Last updated: June 17, 2026
Bottom line
In Texas, the Office of the Attorney General Child Support Division is the main public agency that helps parents open child support cases, establish paternity, set child support, medical support, and dental support orders, collect payments, and enforce unpaid support. You can start with the official OAG application page, use the support calculator for an estimate, and call 800-252-8014 if you need help with a child support case.
Child support is legal and court-based, so this guide is general information only. It is not legal advice. If your case involves custody, family violence, a court hearing, another state, immigration concerns, disputed paternity, or a disagreement about an order, talk with a legal aid office, the court, or a licensed attorney. You can also use ASMOM’s child support hub for a broader overview.
If you need help right now
If you or your child are in immediate danger, call 911. If child support could make a violent or controlling situation worse, contact a family violence advocate before you apply or before you share a new address, school, work schedule, phone number, or child care location.
- Safety and child support: review the OAG’s safe child support resource and Texas HHSC family violence resources.
- Food, rent, utilities, child care, or health coverage: search 2-1-1 Texas or apply through Your Texas Benefits.
- Texas-specific next steps: keep ASMOM’s Texas help guide open while your child support case moves.
- Benefits problem tied to child support: use ASMOM’s benefits problems guide and ask HHSC about good cause if family violence makes cooperation unsafe.
Where to start
Your first step depends on what is already in place. Do not worry if you do not have every paper or every detail about the other parent. Start with what you know, then update your case as you learn more.
No child support order yet
Apply through the OAG. The agency can help with locating the other parent, paternity, medical support, dental support, and a court order. ASMOM’s documents checklist can help you gather proof.
Payments stopped
Contact the OAG and check your online case account. Keep a simple list of missed payments, dates, employer information, and messages from the other parent.
You need legal advice
Use Texas Court Help for self-help court resources, and see ASMOM’s legal help guide for legal aid starting points.
You feel unsafe
Answer the safety questions on the application carefully and ask about safer case handling before any meeting, negotiation, hearing, or address update.
Quick reference
| Need | Where to start | Reality check |
|---|---|---|
| Open a child support case | Use the OAG online application or call 800-252-8014. | Online is usually faster than waiting for a mailed form. |
| Estimate the amount | Use the official Texas calculator. | The calculator estimates one income source. The court can set a different amount. |
| Unmarried parents | Ask about paternity or an Acknowledgment of Paternity. | Legal parentage must be established before support can be ordered. |
| Order is too old or wrong | Request an OAG review or talk to legal aid. | A change is not automatic just because income changed. |
| Custody or visitation issue | Call the Access and Visitation Hotline. | Child support and parenting time are related but not the same issue. |
How Texas calculates child support
Texas usually uses a percentage of the paying parent’s monthly net resources. Net resources are not always the same as take-home pay. They can include wages, overtime, tips, bonuses, self-employment income, unemployment, retirement, and other income, minus deductions allowed by law.
For orders using the regular Texas guidelines, the percentage depends on the number of children before the court. The current Texas guideline cap applies to monthly net resources up to $11,700, effective September 1, 2025. The cap matters most when the paying parent’s net resources are above the old cap or above the current cap.
| Children in this case | Regular guideline percentage | Maximum guideline amount at $11,700 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 child | 20% | $2,340 |
| 2 children | 25% | $2,925 |
| 3 children | 30% | $3,510 |
| 4 children | 35% | $4,095 |
| 5 or more children | 40% | $4,680 |
Texas also has lower percentages for cases filed on or after September 1, 2021, when the paying parent has less than $1,000 in monthly net resources. TexasLawHelp explains these reduced percentages in plain language.
| Children in this case | Low-income percentage | Regular percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 child | 15% | 20% |
| 2 children | 20% | 25% |
| 3 children | 25% | 30% |
| 4 children | 30% | 35% |
| 5 children | 35% | 40% |
Important calculation notes
The calculator gives an estimate for one income source. It does not replace a court order. The amount can change when the paying parent supports other children, pays medical or dental support, has certain deductions, earns self-employment income, has income above the guideline cap, or has facts that justify a different court order.
How to apply for child support in Texas
The OAG says online application is the fastest and easiest way to apply. The application asks for information about you, the other parent, and your child. If online access is hard, you can apply in person at a child support office or call 800-252-8014 to request that an application be mailed to you.
If you have safety concerns or a history of family violence, the Get Child Support Safely resource says to answer “yes” to the safety section of the application. That helps alert the Child Support Division that your case may need extra precautions.
