Frequently Asked Questions

DCSE helps establish, collect and enforce child support orders. We can also help locate a parent, review and adjust existing orders and work with other states or countries when needed.

You can apply if you are a child’s parent or caregiver who needs help getting or paying child support. You do not need a court order to apply.

You can apply online through MyChildSupport or contact DCSE for help with your application.

There may be fees depending on your case.

Yearly fee: Federal law requires a $35 yearly fee if we collect at least $550 in your case during the year and you have never received Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). The yearly period runs from October 1 through September 30.

Reopening a case: There is a $25 fee if you reopen your case within 6 months of closing it.

Other fees: Other fees may apply, such as fees for genetic testing, tax refund intercepts and state fees.

The time it takes to get started depends on your case. It may depend on the information you give us, whether both parents can be found and whether paternity needs to be established.

No. You do not need a lawyer to apply for or receive child support services through DCSE.

If your job or income has changed, contact DCSE as soon as you can. We can talk with you about your case and your payments. You may be able to ask for a review or change to your order, get help through Family Engagement Services, or learn about other programs that may help. You can also visit the Virginia Employment Commission to apply for unemployment benefits. 

Yes, help may be available. Please contact DCSE so we can learn about your situation and help you find options. You can ask about Family Engagement Services, the TANF Debt Compromise Program or a review or change to your order.

You may also be able to get help through the Department of Social Services. You can apply for benefits through CommonHelp or find local services through 2-1-1 Virginia.

Yes. Your child support payment is still due based on your order. If you are unable to work, contact DCSE to talk about your case. You may be able to ask for a review or change to your order or get help through Family Engagement Services. You can also learn about unemployment benefits through the Virginia Employment Commission or disability benefits through the Social Security Administration by calling 1-800-772-1213.

Your child support payment is still due based on your order. You may be able to ask for a review or change to your order or get help through Family Engagement Services. If you owe past-due support from TANF, you can ask about the TANF Debt Compromise Program, which may help reduce what you owe.

No. Your current support, past-due support and interest are still due based on your order. You may be able to ask for a review or change to your order or get help through Family Engagement Services. If you owe past-due TANF support, you can ask about the TANF Debt Compromise Program, which may help reduce what you owe.

Yes, DCSE may still take action based on your case. We know that life can be hard. If you are unable to pay, you may have options. You can get help through Family Engagement Services or ask about the TANF Debt Compromise Program if you owe past-due support. Contact DCSE to talk about your situation and learn what options may be available.

Child support is set based on a formula in Virginia law. The goal is to share the cost of raising a child between both parents. The amount is based on the income of both parents, the number of other children supported, the cost of medical, dental, and vision insurance and child care costs.

Yes, but only children a parent must support by law. This includes biological and adopted children.

No. Only the legal parents' income is used to set child support.

Yes. DCSE may not be able to set an order if paternity has not been established, the obligor receives Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or public assistance, the obligor is in jail or the child is over age 18.

An Administrative Support Order set by DCSE will not include past-due support unless the child received public assistance TANF.

It is a federal program that helps collect past-due child support, by denying, stopping, or restricting passport use, until the debt is paid or resolved.

Federal law allows the government to deny or revoke a passport if you owe more than $2,500 in past-due child support and states report parents once their past due child support balance reaches that amount.

When you qualify, the United States (U.S.) Department of State (State Department) will reject your application for a new passport when you owe more than $2,500 in past-due child support. You cannot get your passport until you resolve your past-due child support.

The federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) sends you a Pre-Offset Notice when you qualify and owe more than $2,500 in past-due child support. You may request an administrative review within 30 days of the date of the notice. For more information on DCSE appeal services, go to DCSE Appeals. 

If you qualify, if you already have a passport, the State Department may cancel it and it is no longer valid, even if it has not expired. If cancelled, you cannot get a passport until you resolve your past-due child support. 

The State Department is expanding enforcement of the long-standing Passport Denial Program. When parents who owe past-due child support qualify, the State Department will now revoke passports that have already been issued, not just deny new ones. 

On May 8, 2026, revocations began for parents who owe $100,000 or more in past-due child support.  

On June 1, 2026, revocations began for parents who owe $75,000 or more in past-due child support.  

On June 29, 2026, revocations began for parents who owe $50,000 or more in past-due child support.  

Lower amounts may be included later. 

Yes. The State Department will send notice to eligible parents residing inside and outside the U.S. by mail or email whose passport is being revoked.

No. You may only appeal the Pre-Offset Notice you receive when you meet criteria for passport denial. See question #4 under Passport Denial. If you qualify for passport revocation, you get a separate passport revocation notice telling you your passport has been revoked, and there is no appeal process. 

Initially, the State Department revoked passports for parents who owed more than $100,000 in past-due child support on a single case. Now, the State Department will revoke passports for parents who owe a combined total of $75,000 or more in past-due child support across all cases, even if the cases are in different states. On June 29, 2026, revocation applies to parents who owe a combined total of $50,000 or more in past-due child support for all cases, even if the cases are in different states. 

You will need to go to a U.S. embassy or consulate to request a temporary emergency passport, which may include fees. This emergency passport normally only allows you to return directly to the U.S. A list of U.S. embassies and consulates is available at https://www.usembassy.gov/.

No. If you are following an approved payment plan, the agency updates your case information, so it is not reported for passport action. If you are unsure about your status, contact your child support office.

You must either pay your balance in full or set up and follow a payment plan with the Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE). You will then need to apply for a new passport.

Once you pay in full or make acceptable payment arrangements, DCSE reports it to the federal government. It usually takes about 3–4 weeks before the State Department updates your record so you can reapply.

DCSE updates past-due child support amounts weekly.

Call 1-800-468-8894 to speak with us about your situation.

Go to Travel.State.Gov for more information. 

An Income Withholding Order for Support (IWO) is a legal order that tells an employer to withhold child support from an employee’s pay. You must take out the amount listed in the order, send payments as directed and follow the order as issued. If the employee has questions or disputes, they must contact the agency listed on the order.

Contact DCSE right away if the person was never employed by your company, no longer works for your company or was laid off, quit or let go. If you were sending payments under an IWO, fill out the Notification of Employment Termination on the order and return it as directed. You are not required to take money from pay if the person does not work for your company.

Yes. You must follow an IWO issued by any U.S. state or territory. Follow the steps in the order and send payments as directed.

If you have questions about how to process the order, contact DCSE. You can also review the Employer Resources on our site. If the employee has questions or disputes, they must contact the agency listed on the order.

Yes. If you hire an independent contractor, you must report them to the state within 20 days of their start date. This is required by Virginia law (§ 63.2-1946) and applies to all employers.

If an intercept payment is found to be possibly fraudulent or an error, it will be placed on hold for review. If your intercept payment has been identified as fraudulent, contact our Customer Service Center at 1-800-468-8894.

Some payments may be held for more than 30 days. You can check the status of your payment online through your MyChildSupport account or by calling our Customer Service Center at 1-800-468-8894.

Court hours may vary by location. You can find court hours on the Virginia Judicial System website.

A purge payment is ordered by the court when an obligor has been found in contempt for not paying support. Making this payment allows the obligor to be released from jail.

The court may require it to bring the case back into compliance and avoid further action. The amount is set by the court and may be due by a certain date. A purge payment does not replace regular child support — ongoing payments are still due.