Washington Child Support Laws: How Support Is Set, Changed, and Enforced

The basics of Washington child support laws

In Washington, both parents have a legal duty to support their children, whether or not they were ever married. Child support is money one parent pays to the other to help cover a child's everyday needs, like housing, food, and clothing. The parent who pays is often called the "obligor" in legal papers, and the parent who receives it is the "obligee."

Support orders come from two places:

• Superior court orders, usually made as part of a divorce, a parenting plan case, or a parentage case.
• Administrative orders, set by the DSHS Division of Child Support through its own process, with hearings handled by the state Office of Administrative Hearings.

Both kinds use the same schedule. The schedule is "presumptive," which means the number it produces is the starting point. A judge or hearing officer can go above or below it, called a "deviation," but must explain the reasons in writing. Common reasons include a parent's large wealth or debts, children from other relationships, or a parenting plan where the child spends a lot of time with the paying parent.

Support generally runs until a child turns 18, and can continue while the child is still in high school. Washington courts can also order help with college or vocational school costs in some cases, which is a separate request a parent has to make.

How the support amount is calculated

The calculation is done on official Washington child support worksheets. The steps are the same in every case:

1. Find each parent's gross monthly income. This includes wages, self-employment income, bonuses, and many benefits. If a parent is voluntarily unemployed or working below their ability, income can be "imputed," meaning assigned based on what they could earn.
2. Subtract allowed deductions to reach net income, such as taxes, Social Security and Medicare, mandatory pension payments, union dues, and some support already paid for other children.
3. Add both net incomes together to get combined monthly net income.
4. Look up the basic support obligation in the economic table, using combined income and the number and ages of children.
5. Split it by income share. If one parent earns 60 percent of the combined income, that parent's share is 60 percent of the basic obligation.
6. Apply the limits and add extra costs, like child care and health care, which are shared the same way.

The DSHS Division of Child Support offers a free Quick Child Support Estimator that walks through these steps. The result is an estimate, not an order, but it helps you see what to expect before a hearing or negotiation.

Sample amounts from the economic table

The economic table in RCW 26.19.020 lists a monthly amount per child for each $100 of combined net income. The 2026 version starts at $2,200 of combined net income and runs up to $50,000. Below $2,200, the amount is based on each household's resources and living expenses. These figures come from the table for one-child and two-child families:

These are the total basic obligations for both parents together, before limits and extras. For example, with $5,000 in combined net income and one child, the basic obligation is $951. If the paying parent earns $3,000 of that $5,000 (60 percent), their share is about $571 a month. Always check the current table in the statute or the DCS estimator, since amounts are reviewed and can change.

Protections for low-income parents

Washington's schedule includes several limits so that support does not leave a paying parent unable to meet basic needs. These are set in RCW 26.19.065:

• 45 percent cap. A parent's total support for all their children generally cannot be more than 45 percent of their net income. A court can go above this for good cause, such as large wealth or special medical or educational needs.
• Self-support reserve. The basic support amount should not push the paying parent's net income below 180 percent of the federal poverty level for one person. This rose from 125 percent on January 1, 2026. Using the 2026 federal poverty guideline of $15,960 for one person, that works out to roughly $2,394 a month, but DCS and the courts use whatever figure is current when your order is set.
• Presumptive minimum. When a parent's net income is below that reserve, the order is usually set at no less than $50 per child per month, unless the parent shows that would be unjust.
• Very high incomes. Above $50,000 a month in combined net income, a court can set a higher amount but must explain why in written findings.

Federal rules back up these protections. Under 45 CFR 302.56, every state's guidelines must consider the paying parent's basic subsistence needs and must not treat incarceration as voluntary unemployment.

Child care, health care, and other costs

The basic obligation covers ordinary costs. Some costs are added on top and split by each parent's income share:

• Child care needed so a parent can work, look for work, or go to school.
• Health insurance premiums for the children, plus their share of uninsured medical, dental, and vision costs.
• Special child-rearing expenses, such as tutoring, school costs, or long-distance travel for visits, when ordered.

Keep receipts. Disputes over these extras are common, and records make them much easier to settle. If your child has Apple Health (Washington's Medicaid), the order may say how that coverage counts toward health care.

