How Child Support Is Organized in New Jersey

New Jersey runs child support through a partnership between the courts and the state's human services system. The Family Part of the Superior Court sets and changes support orders. The county Probation Division then tracks payments and enforces the order when payments stop. Behind both sits the Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services, which administers the federally required Title IV-D program for families who apply for help.

One case can therefore touch several offices. You might apply at a county social services location, attend a hearing at your county courthouse, and make payments through a statewide payment center. A single toll-free number, 877-655-4371, is listed for every office in our directory. It is the best first call, wherever you live.

Our database holds 17 listings, and most are named Child Support & Social Service Office. The Hackensack Child Support & Social Service Office at 10 Main Street is in Bergen County. The Camden Child Support & Social Service Office at 101 South 5th Street is in Camden County. The Atlantic City Child Support & Social Service Office at 1201 Bacharach Boulevard is in Atlantic County. Each name tells you which county the office sits in, which helps you find the closest one.

Dense Northern Cities Versus the Shore and the Northwest

Where you live changes how the process feels. The northern metro counties handle heavy caseloads in crowded areas. Hudson County has two listings, both at 595 Newark Avenue in Jersey City. One is a general Child Support entry and the other is the Jersey City Child Support & Social Service Office. Two entries at one address are a good reason to call before you travel, so you know which counter handles your question.

Other northern listings include the Paterson Child Support & Social Service Office at 401 Grand Street and the Elizabeth Child Support & Social Service Office at 2 Elizabethtown Plaza in Union County. Paterson and Elizabeth are both reachable by NJ Transit buses, and Elizabeth also has a rail station. The Newton Child Support & Social Service Office at 43-47 High Street in Sussex County is a different story. Sussex County is largely car-dependent, so plan for driving and parking.

Several listings give only a PO Box instead of a street address:

A PO Box is for mail, not for walk-in visits. Send documents there if you are told to, but phone first to learn where to go in person. This matters most in rural Warren, Hunterdon and Salem counties, where the nearest staffed counter may be a long drive away.

In the south, the Woodbury Child Support & Social Service Office at 70 Hunter Street serves Gloucester County residents. The Cape May Courthouse Child Support & Social Service Office at 4 Moore Road is listed under Middle, the township where the Cape May County seat is located. Summer traffic on Shore routes can slow a trip noticeably, so go early in the day or outside peak beach weekends.

What to Bring and When to Go in New Jersey

Preparation saves more time than anything else. Staff can only act on information they can verify, and missing details are the most common reason an application stalls. Gather these items before you visit or call:

Weekday mornings are usually quieter than lunch hours and Fridays. The first and last days of the month tend to be busy because benefits and bills cluster there. If you can resolve a question by phone, do that first. If you must visit, bring copies, not originals, of anything you cannot replace.

Finding the other parent is often the hardest step. Even a partial address, a former employer, or a relative's name can help the state locate someone through its wage and tax databases. Write down what you know before you call.

New Jersey Rules That Shape Your Case

New Jersey sets support amounts using the Child Support Guidelines, found in Court Rule 5:6A. The formula looks at both parents' incomes, the number of children, parenting time, and certain child-related costs such as health insurance and child care. A judge can depart from the guidelines, but must explain why in writing.

Most orders are paid by income withholding. The employer takes support from each paycheck and sends it to the state, which then pays the other parent. This creates a clear payment record, which is useful if a dispute arises later. Paying the other parent directly in cash can leave you without proof.

Support does not end automatically on a birthday. New Jersey presumes a child is emancipated at 19, but the presumption can be challenged, for example when a child is still in school or has a disability. Do not stop paying until a court order says you can. Unpaid amounts continue to count as arrears.

If payments stop, enforcement tools include:

Changing an order requires a court filing. Generally, a court will not reduce support for months before you filed, so act quickly after a job loss or major income change. Unmarried parents can establish paternity through a voluntary acknowledgment, often signed at the hospital, or through genetic testing ordered by the court.

The next step is simple. Call 877-655-4371, tell them your county, and ask which office or probation unit holds your case. Then confirm the address, hours, and documents before you go.

The child support program in New Jersey 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 16 cities across New Jersey. They are spread across 16 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Jersey, Elizabeth, Newton, 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 New Jersey 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

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Custodial parents in New Jersey 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 New Jersey to find the nearest location.

Using Child Support Services Across New Jersey's 21 Counties

New Jersey has 21 counties, and the courts group them into vicinages for Superior Court operations. Your case is tied to the county where the order was entered or where you live, which determines the courthouse and Probation unit involved. The social service offices in our directory are a way to start. They are not always the place where your hearing will happen.

If you live near the Shore, the Cape May County listing at 4 Moore Road is the one to check. In central New Jersey, the New Brunswick Child Support & Social Service Office serves Middlesex County, though it lists a PO Box, so mail is the likely route for paperwork.

Keep a folder with every notice, court order, and payment record. Write down the date, the person you spoke with, and what was said each time you call. If your address or job changes, report it promptly, because missed notices can lead to default orders. Free help is also available from Legal Services of New Jersey, which operates a statewide hotline for low-income residents.

Child Support Questions Asked in New Jersey

You can start by calling the statewide hotline at 877-655-4371 or by contacting the county office nearest you. You will be asked for your identification, your child's birth certificate and Social Security number, and as much information as you have about the other parent. If no order exists, the case goes to the Family Part of the Superior Court, where support is set. If an order already exists, the Probation Division handles tracking and enforcement. Applying early matters because support usually begins from the filing date, not from the date of separation.

New Jersey routes child support inquiries through one statewide line, 877-655-4371, which is also written as 877-NJ-KIDS1. Every office in our directory lists that number rather than a separate local line. When you call, state your county and case type so the representative can direct you properly. If you need an in-person visit, ask for the exact address, the hours, and whether an appointment is required. Do this before you travel, especially for locations that list only a PO Box, such as Belvidere, Flemington, or Freehold.

Most payments are taken directly from the paying parent's wages through income withholding. The employer sends the money to the state's central payment system, which records it and forwards it to the receiving parent. This gives both sides an official history. If you are self-employed or between jobs, ask the Probation Division how to pay by other approved methods. Avoid handing over cash or sending money directly to the other parent, because those payments may not be credited if a dispute reaches court.

New Jersey presumes that a child is emancipated at age 19, but support does not stop on its own. Either parent may need to ask the court to end it, and a court can extend support if the child is still in high school, attends college, or has a disability. Many families disagree about college costs, and judges look at the child's needs and each parent's finances. Never stop paying just because your child turned 19. Wait for a written order, or arrears may keep building.

Yes, but only through the court. You must file a request showing a real change in circumstances, such as job loss, a serious illness, or a major change in the child's needs. The judge will not usually reduce support for months before your filing date, so delay can be costly. Collect proof such as termination letters, unemployment records, and medical bills. Until the judge rules, the current order remains in force, and missed payments are still recorded as arrears.

Interstate cases are handled under the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, which every state has adopted. New Jersey can send the case to the other parent's state for enforcement, so you do not have to travel there. For nonpayment, the state can seize tax refunds, place liens, levy bank accounts, suspend licenses, and report arrears to credit bureaus. A court can also hold an enforcement hearing. Keep your own record of payments received so you can correct any errors you see in the account.