Child support in Virginia
Virginia 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 Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE), Virginia Department of Social Services at 1-800-468-8894.
Checked against official sources: Oct 25, 2026. · Free letters and checklist ↓
How much child support in Virginia?
Both parents' monthly gross incomes are added together and looked up in the state schedule for the number of children. The cost of the child's health, dental and vision coverage and work-related child care is added, and each parent pays a share in proportion to their income. Separate formulas apply to shared and split custody.
Law: Va. Code 20-108.1, 20-108.2
We don't estimate Virginia'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 Virginia
- Phone
- 1-800-468-8894
- Apply
- Apply online
- How to open a case
Apply to DCSE online through the MyChildSupport portal (fastest), or use a paper application (English or Spanish): upload it in MyChildSupport, mail it to DCSE, P.O. Box 28450, Richmond, VA 23228-8450, or drop it off at a DCSE district office. You do not need a lawyer or a court order to apply. You can also file a petition for support in the juvenile and domestic relations district court or ask for support in a divorce.
- Yearly fee
$35 a year (Oct. 1-Sept. 30) if DCSE collects at least $550 in your case during the year and you have never received TANF. A $25 fee applies if you reopen your case within 6 months of closing it.
Source: DCSE FAQ
- Forms
- Paternity (legal fatherhood)
Unmarried parents can sign a sworn Acknowledgment of Paternity; either parent can cancel it within 60 days unless a court or administrative order about the child is entered first. DCSE can also help establish paternity, including DNA testing; genetic tests showing at least a 98% probability establish paternity.
Law: Va. Code 20-49.1
Virginia child support by topic
How support is calculated in Virginia
The model, the percentages or the official calculator, and low-income rules.
Change child support in Virginia
When you can ask, how to ask, and a review letter.
Collect unpaid support in Virginia
Collection tools, interest and license rules, and a letter.
When support ends in Virginia
The end age, high school and disability rules.
How child support is figured in Virginia
- Model
- Income shares
- How it works
Both parents' monthly gross incomes are added together and looked up in the state schedule for the number of children. The cost of the child's health, dental and vision coverage and work-related child care is added, and each parent pays a share in proportion to their income. Separate formulas apply to shared and split custody.
- Low income
There is a presumptive minimum order of $68 a month (the schedule's lowest amount, for combined income $0-$350). If the paying parent's gross income is at or below 150% of the federal poverty level and they show no ability to pay, the court can set a lower amount. Some parents are exempt (for example, totally and permanently disabled with no ability to pay, including SSI recipients).
Law: (Va. Code 20-108.2(B); 2025 Guidelines Review, RD1035)
- Official calculator
- Official Virginia child support calculator
- Health insurance and medical costs
The cost of the child's health, dental and vision coverage paid by a parent is added to the basic support amount. Unless the court finds good cause or the parents agree otherwise, parents split reasonable unreimbursed medical and dental costs (such as glasses, prescriptions, orthodontics and mental health care) in proportion to their incomes.
Law: Va. Code 20-108.2(D), (E); 20-124.2(C)
Law: Va. Code 20-108.1, 20-108.2
Change a child support order in Virginia
- When a change is allowed
A court can change support when there has been a material change in circumstances. In a DCSE review, a material change exists if the guideline amount differs from the current order by at least 10% and at least $25 a month. DCSE says most orders can be reviewed every 3 years. A change can only apply from the date the other parent got notice of the request; past-due support cannot be reduced retroactively.
Law: Va. Code 20-108, 63.2-1921
- How to ask
Ask DCSE for a review and adjustment (Review & Adjustment packet), or file a petition or motion to modify support in the court that has the case (usually the juvenile and domestic relations district court).
Can I ask for a change? Check your situation
Collect unpaid child support in Virginia
Arrears means support that is past due. The child support agency can use these tools to collect it:
- Collection tools
- Income withholding
- State and federal tax refund intercept
- Intercept of payments from the Commonwealth
- Credit bureau reporting
- Liens, seizure and sale of property, orders to withhold and deliver
- Passport denial ($2,500 or more owed)
- Driver's, professional, occupational and recreational license suspension
- Contempt and jail
- License suspension
90 days or more behind, or $5,000 or more owed, after 30 days' notice.
Law: Va. Code 63.2-1937
- Contempt of court
A court can hold a parent who does not pay in contempt; DCSE notices warn that non-payment can lead to incarceration.
- Interest on unpaid support
6% a year (the judgment rate) on past-due child support, unless the parent owed the support waives it in writing to the court. DCSE collects this interest on the cases it enforces.
Law: Va. Code 20-78.2, 63.2-1952, 6.2-302
Law: Va. Code 63.2-1916, 63.2-1937
When child support ends in Virginia
- Support ends
18, or 19 if the child is a full-time high school student, not self-supporting and living at home (support ends at 19 or high school graduation, whichever comes first)
- Exceptions
The court may order support past 18 for a child who is severely and permanently disabled (disability began before 18, or before 19 for a high school student), cannot live independently and lives with the parent receiving support. Parents can agree to extend support further, and the court can approve that agreement.
Law: Va. Code 20-124.2(C), 63.2-1916
When does support end? Check your situation
Free help in Virginia
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 Virginia's agency contact.
