Opening a Child Support Case
Any parent or person living in Maryland with custody of a child who needs help to establish a child support or medical support obligation or to collect support payments from the non-custodial parent can apply for child support enforcement services. A non-custodial parent may also apply for services. Families receiving assistance under Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) or Medical Assistance programs automatically receive child support enforcement services with no application fee. Those families are required to cooperate in establishing paternity and collecting support.
To start the application process, contact the CSEA Office nearest you or download an application from this web site. There is an application fee of $25.00 due with the submission of an application for services, for individuals not receiving TCA or Medical Assistance. You will need to provide as much information and as many documents as you can concerning the non-custodial parent.
The most important are:
- Non-custodial parent's name (including nicknames and aliases)
- Non-custodial parent's complete address and telephone number
- Non-custodial parent's Social Security number
- Non-custodial parent's employer information and address
- Information about the Non-custodial parent's earnings and investments (including check stubs, bank accounts, properties, or the Tax Form 1099)
- Names and addresses of the non-custodial parent's relatives
- Names of unions or clubs to which the non-custodial parent is affiliated
- Custodial parent's identification
- Information about the custodial parent's earnings and investments
- Divorce documents or separation papers
- Proof of any money given to the custodial parent by the non-custodial parent
- Child's or children's Birth Certificate
- Paternity Affidavit
The more complete, reliable and accurate the information you provide, the easier it is to collect child support for you children. Your file is not open to the public. The information you supply to CSEA is confidential.
You must complete both of the following forms when applying for child support services:
- Form 980A: Application (pdf)
- Form 980: Application (pdf)
