Interstate Child Support Enforcement

by Heather from Gulfport, Mississippi


My ex-husband lives in Florida and I live in Mississippi.



I'm going through DHS to receive child support payments.

He hasn't paid since March of this year and I've heard that his license could be suspended or he could even serve jail time for not paying.

Nothing is being done & I was wondering since he lives in Florida is there anything that the state of Florida could do to him to get him to start paying?

Answer to Florida Child Support Question

Dear Heather,

The Florida Department of Revenue is the entity that is designated to collect child support in Florida.

Go through their counterpart in Mississippi (DHS?) and request a long arm enforcement action under the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA).

If you know where he lives provide that to child support enforcement services.

If you know where he works, also provide that to child support enforcement services, and request that an Income Deduction Order (IDO) be put in place.

In theory, the IDO will follow him from job to job and he will be garnished at each place he works. There are administrative sanctions that child support enforcement can put in place to try and enforce child support.

In Florida, driver's license suspension and incarceration for contempt of
court are possible. Child support enforcement usually exhausts administrative sanctions, before putting someone in jail.

Other administrative sanctions available to Florida child support enforcement are:

  • Notify the parents when they miss payments

  • Suspend Florida driver licenses

  • Take IRS tax refunds

  • Take tax refunds to pay past due support

  • Take Florida Lottery winnings if over $600

  • Take support payments from unemployment and worker's compensation

  • Tell employers to take payments from paychecks

  • Place liens on the parent's car, boat, or other property

  • Report past due support to credit agencies

  • Place a hold and take money from bank accounts

  • Take the case to court because the parent did not do what the order says.

You can find more information about Florida child support enforcement on the Florida Department of Revenue's website, https://dor.myflorida.com/dor/childsupport/enforcement.html

Notice: We provide these answers to the general public and our website visitors as a means to further their online legal research. These answers are merely suggestions and should not be regarded as legal advice.

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Comments for Interstate Child Support Enforcement

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Need Help in NJ - NCP lives in Florida
by: Anonymous

I live in NJ (the child support Order stands with Union County Probation). Non-Custodial parent lives in Florida; owes $71,000 + in arrears.

I have written to Florida numerous times, sending all the paperwork I have regarding the Child Support Order. The only response I've received is that there is no "Open" order in Florida. Do I have to go to Florida and open and Order for Child support there? Thank you.

--I Suspect the reason they are telling you that is because Florida has no jurisdiction. New Jersey does. You will need to contact the Title IV-D Child Support Program, managed in New Jersey by the Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development in partnership with the Probation Divisions. See this online application form for more information. --Staff
FOUR YEARS
by: Anonymous

I have been dealing with florida interstate child support for 4yrs and they have yet to even serve my ex-husband to whom they have located have phone number and job information on I have updated everything that has been asked for on my end this is crazy considering the main concern is suppose to be in the interest of the child that's a bold face lie or my child doesn't count because his father is paying support already to two dfferent women in two diff states and my child nothing I was married to him they weren't WILL WILL THIS END AND HOW DO I PURSUE RIGHTS

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