Child Support Enforcement

Child Support Services

In North Carolina, CSE services are available to anyone who wants or needs help in collecting child support through a network of state and locally run offices. CSE offers assistance in the following areas:

• Location of noncustodial parents - CSE searches to find where the noncustodial parent lives and/or works.
• Paternity establishment for children born outside of marriage - CSE establishes the legal father of the child.
• Establishment of support obligations - CSE establishes a court order for the noncustodial parent to provide support for his/her child (ren).
• Collection and distribution of support - CSE keeps records of court ordered child support payments processed by the North Carolina Child Support Centralized Collections operation and tracks the distribution and disbursement of those payments.
• Enforcement of support obligations - CSE uses as many enforcement remedies as necessary to ensure the noncustodial parent's compliance with the court ordered support.

Individuals who receive services through Public Assistance (IV-A) or Foster Care (IV-E) programs are eligible and automatically referred for CSE services free of charge. Non-Public Assistance clients can inquire about CSE services by telephone and receive an Application and Supplemental Data Sheet to complete, or they can visit any local CSE office. Clients are responsible for paying up to a twenty-five dollar ($25) non-refundable application fee. This is to include providing assistance state to state. (Interstate cases)

The CSE program is not authorized to help with some issues that might seem similar to child support, such as custody, visitation, or property settlements. Private attorneys and county Clerks of Superior Court also offer certain support services. To learn more about what assistance is available, you may contact this office individually at 910-875-8755.