Maryland Child Support Enforcement Resource Center

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

Maryland Child 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 Maryland child support law to collect regular and past-due payments.

Who Can Enforce Court-Ordered Child Support in Maryland?

The Maryland Child Support Enforcement Program is the state-run child support enforcement office for Maryland. The Maryland Department of Human Resources is required by federal law to provide services through Child Support Enforcement Program (CSEP) and is funded by the federal government and the State of Maryland.

MARYLAND CSEP CASELOAD STATISTICS1
Full Time Equiv. Staff 1,042
Total Caseload 276,167

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

Interest on Missed Maryland Child Support Payments

The state of Maryland does not provide for interest to be charged on missed child support payments or retroactive support. Maryland law allows for 10% interest the accessed to money judgments. This is only applied in limited number of cases by direction of the court.

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

No statute of limitations on the collection of child support arrears. Child support arrears are owed until paid.

Maryland's Statute of Limitations for Determination of Paternity

Maryland law states paternity must be established by age 18.

Age of Emancipation / Age of Majority in Maryland

The age of majority in Maryland is 18. (Article I,§24, Annotated Code of Maryland)

Maryland child support obligation is automatically terminated at the age of 18, unless a child who has reached the age of eighteen and is enrolled in secondary school. They then have the right to support from both parents until the age of 19 or until they are no longer enrolled, whichever occurs first. For court orders established before October 1, 2002, the order must be modified to provide for the continued support. The court may order support or a disabled adult child, or if the parties involved agree to support the child through 4 years of college or higher education.

How Are Child Support Payment Amounts Determined in Maryland?

The basic child support obligation in Maryland is determined in accordance with the schedule of basic child support obligations. The basic child support obligation is divided between the parents in proportion to their adjusted actual incomes.

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.

Our clients say...

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.
- Lee M., Alabama
Collected $26,000


After many years of searching through various agencies for my ex-husband, a dear friend told me about the Support Collectors web site. I logged on and requested an application, thinking to myself it won't make a difference. We hadn't found him in 19 years, they won't be able to find him either. To my surprise they did and very quickly. Support Collectors handled everything very professionally and I received my settlement of $60,000 within a few months!

I would highly recommend Support Collectors to anyone who is owed child support. Thank you Support Collectors for doing what I thought was completely hopeless.
- Terry M., Illinois
Collected $26,000


Thank you so much for your help in getting the child support payments my daughter deserves! I only wish I would not have waited so long to contact you for assistance. You succeeded when everyone else had failed.

Don't try to handle this problem on your own with the department of child support services who are drowning in a sea of paperwork, let Support Collectors take care of you personally. The best part is that you don't owe them anything until they get payments for you and believe me, it is worth every penny.
- Teresa H., Illinois
Collected $26,000