Child support in Texas is run by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), not by a county agency. The OAG Child Support Division is the state's Title IV-D agency. That means it carries out the federal child support program under Chapter 231 of the Texas Family Code. Its field offices appear in our database as Child Support & Social Service Offices, and they are where parents meet staff, sign paperwork and ask about a case.

This page explains how those offices fit together, how services differ between big cities and small towns, and how to prepare so one visit gets the job done.

Who Runs Child Support Services in Texas

The Attorney General's Child Support Division handles the full life of a case. Its staff locate absent parents, establish paternity, request court orders, collect payments and enforce orders that go unpaid. Any parent or caregiver can apply, whether you receive the support or owe it. Families that receive certain public benefits, such as TANF or Medicaid for a child, are usually referred to the OAG automatically.

One point surprises many people: the OAG represents the State of Texas, not either parent. Its attorneys cannot give you personal legal advice or act as your private lawyer. They can, however, file the case, schedule hearings and use state enforcement tools at no cost to you in most situations. If you want advice on custody or visitation, you need a private attorney or a legal aid group.

Payments move through the Texas Child Support State Disbursement Unit. In most cases the paying parent's employer withholds support from each paycheck and sends it to the state, which then forwards it to the receiving parent. The receiving parent can get it by direct deposit or a debit card. This system keeps a payment record that either parent can review, which matters if a dispute ever reaches court.

Child Support Offices in Texas: Metro, Border and Rural Differences

Texas is large, and the experience of reaching an office depends heavily on where you live. The biggest concentration is in the metro areas. The San Antonio Child Support & Social Service Office at 3227 Southwest Military Drive serves families in Bexar County, which has more listings than any other county in our database. In North Texas, the Dallas Child Support & Social Service Office at 600 Commerce Street, reachable at 214-653-7584, covers Dallas County.

Across Tarrant County, you have a choice of locations. The Ft. Worth Child Support & Social Service Office is at 2001 Beach Street, and the Arlington Child Support & Social Service Office is at 1400 Hillcrest Drive, phone 817-277-9805. Farther north, the Plano Child Support & Social Service Office at 830 Central Parkway East serves Collin County residents. Having several offices in one metro area usually means shorter drives, though it does not mean walk-in service is always available.

Gulf Coast and Houston Area

Southeast Texas has offices in Jefferson County: the Beaumont Child Support & Social Service Office at 1110 Calder Avenue and the Nederland Child Support & Social Service Office at 2300 Highway 365. Near Houston, the Conroe office at 5452 Old Highway 105 West serves Montgomery County. The Missouri City office at 2440 Texas Parkway serves Fort Bend County. The La Marque Child Support & Social Service Office is listed at 5300 Fm 2004 in Santa Fe, in Galveston County.

Rio Grande Valley

The Valley has its own cluster. The Brownsville Child Support & Social Service Office at 1900 North Expressway serves Cameron County. In Hidalgo County, you will find the Edinburg office at 2510 South Veterans Boulevard and the Weslaco office at 1508 East Business 83. Many Valley families speak Spanish at home, so ask for Spanish-language help when you call. Cases here also often involve a parent who lives in Mexico, which adds steps for locating the parent and serving papers.

West, North and East Texas Towns

Smaller cities often host the only office for a wide area. The Abilene Child Support & Social Service Office at 3444 North 1st Street serves Taylor County and nearby counties, and you can reach it at 325-672-4480. San Angelo has an office at 622 South Oakes Street, and Wichita Falls has one at 813 8th Street. Paris is at 2625 South Church Street, and Nacogdoches, in Nacogdoches County, is at 2015 Stallings Drive North. Bryan's office at 4001 East 29th Street serves Brazos County. Victoria is at 2208 Leary Lane, and Jourdanton, in Atascosa County, is at 121 Bmt Drive.

If you live in a rural county without its own office, you may face a long drive. In that case, do most of the work by phone, mail or the OAG's online services, and save the trip for hearings or signing documents.