Good to know in Virginia
- Support for a child over 18 who is still in high school runs until 19 or graduation, whichever comes first. (Va. Code 20-124.2(C))
- DCSE's Family Engagement Services help parents who have trouble paying with jobs, training, GED and other support: 540-569-4990. (DCSE When Life Affects Payments)
- Since 2026, a passport you already have can be revoked if you owe a large amount of past-due support ($15,000 or more as of September 28, 2026); a new passport is denied at $2,500 or more. (DCSE FAQ)
Changes in 2024–2026
Chapter 702 of the 2025 Acts of Assembly (Senate Bill 805) updated the amounts in the schedule of basic child support obligations in Va. Code 20-108.2; the Child Support Guidelines Review Panel's December 2025 report (RD1035) recommended no further schedule changes. Va. Code 20-108 (modification) was amended in 2024 (cc. 22, 817). In 2026 the U.S. State Department began revoking existing passports (not only denying new ones) of parents with large child support debts, starting at $100,000 owed in May 2026 and lowered in steps to $15,000 by September 28, 2026.
Source: DCSE FAQ
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 Virginia
How is child support calculated in Virginia?
Both parents' monthly gross incomes are added together and looked up in the state schedule for the number of children. The cost of the child's health, dental and vision coverage and work-related child care is added, and each parent pays a share in proportion to their income. Separate formulas apply to shared and split custody.
Is there an official child support calculator for Virginia?
What if the paying parent has a low income in Virginia?
There is a presumptive minimum order of $68 a month (the schedule's lowest amount, for combined income $0-$350). If the paying parent's gross income is at or below 150% of the federal poverty level and they show no ability to pay, the court can set a lower amount. Some parents are exempt (for example, totally and permanently disabled with no ability to pay, including SSI recipients).
How do I apply for child support in Virginia?
Apply to DCSE online through the MyChildSupport portal (fastest), or use a paper application (English or Spanish): upload it in MyChildSupport, mail it to DCSE, P.O. Box 28450, Richmond, VA 23228-8450, or drop it off at a DCSE district office. You do not need a lawyer or a court order to apply. You can also file a petition for support in the juvenile and domestic relations district court or ask for support in a divorce.
Is there a yearly fee for child support services in Virginia?
$35 a year (Oct. 1-Sept. 30) if DCSE collects at least $550 in your case during the year and you have never received TANF. A $25 fee applies if you reopen your case within 6 months of closing it.
When can child support be changed in Virginia?
A court can change support when there has been a material change in circumstances. In a DCSE review, a material change exists if the guideline amount differs from the current order by at least 10% and at least $25 a month. DCSE says most orders can be reviewed every 3 years. A change can only apply from the date the other parent got notice of the request; past-due support cannot be reduced retroactively.
How do I ask to change child support in Virginia?
Ask DCSE for a review and adjustment (Review & Adjustment packet), or file a petition or motion to modify support in the court that has the case (usually the juvenile and domestic relations district court).
What happens if child support is not paid in Virginia?
Arrears means support that is past due. The child support agency can use these tools to collect it: Income withholding; State and federal tax refund intercept; Intercept of payments from the Commonwealth; Credit bureau reporting; Liens, seizure and sale of property, orders to withhold and deliver; Passport denial ($2,500 or more owed); Driver's, professional, occupational and recreational license suspension; Contempt and jail.
Can a license be suspended for unpaid child support in Virginia?
90 days or more behind, or $5,000 or more owed, after 30 days' notice.
Can a parent be held in contempt for not paying in Virginia?
A court can hold a parent who does not pay in contempt; DCSE notices warn that non-payment can lead to incarceration.
Is there interest on unpaid child support in Virginia?
6% a year (the judgment rate) on past-due child support, unless the parent owed the support waives it in writing to the court. DCSE collects this interest on the cases it enforces.
When does child support end in Virginia?
18, or 19 if the child is a full-time high school student, not self-supporting and living at home (support ends at 19 or high school graduation, whichever comes first)
Does child support continue while my child finishes high school in Virginia?
18, or 19 if the child is a full-time high school student, not self-supporting and living at home (support ends at 19 or high school graduation, whichever comes first)
Can child support continue past the usual age in Virginia?
The court may order support past 18 for a child who is severely and permanently disabled (disability began before 18, or before 19 for a high school student), cannot live independently and lives with the parent receiving support. Parents can agree to extend support further, and the court can approve that agreement.
How is paternity established in Virginia?
Unmarried parents can sign a sworn Acknowledgment of Paternity; either parent can cancel it within 60 days unless a court or administrative order about the child is entered first. DCSE can also help establish paternity, including DNA testing; genetic tests showing at least a 98% probability establish paternity.
Who pays for the child's health insurance in Virginia?
The cost of the child's health, dental and vision coverage paid by a parent is added to the basic support amount. Unless the court finds good cause or the parents agree otherwise, parents split reasonable unreimbursed medical and dental costs (such as glasses, prescriptions, orthodontics and mental health care) in proportion to their incomes.
More help on our sister sites
Sources
- Va. Code 20-108.2 (guideline)
- Va. Code 20-108 (modification)
- Va. Code 20-124.2
- Va. Code 20-78.2 (interest)
- Va. Code 63.2-1952
- Va. Code 63.2-1921
- Va. Code 63.2-1937
- Va. Code 20-49.1
- DCSE: Apply for Child Support
- DCSE: FAQ (fees, passport denial)
- DCSE: Forms
- Child Support Guidelines Worksheet DC-637
- RD1035 Review of Virginia's Child Support Guidelines (December 2025)
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)