Changing a support order

Life changes, and Washington law gives several ways to update an order. The rules are in RCW 26.09.170:

A change usually only applies to payments that come due after you file. That is why it matters to file soon after a job loss or other change, rather than waiting. Past-due support generally cannot be erased by a later change.

If your order was set by DCS, you can ask DCS for a review at any time through its modification page or by calling 800-442-5437. If your order came from a court, DCS says the request goes through the county prosecutor's office, or you can file yourself using the state court forms. If you lost your job, also apply for unemployment benefits, since DCS can collect support from them.

Support during incarceration

Washington treats incarceration differently from other income loss. Under RCW 26.09.170, an order can be reduced, or "abated," to $10 a month per order while the paying parent is confined. A parent who will be confined for at least six months can ask for this if the order does not already include abatement language. After release, the order can be modified again without proving a separate substantial change.

A 2025 law adds similar abatement, to $50 a month per child, for parents who are incapacitated, such as during court-ordered behavioral health treatment. That part takes effect April 1, 2027. If you or the other parent is in jail or prison, contact DCS or a legal aid office early, because arrears can build quickly when nothing is filed.

What happens when support is not paid?

Washington has strong tools to collect support. Most are used by DCS on open cases:

• Income withholding. Support is taken directly from wages, and DCS can also withhold from benefits such as unemployment and, since September 2025, Paid Family and Medical Leave.
• License suspension. Under RCW 74.20A.320, DCS can certify a parent who owes more than six months of support. That can lead to suspension of a driver's license, professional license, or hunting and fishing licenses. The parent gets 20 days after the notice to pay in full, request a hearing, agree to a payment plan, or file to change the order.
• Tax refund and other offsets, liens on property, and reports to credit bureaus.
• Court action, including contempt, in serious cases.

If you are behind, talk to DCS before enforcement escalates. A payment agreement can stop license certification, and DCS has an alternative solutions program for parents struggling to pay. Unpaid support does not disappear in bankruptcy.

Working with the Division of Child Support

The DSHS Division of Child Support is the state agency that runs Washington's child support program. It can find a missing parent, help establish legal parentage, set an administrative order, review and change orders, and collect and send payments.

To open a case, follow the steps on the DCS enrollment page. DCS says you can request forms online, by phone at 800-442-KIDS (5437), or at one of its offices, then send them back by email, fax, mail, or in person. You should get a letter with your case number in about 7 to 10 days. If you get TANF cash assistance, a support case opens automatically.

Paying through DCS creates an official record of every payment, which protects both parents. DCS lists online, phone, and withholding options on its ways to pay and receive page.

Free legal and financial help

Child support cases can be stressful, but you do not have to figure them out alone. Free and low-cost options include:

• WashingtonLawHelp.org, which has plain-language guides and forms on child support, parenting plans, and modifications.
• Northwest Justice Project's CLEAR line (1-888-201-1014), the state's free legal aid intake line for people with low incomes.
• Courthouse facilitators in most county superior courts, who can help with forms for a small fee or free.
• DCS for questions about your case, payments, and reviews.

If child support changes leave your household short on money, look into other benefits too. Our guides to Washington assistance programs and Washington hardship relief cover cash aid, food, and utility help. Fathers can also see child support assistance for fathers.

Getting a support order set or changed, step by step

1. Run the numbers with the DCS Quick Child Support Estimator so you know the likely amount.
2. Gather proof of income, such as pay stubs, tax returns, and benefit letters, plus child care and insurance costs.
3. Decide where to go: DCS for administrative orders and open cases, or superior court for court orders.
4. File promptly after a change, because changes usually apply only from the filing date forward.
5. Get free help from WashingtonLawHelp.org, the CLEAR line, or a courthouse facilitator if you are unsure.
6. Keep paying the current order until a new one is entered, to avoid arrears and enforcement.

Related guides

• Child support assistance for fathers
• Washington assistance programs
• Washington hardship relief
• Unclaimed money in Washington State

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Child support amounts depend on the facts of each case and are set by a court or the Division of Child Support. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with DSHS or any government agency.