How Georgia Organizes Its Child Support Offices

Child support in Georgia is run by the Division of Child Support Services, known as DCSS. The division is part of the Georgia Department of Human Services and operates the state's child support program under Title IV-D of the federal Social Security Act. Any parent or caretaker can ask DCSS to open a case, whether or not they receive public benefits.

Our directory lists 54 DCSS offices across 52 cities and 51 counties. Georgia has 159 counties, so many offices serve more than one county, and plenty of families live some distance from the nearest desk. Before you drive anywhere, confirm which office handles your county and whether it accepts walk-ins.

DCSS can help with five main tasks:

DCSS attorneys represent the state's interest in collecting support, not either parent personally. That distinction surprises many people. If you need advice about custody, visitation or a divorce, you will need a private attorney or a legal aid provider.

Metro Atlanta Offices Compared With South and Middle Georgia

Metro Atlanta has the heaviest caseloads and the densest cluster of offices. Jonesboro Division of Child Support Services, at 9151 Tara Boulevard in Clayton County, sits on the south side of the metro. Marietta Division of Child Support Services, at 590 Commerce Park Drive Southeast in Cobb County, is in the northwest suburbs. Each of those counties has two listings, so check the address on your paperwork before you go.

Fulton and DeKalb counties have offices too. East Point Division of Child Support Services is at 1526 East Forrest Avenue and lists 404-559-4196. Decatur Division of Child Support Services is at 2910 Miller Road in DeKalb County, with 229-430-3760 on file. The 229 area code belongs to southwest Georgia, so that number may connect you to a regional line rather than a desk in Decatur. Treat it as a starting point and confirm where to go.

Outside the metro, offices are fewer and farther apart. Albany Division of Child Support Services, at 200 West Oglethorpe Boulevard in Dougherty County, lists 229-430-4364 as its direct number. Augusta Division of Child Support Services, at 360 Bay Street, is in Richmond County. Athens Division of Child Support Services, in Clarke County, uses PO Box 6257 as its listed address. Americus, at 502 Lawson Drive, anchors the listings in southwest Georgia.

Several listings give only a PO box, including Athens, Columbus, Camilla, Clarkesville and Cuthbert. A PO box is for mailing documents, not for showing up. If you want face-to-face help, call and ask where in-person appointments take place.

Rural offices may cover several counties, so phone and mail are the norm for many families. Most of our listings show the toll-free number 877-423-4746, and most parents in smaller communities start there. Court hearings still happen at your county's superior court, so you may need to travel for those even if your caseworker is far away.

What to Bring to a Georgia DCSS Office

Gather paperwork before you call or visit. Caseworkers move faster when they have clear details about both parents and the child.

For yourself, bring a photo ID, proof of address and your Social Security number. For the child, bring a birth certificate and Social Security number. For the other parent, bring a full name, date of birth, last known address, employer and any Social Security number you have. Even partial details help DCSS search state and federal databases.

If a court order already exists, bring a copy along with payment records, such as bank statements or money order receipts. Divorce decrees, custody orders and paternity papers all matter. A parent who owes support should bring recent pay stubs and proof of any change in income, health or custody.

Hours and walk-in rules vary by office, and our listings do not record them. Call 877-423-4746 or the office's direct number first. Ask whether you need an appointment, how long a visit usually takes and whether a private waiting area is available. If you cannot travel, ask whether your caseworker can handle the matter by phone and mail.

If there is a history of family violence, tell the caseworker at your first contact. The program can flag a case so that your address is not shared with the other parent.

Georgia Law Behind Your Child Support Case

Georgia calculates child support under an income shares model set out in O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15. The formula combines both parents' gross incomes, applies a schedule based on the number of children, and divides the basic obligation in proportion to each parent's income. The court may adjust for health insurance, work-related child care and parenting time.

In most cases, a court issues the support order. DCSS prepares the case, locates the other parent, arranges genetic testing when paternity is in question and presents the facts to the judge. You may be asked to attend a hearing in the superior court of the county where the case is filed.

Most support is collected through income withholding, where the employer sends part of each paycheck to the state. The state then forwards the money to the receiving parent. Paying the other parent directly can leave you without an official record, so use DCSS payment channels whenever the agency manages your case.

When payments stop, DCSS has enforcement tools. These include tax refund intercepts, liens, credit reporting and the suspension of licenses. Serious cases can go before a judge on a contempt action.

Support generally continues until the child turns 18. It can extend while the child is still in high school, up to age 20, and an order may set different terms. Check your own order for the exact end date.

