North Carolina Child Support Enforcement Resource Center

• North Carolina Support Enforcement Measures
• Who Can Enforce Court Ordered Child Support in North Carolina
• North Carolina Child Support Services Caseload Statistics
• Interest on Missed Child Support Payments
• Statute of Limitations on Back Child Support
• Statute of Limitations for Determination of Paternity
• Age of Emancipation / Age of Majority
• How Are Child Support Payment Amounts Determined in North Carolina?
• Custody and Visitation Issues

Even if the non-custodial parent lives outside the state of North Carolina, the law requires cooperation between states. The non-custodial parent is legally required to make regular child support payments, regardless of where they live.

North Carolina Support Enforcement Measures

If a non-custodial parent does not pay child support, he or she is subject to enforcement measures in accordance with Federal and North Carolina child support law to collect regular and past-due payments.

• Inclusion on New Mexico's 25 most wanted for non-payment of child support posters
• Wage withholding
• Occupational or professional license(s) revoked
• Driver's license revoked
• State and federal tax refund intercepts
• Liens placed on assets

Who Can Enforce Court Ordered Child Support in North Carolina?

The North Carolina Child Support Enforcement is the state-run child support enforcement office for North Carolina. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is required by federal law to provide services through the division of Social Services Child Support Enforcement (CSE) and is funded by the federal government and the state of North Carolina.

NORTH CAROLINA CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT CASELOAD STATISTICS1
Full Time Equiv. Staff	1,641
Total Caseload	405,706

^{1 U.S. Office of Child Support Enforcement, Boxscores for FY 2005}

Interest on Missed Child Support Payments

North Carolina law makes provisions to charge interest on late child support payments, adjudicated arrears, and retroactive support. The rates are set at the court's discretion.

North Carolina's Statute of Limitations on Back Child Support Payments (Arrears)

The statute of limitations for enforcement of child support orders in North Carolina is is 10 years from when the installment became due, then a judgment can be revived once for 10 more years.

North Carolina's Statute of Limitations for Determination of Paternity

In North Carolina, paternity must be established by child's 18th birthday.

Age of Emancipation / Age of Majority in North Carolina

The age of emancipation in North Carolina is 18 years of age. (Section 40-4-7 (b)(3)(b))

Support orders may continue to 20 years of age if the child is still in high school.

How Are Child Support Payment Amounts Determined in North Carolina?

North Carolina's child support guidelines provide a range of amounts based on both parents' gross monthly income, a comparative percentage of each parent's income, a number of related expenses (child care, health and dental coverage), the number of children involved.

Circumstances that create a substantial hardship in the obligor, obligee or children may justify a change upward or downward from the amount that would otherwise be payable under the guidelines. Any change is determined by the court.

Custody and Visitation Issues

Child support and visitation rights are separate issues. The court determines both and will usually order the non-custodial parent to pay support and the custodial parent to make the child available for visits.

The custodial parent must obey the court order for visitation, even if the non-custodial parent cannot or will not pay child support. The court can enforce any of its orders against either parent.

Call Us Toll Free: 1-888-78-CHILD (782-4453)

Success Stories

ANOTHER SATISFIED CLIENT

Antionette F.

California

“I recently acquired services from Support Collectors in assisting me with collecting child support from an absent parent. Shortly after obtaining the necessary information on my behalf, Support Collectors, within weeks, were able to obtain contact with the absent parent and have payments sent to me...I just want to extend a big 'THANK YOU' to a company for a job well done-something my local office wasn't able to do.

I will certainly pass the word around to single parents in the same situation.”

ANOTHER SATISFIED CLIENT

Lee M.

Alabama

“It took me 10 years to catch up with my husband to establish a court order for child support. Years had gone by and his debt was in the thousands. I got Human Services involved and they told me that because I was now in a different state I had to close my case and had to open my case there. Weeks after I sent the paperwork to the Child Support Enforcement office, I received a letter saying I needed to attach notarized proof of previous payements made etc, etc, etc. I was tired of going through the process of trying to get child support owed.

I found the website for Support Collectors. I figured it probably wouldn't work and a lot of paperwork would be required...Well, there was not a lot of paperwork. It was so easy, I don't know why these other agencies need so much stuff when Support Collectors took the basic information and I had payment coming in in less than 6 weeks (this includes the time that I filed). Support Collectors kept in contact with me and was able to establish a settlement in no time. I was really surprised. I would recommend this service to anyone else (man or woman). The service was excellent.”