Last updated: May 20, 2026
Bottom line
Mississippi child support is handled through the Mississippi Department of Human Services Division of Child Support Enforcement, often called MDHS child support. The office can help locate the other parent, establish paternity, ask the court for a support order, collect payments, enforce an order, and review an order for possible changes.
Mississippi uses child support guidelines based mainly on the paying parent’s adjusted gross income. The guideline percentages are 14% for one child, 20% for two children, 22% for three children, 24% for four children, and 26% for five or more children. A court can adjust the amount when the law allows it, so do not treat any online estimate as a final order.
This guide is for general information only. Child support can affect court rights, safety, custody, public benefits, and family finances. For advice about your own case, contact MDHS, the court, legal aid, or a licensed attorney.
If you need help today
If you or your child are in danger, call 911. If child support contact with the other parent could make you unsafe, tell MDHS and ask about safety safeguards before sharing addresses, phone numbers, or court papers.
- For domestic violence help in Mississippi, call the Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Violence at 1-800-898-3234 or use the MCADV hotline.
- For local food, shelter, utility, transportation, and legal referrals, call 211 or use 211 Mississippi.
- For child support case questions, call the MDHS Child Support Call Center at 877-882-4916 or start with MDHS child support.
- If rent, utilities, food, or child care cannot wait, check ASMOM’s emergency help guide while the child support case is pending.
Where to start
You do not have an order yet
Apply for services through MDHS. If paternity is not legally established, MDHS can help with that step before a support order is entered.
You have an order, but payments stopped
Call the Child Support Call Center and ask what enforcement steps are available. Keep records of missed payments, partial payments, job changes, and direct payments.
You need the amount changed
Ask about a review or modification. A change is not automatic, and only a court order can change the legal amount due.
You are worried about safety
Do not handle safety concerns alone. Call a domestic violence advocate, legal aid, or MDHS and ask how your contact information can be protected.
Quick reference
| Need | Best first step | Reality check |
|---|---|---|
| Open a case | Submit the application form or contact MDHS. | A $25 application fee may apply if you are not receiving TANF or SNAP. |
| Send documents | Use the MDHS document upload page or ask your worker how to submit copies. | Keep copies of everything and write down the date you sent it. |
| Receive payments | Review MDHS rules for receiving support. | Payments can only be sent after money is collected and posted. |
| Make a payment | Use official payment options on the MDHS paying support page. | Direct payments to the other parent may not be credited correctly. |
| Card problem | Call 855-709-1079 or use Way2Go help. | Way2Go staff can help with the card, not the whole case. |
What Mississippi child support services can do
MDHS says child support services include establishing paternity, locating noncustodial parents, establishing child support orders through the courts, enforcing support orders, collecting support, distributing funds to families, and helping families ask the court to modify orders.
You may use these services if you are a parent, guardian, or caretaker who needs support for a child. A parent who pays support can also contact the agency about payments, records, reviews, and enforcement problems. If you receive public assistance, child support cooperation rules may affect your case, but safety exceptions may apply. Ask the agency before you decide not to apply or not to cooperate.
Child support is separate from custody and visitation. MDHS can help with support and some access and visitation services, but it does not act as your personal lawyer in court. The MDHS attorney represents the State, not either parent.
How to apply for child support in Mississippi
Start with the official MDHS application. You can ask for help if you do not know where the other parent lives, if paternity has not been established, or if you already have a support order from a court.
| Information to gather | Why it matters | If you do not have it |
|---|---|---|
| Your ID and contact information | MDHS needs a way to verify and reach you. | Ask what other proof they can accept. |
| Child’s birth certificate | Helps show parentage and child information. | Ask about vital records or hospital records. |
| Other parent’s full name | Needed to locate the parent and open the case. | Give old addresses, relatives, employers, or phone numbers. |
| Existing court orders | MDHS must know what the court has already ordered. | Contact the clerk of court for copies. |
| Payment records | Helps show what was paid and what may be owed. | Use bank records, receipts, texts, or court payment records. |
| Safety concerns | MDHS may need to protect contact details. | Tell them you need a safety review before sharing information. |
The current MDHS application says a non-refundable $25 application fee is charged for applicants who are not receiving TANF or SNAP. The form also says no action will be taken until the fee is paid. If you receive public assistance or cannot pay, ask MDHS what applies to your case.