You can use the child support portal to create or use an online account. If you have trouble reaching the right office, the official OAG contact page lists child support phone help and online contact options.
If paternity has not been established
If the parents were not married, paternity may need to be established before a court can order child support. In Texas, an Acknowledgment of Paternity is a legal document unmarried parents can use when both agree. The OAG says both parents must work with an AOP-certified entity to complete and file it.
If the other parent is in the military, incarcerated, outside Texas, or in another city, the OAG has a special AOP assistance process and an AOP Hotline at 866-255-2006. If paternity is disputed, ask the OAG, legal aid, or the court what process applies in your case. If either parent wants genetic testing, ask before signing an AOP.
Payments and fees
Once an order is active, payments normally go through the Texas child support system. The OAG says parents can receive child support by direct deposit or by Texas Payment Card. Paying parents should use approved payment methods so payments are credited to the case. Texas lists payment options including online, phone, mail, cash, wage withholding, and autodraft.
Texas child support services do not charge an application fee. Some cases can have a $35 annual service fee if the family has never received TANF and collections pass the federal threshold. Registry-only cases can have a $3 monthly State Disbursement Unit fee. Review the official OAG fee page before you assume any fee applies.
If payments stop or are late
If payments stop, the OAG can use enforcement tools after there is a valid order. The OAG enforcement page explains that the agency enforces court orders when parents fail to meet support duties. Enforcement can take time, especially if the other parent changes jobs, works for cash, moves, or has no easy-to-find income.
OAG enforcement tools can include court action, income withholding, license suspension, passport denial, and other remedies allowed by law. If the other parent changed jobs, ask whether your office has the correct employer information. If you are the parent ordered to pay and you cannot pay, contact the Child Support Division quickly instead of ignoring the order.
| Problem | What to ask | What to keep |
|---|---|---|
| Payment did not arrive | Was a payment received, held, or applied somewhere else? | Case number, payment history, expected date |
| Other parent changed jobs | Does the OAG have the new employer? | Employer name, address, phone, messages |
| Cash or app payments | How should direct payments be documented or credited? | Receipts, screenshots, bank records |
| Safety concern | Can enforcement be handled with extra safety precautions? | Protective order, advocate contact, safety notes |
Changing a child support order
A child support order usually stays in place until a judge signs a new order. Do not make a side agreement and assume it changes the court order. If you have an active OAG case, the modification request form lets you ask for a review and upload documents.
TexasLawHelp explains two common paths: a material and substantial change in circumstances, or a three-year review when the guideline amount would differ from the current order by at least 20% or $100. The three-year rule may not apply if the existing order was based on a non-guideline agreement.
Common reasons to ask about a review include a major income change, a change in medical or dental insurance, the child living with a different parent, a new legal duty to support another child, incarceration, or a long period since the order was entered. Bring pay stubs, tax returns, proof of insurance costs, school records, and living-arrangement records when they apply.
If child support could affect your safety
Some parents need child support but fear the other parent may retaliate, stalk, threaten, or use the case to find an address. The OAG’s safe child support resource says parents should tell child support staff about safety concerns. It also warns that the court process may still bring parents into the same setting, so safety planning matters before hearings or negotiations.
If you receive TANF or adult Medicaid, you may be asked to provide information about the other parent and cooperate with child support unless you receive a Good Cause waiver. Texas HHSC says good cause can exempt a person from cooperating with OAG child support and medical support requirements when safety or other qualifying reasons apply.
For broader safety planning, use ASMOM’s domestic violence safety guide and the Texas-specific Texas safety resources.
Child support, custody, and visitation are connected but different
A child support case may include orders about support, medical support, dental support, conservatorship, possession, or access, depending on the court process. But paying support and seeing the child are not the same issue, and the OAG often gets asked to enforce visitation orders even though its main role is child support.
If you have questions about possession, access, or visitation, the visitation hotline has attorneys who answer basic questions in English and Spanish during posted weekday hours. If you need broader court help, TexasLawHelp’s family resources checklist points to child support, parenting, and legal information.
Other help while you wait
Child support can help, but it may not arrive quickly. If paternity must be established, the other parent must be found, income must be verified, or a hearing is needed, look at other help at the same time.
- Food: See ASMOM’s Texas SNAP help page and apply through Your Texas Benefits.
- Cash aid: Review Texas TANF help. TANF rules can include child support cooperation unless good cause applies.
- Medical coverage: Start with Texas health help for Medicaid, CHIP, clinics, and pregnancy care.
- Child care: Working parents or students may want Texas child care assistance.
