How Do I Pay Child Support in Maryland?

If you’ve been ordered to pay child support in Maryland, here are the basic steps for submitting payment:

If You’re Employed

If you are employed, Maryland law requires you to pay child support through wage garnishment. This is to say that the amount you owe for child support will automatically be deducted from your paycheck and redirected to your child’s custodian.

When you submit your child support income withholding notice to your employer, they should deduct the necessary amount from your paycheck beginning on the following pay period. It is your responsibility to monitor that this withholding goes into effect. For any pay period in which your employer has not withheld the requisite amount, you are required to pay the necessary child support directly to the address below, including your nine-digit case number with your payment:

Maryland Child Support Account

P.O. Box 17396

Baltimore, Maryland 21297-1396

If You Have a Change of Employment

If you start a new job, you must report your change of employment to the child support agency and the court within 10 days of your start date. The child support agency will send the appropriate income withholding notice to your employer. As above, it is your responsibility to monitor that the necessary withholding goes into effect and to make child support payments directly until it does.

If You Lose Your Job or Have Other Changes in Circumstance

It is important to understand that you are legally required to pay your child support on time, even if you lose your job, become disabled or get arrested.

If you receive unemployment benefits during the time that you’re out of work, you can arrange to have your child support payments withheld from these benefits.

If you do not receive unemployment benefits and are unable to pay your child support, you can apply for a modification of child support. Contact the Maryland Department of Human Services for assistance.