Tip
After you apply, save a copy of the application, the date you sent it, the office you sent it to, and any confirmation number. If you mail papers, consider using a trackable mailing method.
How child support amounts are set in Mississippi
Mississippi’s guideline starts with the paying parent’s adjusted gross income. The law lists income sources and required deductions, then applies a percentage based on the number of children due support. The court can make a different order when the law allows it. Medical support must also be addressed in support orders involving minor children.
You can read the state guideline law at Mississippi guidelines or view the MDHS guidelines PDF.
| Children due support | Guideline percentage | Example using $3,000 adjusted monthly income |
|---|---|---|
| 1 child | 14% | $420 per month |
| 2 children | 20% | $600 per month |
| 3 children | 22% | $660 per month |
| 4 children | 24% | $720 per month |
| 5 or more children | 26% | $780 per month |
This table is only a simple example. It does not decide your case. The court may consider allowed deductions, existing court-ordered support for other children, health coverage, very low or very high income, and other facts. If the paying parent’s adjusted gross income is less than $10,000 per year or more than $100,000 per year, the law calls for written findings about whether applying the guideline is reasonable.
For a plain national overview of child support basics, see ASMOM’s child support basics guide.
Paternity and legal parentage
If the parents were not married and legal paternity has not been established, MDHS may need to help establish paternity before support can be ordered. This can happen through a legal acknowledgment or through the court. Paternity can affect child support, medical history, benefits, inheritance, and the child’s legal records.
If you are unsure whether paternity was legally established, do not guess. Ask MDHS, the court clerk, legal aid, or an attorney what records are needed. If there is family violence, coercion, sexual assault, or fear of retaliation, talk to a safety advocate or legal aid before taking steps that could expose your location or increase danger.
Payments, payment problems, and enforcement
Once there is a legal order, payments usually move through official child support channels. Parents receiving support may receive funds by direct deposit or by Way2Go Debit MasterCard. The money is deposited when child support is collected and posted, not simply because the order exists.
Parents who pay support should use official payment methods, such as income withholding, check or money order to the State Disbursement Unit, cash options listed by MDHS, or iPayOnline. MDHS warns that paying the other parent directly can cause credit problems because the agency may not know the payment was made.
If support is unpaid, MDHS may use enforcement tools such as income withholding, credit bureau reporting, seizing bank assets, license suspension, passport action, tax refund intercepts, contempt proceedings, and intercepting certain settlements or unemployment benefits. Enforcement can take time, especially if the other parent changes jobs, moves, works for cash, or lives in another state.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Do not rely on verbal promises instead of a court order.
- Do not throw away envelopes, payment notices, or court papers.
- Do not accept direct cash payments without proof and without asking how they affect agency records.
- Do not assume support stops at age 18 in Mississippi. MDHS says the age of majority for Mississippi child support orders is 21 unless the child is emancipated or the order says otherwise.
- Do not ignore a review notice, hearing notice, or address update request.
Changing or reviewing a child support order
A child support amount is part of a court order. This means the amount does not change just because a parent lost a job, got a raise, moved, had another child, or agreed by text to a different amount. A court must approve the change.
Mississippi law says MDHS must notify both parents every three years of the right to request a review for certain child support orders. The law also says proof of a material change in circumstances is needed for modification outside the three-year cycle. You can read the review law for the exact wording.
Ask for a review if the current order no longer fits the facts. Examples may include a large income change, a change in the child’s needs, health insurance changes, disability, incarceration, or other major facts. A review does not guarantee a higher or lower amount.
Safety, legal help, custody, and visitation
Child support and safety can overlap. If the other parent has harmed, threatened, stalked, controlled, or harassed you, tell MDHS and ask about safeguards. You can also contact a domestic violence advocate. ASMOM has a Mississippi guide for domestic violence help.
For free or low-cost legal help, check the Mississippi Bar pro bono list and the Volunteer Lawyers Project. Legal aid may help with child support, custody, visitation, protection orders, guardianship, divorce, or related civil issues, but services depend on income, county, case type, and staff availability.
If your issue is parenting time or visitation, Mississippi has an Access and Visitation Program. The program is for parents with an open Mississippi child support case, and eligibility rules apply. It can help with mediation, parenting plans, parent education, and related support, but it does not replace legal advice.
