Either signer can rescind within 60 days of filing or before a court case about the child starts, whichever comes first. If paternity is disputed, the Attorney General can ask the court to order genetic testing.
Who pays for the child's health insurance in Texas?
The court must order health insurance for the child. Priority goes to insurance through a parent's job at reasonable cost. If none is available, the paying parent pays cash medical support of up to 9% of annual resources, on top of regular support. Dental coverage can also be ordered.
More help on our sister sites
Sources
- Tex. Fam. Code ch. 154 (Child Support)
- Tex. Fam. Code ch. 156 (Modification)
- Tex. Fam. Code ch. 157 (Enforcement)
- Tex. Fam. Code ch. 231 (Title IV-D Services)
- Tex. Fam. Code ch. 232 (License Suspension)
- OAG 2025 Revised Tax Charts (effective Sept. 1, 2025)
- OAG Child Support Fees
- OAG How to Apply
- OAG Modify Child Support
- OAG License Suspension
- OAG Acknowledgment of Paternity
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)