Best Child Support in Virginia — 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 Virginia

Virginia has Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts handling custody, visitation, and child support (for unmarried parents and modifications), plus Circuit Courts handling divorce. The Division of Child Support Enforcement operates under DSS. Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Richmond, Arlington, and Alexandria are the largest cities. Central Virginia Legal Aid and the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance serve women.

6 Resources

1. Virginia Division of Child Support Enforcement — Free

DCSE at 801 E Main St in Richmond opens, modifies, and enforces support orders statewide with 19 district offices. Custodial mothers can apply online at MyChildSupport.Virginia.gov; non-public-assistance applicants pay a 5 federal annual fee. Call (800) 468-8894 Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.

(800) 468-8894 · 801 E Main St, Richmond, VA 23219 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

2. National Child Support Enforcement Association — Free

NCSEA is the professional association whose policy work shapes how Virginia handles interstate enforcement, license suspension, and the new-hire reporting that tracks down absent co-parents. Public resources help women understand the mechanics.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

3. Find Your State Child Support Agency — Free

ACF's federal directory locates the state IV-D agency for every co-parent's residence — essential when a Virginia mother is enforcing against someone who moved to another state under UIFSA. Direct phone and online portal for each agency.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

4. Single Mother Guide — Child Support — Free

SingleMotherGuide.com translates Virginia's child support guidelines (income-shares model under Va. Code 20-108.2) into a step-by-step plan — case opening, calculating arrears interest at 6%, and what to expect at a J&DR hearing.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

5. Healthy Children — Child Support Basics — Free

The American Academy of Pediatrics' HealthyChildren.org explains how to fold pediatric coverage, daycare costs, and extracurricular expenses into a Virginia child support order under the deviation factors.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

6. National Family Support Network — Free

NFSN locates Virginia's family resource centers — Healthy Families Virginia and Parent Resource Center sites — that offer free home visiting, parenting classes, and concrete supports for mothers with young children.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

Frequently Asked

How many child support resources are in Virginia?
Women's Corner tracks 6 child support resources for women in Virginia.
Are child support resources in Virginia free?
6 of the 6 listed child support resources in Virginia are explicitly free or low-cost.
Which cities in Virginia have child support resources?
Listings span cities including Richmond.
What are some examples of child support resources in Virginia?
Featured entries include Virginia Division of 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 Virginia 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.