If your income drops or your child's needs change, ask for a review quickly. Georgia courts generally modify support only from the date a petition is filed, not backward in time. Fees and eligibility rules can change, so ask the office what applies when you apply rather than relying on old figures.

The child support program in Georgia is administered by the state's child support enforcement agency, which operates through a network of county-level offices that handle case intake, order establishment, payment processing, and enforcement across the state under the authority of Title IV-D of the Social Security Act.

Child Support Offices locations are available in 52 cities across Georgia. They are spread across 51 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Marietta, Jonesboro, Dallas, which serve as regional hubs for child support case processing and interstate enforcement coordination for cases involving parents in multiple states.

Non-custodial parents in Georgia who are current on their support obligation and experiencing a significant change in income — such as job loss or medical disability — may be eligible to request a formal modification review through the state child support agency without having to hire an attorney.

Child Support Offices by Counties

B
C
D
E
F
G
H
L
M
N
P
R
S
T
U
W

Custodial parents in Georgia who receive public assistance are automatically enrolled in child support services as a condition of TANF or Medicaid eligibility. Parents not receiving public assistance can still apply for child support services voluntarily and typically receive the same level of enforcement assistance at little or no cost.

Browse Child Support Offices by county across Georgia to find the nearest location.

Local Tips for Using Georgia's DCSS Offices

Treat the toll-free line and your nearest county office as a pair. Call 877-423-4746 to ask about your case or book an appointment, then visit the office your caseworker names.

Hall County has two listings, which is notable for a county outside metro Atlanta. In north Georgia, Dalton Division of Child Support Services is at 417 West Crawford Street, and Dahlonega is at 133 Tipton Drive. In middle Georgia, Dublin is at 904 Claxton Dairy Road. Conyers (997 Commerce Drive Southwest) and Covington (4129 Mill Street Northeast) are listed east of Atlanta.

Keep a folder with your case number, order, payment records and every letter. Tell DCSS when your address, phone, employer or custody arrangement changes. Missed mail is a common reason cases stall, particularly where an office lists only a PO box. Verify details before traveling, since addresses and hours can change.

Be cautious of anyone claiming to be DCSS who demands gift cards or wire transfers. Payments should go through official channels.

Georgia Child Support Questions Answered

Call DCSS at 877-423-4746, the toll-free number on most Georgia listings in our database, or visit an office that accepts applicants. You do not need a court order or a lawyer to start. Have the other parent's name, last known address, employer and Social Security number ready, plus your child's birth certificate and Social Security number. If an order already exists, bring a copy. Fees can change, so ask the intake worker what applies to you. After you apply, you receive a case number, which you should keep for every later call or letter.

Not for the support case itself, but know what DCSS lawyers do. Attorneys at the Division of Child Support Services represent the state's interest in establishing and enforcing support. They are not your personal attorney, and they cannot advise you on custody, visitation, divorce or property. For those issues, hire a private attorney or contact a legal aid group such as Georgia Legal Services Program or Atlanta Legal Aid Society. Tell your caseworker if another court case is open, because orders from different courts can overlap.

Georgia uses an income shares model under O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15. The court combines both parents' gross incomes, finds a basic obligation on a schedule based on that figure and the number of children, then divides it in proportion to each parent's share of income. Additions can cover work-related child care and the child's health insurance premiums. Parenting time can also affect the final number. A guideline calculator is available online, and DCSS caseworkers use the same worksheets. A judge approves the final figure and may deviate from the guideline if the order explains why.

DCSS has several enforcement tools. The most common is income withholding, which directs the employer to send part of each paycheck to the state. The agency can also intercept tax refunds, place liens, report arrears to credit bureaus and seek suspension of driver's or professional licenses. For long-running nonpayment, the case can go before a judge on a contempt action, and penalties can include jail. Tell your caseworker promptly if the other parent changes jobs, because a new employer needs a new withholding notice. Keep your own payment records as a backup.

Yes. Either parent can ask a court to change an order after a substantial change in income or circumstances, such as job loss, a significant raise, new needs for the child or a different parenting-time schedule. Act as soon as the change happens, because Georgia courts generally cannot reduce support that built up before a petition was filed. If DCSS manages your case, ask whether you qualify for a review and which documents to submit, such as pay stubs, tax returns and insurance costs. Until a judge signs a new order, the old amount stays due.

When parents are unmarried at a child's birth, the father is not automatically the legal father in Georgia. Parents can sign a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity, often at the hospital. If paternity is disputed, DCSS can arrange genetic testing and ask a court to establish it so a support order can follow. Legitimation is separate. A father who wants custody or visitation rights usually must file a legitimation petition in superior court, and DCSS does not file that for him. Either parent can ask the nearest DCSS office how to begin.