Child Support Enforcement in Pennsylvania

Learn more about how to enforce your child support order and collect overdue payments in Pennsylvania.

By , Attorney · Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School
Updated by Stacy Barrett, Attorney · UC Law San Francisco

Unfortunately, some parents who are obligated to pay child support fail to make their payments on time, or even worse, stop paying altogether. For custodial parents seeking to enforce child support obligations against non-paying parents, Pennsylvania offers several resources. This article provides a general overview of how to enforce your child support order in Pennsylvania.

Establishing Child Support in Pennsylvania

When parents separate or divorce, the parent with less parenting time (called the noncustodial parent) is usually required to pay child support. The child support obligation can be established by going to court or through the Pennsylvania Child Support Program. The monthly child support amount to be paid by the noncustodial parent will be listed in an official child support order, which must be obeyed as long as it is in effect. For more information on how child support is calculated, see Child Support in Pennsylvania.

To file a claim for child support, you'll have to file a Complaint for Support online at the PA Child Support Website or at your local Domestic Relations Section (DRS). Check out the Pennsylvania Child Support Handbook for more information on completing an application for child support. In addition to preparing petitions for spousal and child support, the DRS enforces support orders, establishes paternity for children when necessary, and locates absent parents.

Enforcing Child Support in Pennsylvania

Noncustodial parents who fail to pay child support on time are violating (disobeying) a court's child support order and may face serious consequences. Custodial parents need to understand how to collect overdue payments under these circumstances.

File a Court Action to Enforce Child Support Order

Custodial parents who aren't receiving court-ordered child support may file a petition for civil contempt on their own or with the help of a family law attorney. Learn more about what to expect at a contempt hearing (sometimes called a "show cause" hearing) in family law court.

(23 Pa.R.C.P. Nos. 1910.25-1910.25-7 (2024).)

Request Assistance Through your Local Domestic Relations Section

Alternatively, you can get help enforcing child support orders through Pennsylvania's Child Support Program. You can contact the Bureau of State Child Support Enforcement at 1-800-932-0211 for more information or reach out to your local Domestic Relations Section (DRS). The DRS is a division of the Court of Common Pleas in each county. The agency is responsible for establishing and enforcing child support orders in your local DRS.

Tools for Collecting Child Support

The DRS and courts have many tools for enforcing child support orders, including:

  • income withholding
  • intercepting income tax refunds, workers' compensation, and unemployment payments
  • placing liens on property
  • seizing bank accounts
  • seizing personal injury settlements
  • passport denial
  • credit bureau reporting, and
  • license suspensions (including driver's, professional, and recreational).

In addition, a court may hold a delinquent parent in "contempt of court" for the failure to pay court-ordered child support. Contempt is a decision by a judge that a parent has willfully disobeyed a court order. If a court finds a parent in contempt, the judge may also order the parent to pay monetary fines and serve up to six months in jail. Parents can usually avoid serving much jail time by paying the full amount of back child support owed.

(23 Pa.R.C.P. Nos. 1910.20-1910.25.7 (2024).)

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