If your case is denied, delayed, or ignored
Child support cases can move slowly. The agency may need more documents, the other parent may be hard to locate, paternity may need testing, a hearing may be needed, or another state may need to help. A delay does not always mean your case was denied.
- Call the Child Support Call Center and ask what step your case is in.
- Ask what document, employer information, address, or court action is missing.
- Write down the date, the worker’s name if provided, and what you were told.
- Use the document upload page again if a paper was lost or unreadable.
- If you receive a court notice, respond by the deadline or ask legal aid for help right away.
- If you need food, rent, utilities, or child care now, use backup programs while child support is pending.
Backup help while child support is pending
Child support can help, but it is not always fast or steady. If you need help now, look for benefits and local programs that do not depend on collecting from the other parent.
- Start with ASMOM’s Mississippi help guide for a broad list of programs.
- For cash assistance, review TANF in Mississippi.
- For groceries, check SNAP in Mississippi.
- For child care costs, see child care help.
- For rent or housing stress, use housing help.
- For doctor visits or coverage, check health care help.
- For pregnancy, babies, and young children, see WIC in Mississippi and baby gear help.
- For churches, nonprofits, and local groups, use ASMOM’s community support guide and the local resource guide.
You can also search Mississippi’s MAMA resource finder for food, shelter, legal, health, baby, education, and job resources.
Phone scripts you can use
Calling MDHS to open a case
“Hi, I need to apply for child support services in Mississippi. I do not have a current order. Can you tell me the best way to submit the application, what documents you need, and whether the $25 fee applies to me?”
Calling about missed payments
“Hi, I have a Mississippi child support case and payments have stopped. Can you tell me the last payment date, the current arrears amount, and what enforcement steps are available?”
Calling about safety
“Hi, I need child support help, but I have safety concerns involving the other parent. Before I share more information, can you explain how my address and contact information can be protected?”
Calling legal aid
“Hi, I need help with a child support or family court issue in Mississippi. My county is [county]. Can you tell me if you handle this type of case, what income rules apply, and what papers I should have ready?”
Resumen en español
En Mississippi, la oficina de manutención de menores de MDHS puede ayudar a localizar al otro padre, establecer paternidad, pedir una orden de manutención, cobrar pagos y hacer cumplir una orden. La cantidad se basa en las reglas del estado y en los ingresos ajustados del padre que debe pagar. Una orden no cambia por acuerdo verbal; normalmente debe cambiarla la corte.
Si hay violencia doméstica, amenazas o miedo por su seguridad, llame al 911 si está en peligro inmediato. También puede llamar a la línea de MCADV al 1-800-898-3234 y decirle a MDHS que necesita protección de su dirección e información personal.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for child support if I was never married?
Yes. If legal paternity has not been established, MDHS may help establish paternity before a support order is entered.
How much is child support in Mississippi?
Mississippi guidelines use percentages of the paying parent’s adjusted gross income: 14% for one child, 20% for two, 22% for three, 24% for four, and 26% for five or more. The court can adjust the amount when the law allows it.
Does Mississippi child support end at 18?
Not always. MDHS says the age of majority for child support ordered by a Mississippi court is 21, unless the child is emancipated or the order says otherwise. Orders from other states may follow different rules.
What if the other parent pays me directly?
Be careful. MDHS warns that direct payments may not be credited correctly in the child support system. Ask MDHS how payments should be made and keep proof of every payment.
Can I change the child support amount?
You can ask for a review or modification, but the amount does not change unless a court changes the order. Mississippi has a three-year review process for certain orders, and changes outside that cycle may require proof of a material change in circumstances.
Can MDHS help with custody?
MDHS child support services mainly handle support, paternity, payments, enforcement, and order reviews. For custody, visitation, safety, or legal advice, contact legal aid, a court, a private attorney, or the Mississippi Access and Visitation Program if you qualify.
About this guide
This guide uses official federal, state, local, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources mentioned in the article.
A Single Mother is independent and is not a government agency, benefits office, lender, law firm, medical provider, or tax advisor.
Program rules, funding, local availability, and eligibility can change. Always confirm details with the official program before you apply or make decisions.
Verification: Last verified May 20, 2026, next review August 20, 2026.
Corrections: If you see something wrong or outdated, email suggestions@asinglemother.org.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. It is not legal, financial, medical, tax, immigration, disability, safety, or government-agency advice.