Child support not paid in Virginia: what to do

Checked against official sources: Oct 24, 2026

If there is a court or agency order, unpaid support is a debt that every state's child support agency can enforce, even across state lines. Tools include taking it from paychecks, tax refunds and bank accounts, suspending licenses, reporting to credit bureaus and denying passports.

More about this

If there is no order yet, the first step is getting one; past-due amounts usually can't be collected without an order.

General legal information, not legal advice. RobinClaim is not a law firm.

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Choose your state and answer 3 quick questions. The plan below changes as you answer: steps that don't fit your answers are hidden, and your state's deadlines appear. It all happens in your browser. Nothing is sent, and the page address holds only your answers.

Your plan for Virginia

Do now

  1. Find your support order and write down what was due, what was paid and when. Keep a simple log from now on.

    Why: The agency and court work from the order and the payment history.

  2. If there is no order, apply for one with the state child support agency or the court.

    Why: Without an order there is usually nothing to enforce.

  3. Apply for services with your state child support agency, or contact your caseworker if you already have a case.

    Why: The agency can use enforcement tools that a parent alone can't.

This week

  1. Ask the agency which enforcement steps it is taking: income withholding, tax refund offset, liens, license suspension, credit reporting, and passport denial if more than $2,500 is owed.

    Why: These are standard federal-state tools for past-due support.

  2. Give the agency everything that can help find the other parent: full name, Social Security number if you have it, date of birth, last address, employer, and car or license details.

    Why: The agency can search state and federal records, but needs identifying information.

  3. If the other parent lives in another state, ask your agency to open an interstate case.

    Why: Under the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, employers and agencies in other states must enforce your order.

  4. Keep a record of every call, letter and payment.

    Why: It helps if you go back to court.

If it's not resolved

  1. Ask the court about a contempt motion if payments still don't come.

    Why: A judge can order payment plans, fines or jail for willful non-payment.

  2. If the other parent lives in another state, owes more than $5,000 or hasn't paid for over a year, willful non-payment can be a federal crime; ask the agency or prosecutor about referral.

    Why: 18 U.S.C. 228 covers interstate cases.

  3. If the other parent's income changed a lot, either parent can ask for a review of the order (at least every 3 years, or sooner after a big change).

    Why: Orders can't be changed backward, only from when a change is requested.

Deadlines

Changes to the support amount

General rule: Past-due support can't be lowered retroactively; a change starts only from the request date, so ask as soon as circumstances change

Official source

Time limit to collect past-due support

General rule: Varies by state; many states allow collection for many years. Ask your agency.

Key facts for Virginia

RobinClaim

Child support agency
Division of Child Support Enforcement, Department of Social Services (phone (800) 257-9986) Law: State IV-D child support agency (42 U.S.C. 654) · Official source

checked Oct 2026

Documents to gather

  • The child support order (and any later changes)
  • Payment history or your own log
  • Other parent's full name, date of birth, SSN if known, address and employer
  • Children's birth certificates
  • Paternity acknowledgment or order, if parents weren't married
  • Letters or messages about payments

Letters you can send

Fill in the boxes; the letter updates as you type. When every box is filled, download it as a PDF.

Request for enforcement to the child support agency

Ask the agency in writing to act on unpaid support and to explain what it is doing.

[Today's date]

To: [Your state] Child Support Agency
[Their mailing address]
Case number: [Case number]

I am the custodial parent in the case above. The support order dated [Order date] requires [Other parent name] to pay [Monthly amount] per month. As of today, the unpaid amount is about [Amount past due]. The last payment I received was on [Last payment date].

Please take available enforcement actions, such as income withholding, tax refund offset, liens, license suspension and credit reporting, and tell me in writing what steps are being taken.

Information that may help locate the other parent or their income: [Other parent info]

Thank you,
[Your name]
[Your address (where they should reply)]
[Your phone] [Your email]

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Sign it, keep a copy, and send it by certified mail with a return receipt so you can prove it was delivered.

Where to go

Costs

Agency services are low cost: an application fee of up to $25 (free if you get public assistance), and a $35 yearly fee may be charged in some cases after $550 has been collected in a year. Court motions may have a filing fee that can be waived if you can't afford it.

Talk to a lawyer if

  • The other parent is self-employed or hides income
  • The other parent lives in another country
  • There is no order and paternity is disputed
  • The other parent is asking to lower support or change custody
  • There is violence or threats

Free help

Free legal aid for people with low income: find your local office through the Legal Services Corporation (lsc.gov/about-lsc/what-legal-aid/i-need-legal-help), LawHelp.org (lawhelp.org) or USA.gov (usa.gov/legal-aid). Most state courts run a free self-help center (often called Family Law Facilitator or Self-Help Center) at the courthouse or online; ask the court clerk. Many state bar associations run a lawyer referral service with low-cost first consultations.

Guides for your state

Questions

Changes to the support amount: what is the rule?

Past-due support can't be lowered retroactively; a change starts only from the request date, so ask as soon as circumstances change

What is the time limit to collect past-due support?

Varies by state; many states allow collection for many years. Ask your agency.

When should I talk to a lawyer?

The other parent is self-employed or hides income; The other parent lives in another country; There is no order and paternity is disputed; The other parent is asking to lower support or change custody; There is violence or threats.

How much does it cost?

Agency services are low cost: an application fee of up to $25 (free if you get public assistance), and a $35 yearly fee may be charged in some cases after $550 has been collected in a year. Court motions may have a filing fee that can be waived if you can't afford it.

Plans by state

Open the plan with one state's rules filled in:

Sources

Plan checked Oct 2026. Independently fact-checked 2026-10-24.

This plan is general legal information, not legal advice. RobinClaim is not a law firm. Laws and deadlines change and have exceptions: check with the official source or a lawyer or legal aid office about your own case. How we research.