Child Support

If the other parent isn’t paying court-ordered support, you can fill out an application with the Child Support Enforcement Division (CSED) of the Department of Human Services (DHS). DHS has a system called Centralized Child Support Registry that is designed to help CSED receive and distribute child support and spousal support (alimony) payments. This registry allows CSED to monitor support payments and make sure they are being made and being made on time. You can reach Child Support Services of the Department of Human Services at 1-800-522-2922. CSED will then attempt to track down that parent and make him or her pay. If CSED is unable to make the delinquent parent pay, it can do things like:

• get a lien on the parent’s property, including real estate, motor vehicles, boats, etc.¹ A lien basically means that if s/he doesn’t come up with the money, s/he may be forced to sell his/her property to pay what s/he owes; and/or
• have the parent’s recreational licenses revoked, including hunting and fishing licenses.²

It is important to remember that if the other parent has court-awarded visitation rights and stops paying court- ordered child support, you cannot deny him/her the right to see the child. See If a parent with visitation or custody rights stops paying court ordered child support, does the custodial parent have the right to deny him/her visitation?

¹ 43 O.S. § 135
² 43 O.S. § 139.1