Best Child Support in North Dakota — 6 resources

About Child Support for Women

Child support is administered state-by-state under the federal Title IV-D program, with every state required to operate a Child Support Enforcement (CSE) agency. For custodial mothers, these agencies establish paternity, locate non-custodial parents, calculate orders under state guidelines, and enforce payments through wage garnishment, tax refund intercept, license suspension, and contempt actions. Services are free of charge. Mothers can also pursue retroactive support and modifications when income changes. The federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) oversees the program. This directory includes each state's CSE agency, online support calculators, local enforcement offices, and modification resources.

Child Support in North Dakota

North Dakota district courts handle family matters across seven judicial districts. The Child Support Division operates under DHHS. Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks, and Minot are the largest cities. Legal Services of North Dakota and CAWS North Dakota (the statewide DV coalition) provide civil legal aid and safety services to women.

6 Resources

1. ND Child Support Enforcement — Free

ND Child Support, a division of the Department of Human Services at 1600 E Century Ave in Bismarck, opens cases free of charge for any custodial parent — paternity establishment, order setting, wage withholding, tax intercept, and license suspension for nonpayers all available. Apply online or by calling 800-231-4255 Mon-Fri 8am-5pm. Custodial mothers can use services even without TANF.

800-231-4255 · 1600 E Century Ave Suite 7, Bismarck, ND 58503 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

2. National Child Support Enforcement Association — Free

NCSEA is the trade association of child support agencies including ND's. Mothers using its public resources at ncsea.org can read explainer briefs on guideline calculations, why arrears accumulate interest in ND, and how the new Affordable Care Act medical support rules interact with their case. Useful background before challenging a proposed order at hearing.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

3. Find Your State Child Support Agency — Free

The federal OCSS directory at acf.hhs.gov links to every state and tribal child support office, including ND's program and the IV-D agencies of the Three Affiliated Tribes, Standing Rock Sioux, Spirit Lake, and Turtle Mountain Band. Essential when paternity or enforcement crosses jurisdictional lines on or near ND reservations.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

4. Single Mother Guide — Child Support — Free

Single Mother Guide is a free editorial site written by single moms with attorney review. The child support section walks through how to apply, calculate, modify, and enforce orders state-by-state, including how to push ND to garnish wages when a noncustodial parent's employer is out of state. Practical tips not found in agency literature.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

5. Healthy Children — Child Support Basics — Free

Healthy Children is the American Academy of Pediatrics' parent-facing portal. Its child support overview is unusual in addressing the pediatric perspective: how separation and unpaid support affect kids' wellbeing, when to involve a pediatrician in custody mediation, and how to enroll children in Medicaid/ND Healthy Steps when support is unstable.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

6. National Family Support Network — Free

The National Family Support Network connects ND's Family Resource Centers (Parent Promise, the Family Service Agency, and county Extension offices) with national best-practice training. Mothers can find their nearest member organization on the NFSN site to access concrete help — parenting classes, support groups, kinship care navigation — that complements a child support case.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

Frequently Asked

How many child support resources are in North Dakota?
Women's Corner tracks 6 child support resources for women in North Dakota.
Are child support resources in North Dakota free?
6 of the 6 listed child support resources in North Dakota are explicitly free or low-cost.
Which cities in North Dakota have child support resources?
Listings span cities including Bismarck.
What are some examples of child support resources in North Dakota?
Featured entries include ND Child Support Enforcement, National Child Support Enforcement Association, Find Your State Child Support Agency, Single Mother Guide — Child Support, Healthy Children — Child Support Basics.
Do these listings include phone numbers?
1 of 6 North Dakota child support listings include phone numbers.
How do I open a child support case?
Apply free through your state's Child Support Services agency — online, by mail, or in person at the local office. The agency establishes paternity if needed, locates the other parent, calculates the order, and enforces collection through wage garnishment, tax intercepts, and license suspension. You don't need the father's cooperation to open a case.
What if the father isn't paying?
Report non-payment to your state Child Support Services agency — they have enforcement tools you can't access alone, including wage garnishment, federal/state tax refund intercepts, passport denial, driver's license suspension, and contempt prosecution. Keep your contact info current with the agency so payments route to you correctly.
Can I get child support if we were never married?
Yes. You first establish paternity — voluntarily through an Acknowledgment of Paternity form, or through a court-ordered DNA test if the father disputes it. Once paternity is legal, the court issues a support order based on his income. The state agency handles the whole process at no cost.
What if my support order is too low?
File a Motion to Modify with the court if there's been a substantial change — his income went up, your costs went up, custody time changed, or it's been 3+ years since the last review. Your state Child Support agency will do a free review every 3 years on request. Modifications aren't retroactive, so file as soon as circumstances change.