- Housing or utilities: Look at Texas housing help and Texas utility help if rent or shutoff is urgent.
- Local help: Use Texas local help for 211, community programs, churches, and local nonprofits.
Documents checklist
Do not delay applying just because you are missing one item. Still, the more details you can give, the easier it may be for the agency to locate the other parent and move the case forward.
| Information | Examples | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Your information | Legal name, mailing address, phone, email, Social Security number, ID number | The OAG must know how to reach you and verify your case. |
| Child information | Birth certificate, Social Security number, health coverage, school or child care needs | This helps with support, medical support, and dental support. |
| Other parent | Full name, date of birth, Social Security number if known, address, employer, relatives | This helps locate the parent and verify income. |
| Court papers | Divorce decree, custody order, prior child support order, protective order | This helps avoid conflicting orders. |
| Safety concerns | Protective order, shelter contact, unsafe address concern, stalking or threats | This lets the agency discuss safer case handling. |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Counting verbal promises as an order. A court order gives the state clearer enforcement power.
- Waiting to report safety concerns. Tell OAG staff early if sharing your address or meeting the other parent may be unsafe.
- Assuming a new job changes support automatically. Ask about modification instead of relying on a private agreement.
- Throwing away payment records. Keep notices, payment histories, employer details, and case numbers in one place.
- Ignoring court papers. If you are served, read every page and get legal help quickly.
If you are delayed, denied, or overwhelmed
If you cannot finish the online application, call the OAG and ask for a mailed form or account help. If you do not understand a notice, ask what action is needed and by what date. If your case is connected to benefits, contact HHSC as well as the OAG so your SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, or child care case does not get delayed because of missing paperwork.
If you have a hearing, a contested paternity issue, an order from another state, or a family violence concern, contact legal aid early. Do not wait until the day before court if you can avoid it.
Phone scripts you can use
Calling the OAG to start a case
“Hi, I need to open a child support case in Texas. I have my child’s information and some information about the other parent. Can you tell me the best way to apply and what documents I should gather?”
Calling about missed payments
“Hi, I have an active child support case. My payments have stopped or changed. Can you check the payment history, tell me if enforcement is available, and tell me what updates you need from me?”
Calling about safety
“Hi, I want to ask about child support, but I have safety concerns involving the other parent. Before I give more information, can I talk with someone about safer case handling, family violence indicators, and address privacy?”
Calling legal aid
“Hi, I need help with a Texas child support issue. There may be a hearing, paternity question, modification, or safety concern. Do you screen for family law help, and what documents should I have ready?”
Resumen en español
En Texas, la División de Manutención de Niños de la Oficina del Procurador General puede ayudar a abrir un caso, establecer paternidad, crear una orden, recibir pagos y cobrar pagos atrasados. Puede solicitar en línea o llamar al 800-252-8014 para pedir ayuda.
Si hay violencia familiar o miedo por su seguridad, hable con un programa de violencia familiar antes de solicitar o compartir su dirección. Si recibe TANF o Medicaid para adultos y cooperar con manutención puede ponerle en peligro, pregunte a HHSC sobre “good cause.”
Guarde copias de órdenes, pagos, mensajes, comprobantes de ingresos, seguro médico, cuidado infantil y cualquier documento de seguridad o corte.
FAQ
How do I apply for child support in Texas?
Apply online through the Texas OAG child support system, apply in person at a child support office, or call 800-252-8014 to ask for a mailed application. Online application is usually the fastest way to start.
How much child support will I get in Texas?
Texas usually applies a percentage to the paying parent’s monthly net resources. For one child, the regular guideline is 20%; for two children, it is 25%. The court decides the final amount.
What is the current Texas child support guideline cap?
The current cap is $11,700 in monthly net resources for the regular guideline calculation, effective September 1, 2025. The court may consider additional amounts when the paying parent’s net resources exceed the cap and the child’s proven needs support it.
What if the other parent is unemployed?
Tell the OAG or court what you know about the other parent’s work history, skills, cash work, benefits, or job changes. The court decides what income can be used.
Can I get child support if we were never married?
Yes, but paternity may need to be established first. If both parents agree, an Acknowledgment of Paternity may help. If not, ask the OAG or court about the next step.
Can child support be changed later?
Yes, but not by a private verbal agreement. You usually need a new signed court order. You can ask the OAG to review an active case or talk to legal aid.
Does child support replace SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, or child care help?
No. Child support is one support path. Food, cash, health, housing, and child care programs have their own rules and may still be worth applying for.
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 June 17, 2026, next review September 17, 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.