What to Bring and What to Expect at a Texas Child Support Office

Staff can only move your case forward if they have accurate information about the other parent. The more detail you bring, the faster they can locate that person and start income withholding. Gather these items before you go or call:

Expect a staff member to review your file, explain the next step and tell you what the OAG will file with the court. Do not expect an immediate decision. Support orders are signed by a judge, and the timeline depends on locating the other parent, serving notice and the court's calendar.

Hours and appointment rules vary by location and change over time. Call first, and ask whether you need an appointment. The Ft. Worth listing carries 800-252-8014, which is also the OAG's statewide child support line, so you can use it if a local number does not connect.

Texas Rules That Shape Your Child Support Case

Texas uses a percentage-of-income formula in Chapter 154 of the Family Code. A court applies a set share of the paying parent's monthly net resources: 20 percent for one child, 25 percent for two, 30 percent for three, 35 percent for four and 40 percent for five. A judge can depart from the guideline amount when the facts justify it, but the guideline is the starting point.

Enforcement is strong. The OAG can order income withholding, place liens, intercept tax refunds, report debt to credit bureaus, suspend certain state licenses and ask a court for contempt. Medical support is part of nearly every order, so a parent may owe health insurance as well as cash support.

Paternity matters when parents are unmarried. Both parents can sign an Acknowledgment of Paternity, often at the hospital after birth. If there is a dispute, the OAG can arrange genetic testing and ask a court to establish legal fatherhood. Without it, a father generally has no enforceable support order or court-ordered access.

Practical Steps Before You Go

Start by confirming which office handles your county, then call to verify the address and hours. Write a short timeline of your situation, with dates of separation, last payment and any moves. Ask for your case number at the end of every contact, and keep copies of everything you sign. If your income or your child's needs change significantly, ask the office about a review rather than simply stopping or adjusting payments yourself. Only a court order can change what is owed in Texas.

The child support program in Texas 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 21 cities across Texas. They are spread across 18 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth, 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 Texas 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 Texas 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 Texas to find the nearest location.

Using Texas Child Support Offices Across County Lines

A Texas child support case does not belong to one building. If you move from Houston to Bryan, or from Dallas to Abilene, your case stays with the OAG and can be handled by whichever office is closest. The local office becomes your contact point, while the statewide records stay the same. That is useful in a state where families often relocate for work in oil and gas, agriculture, the military or the Valley's border economy.

When the other parent lives in another state, the OAG works with that state's child support agency under the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act. Your Texas office is still where you ask for updates. Counties such as Montgomery County, Fort Bend County and Nacogdoches County each have a local office, but any Texas parent can still start a case by phone or online.

Child Support Questions Texans Ask

The Child Support Division of the Texas Office of the Attorney General administers the state program. Parents can apply for services whether they receive or owe support, and applying is generally free. Federal rules allow a small annual fee in certain cases where a family never received public assistance and collections pass a set threshold, so ask staff how that applies to you. The OAG represents the State of Texas, not either parent, so it cannot act as your personal attorney in custody or visitation disputes.

Texas uses guidelines in Chapter 154 of the Family Code. The court applies a percentage to the paying parent's monthly net resources: 20 percent for one child, 25 percent for two, 30 percent for three, 35 percent for four and 40 percent for five. Net resources include wages and other income after certain deductions. A judge may order a different amount if the facts support it. Because every case differs, bring pay stubs and expense records so the office can prepare the right figures for the court.

Policies change, so call before you travel. The Dallas Child Support & Social Service Office at 600 Commerce Street lists 214-653-7584, and the San Antonio Child Support & Social Service Office is at 3227 Southwest Military Drive. Many routine tasks, such as checking payment history or updating an address, can be done by phone or online without a visit. If you do go in person, bring photo identification, your case number and any court papers. Arriving prepared reduces the chance of a second trip.

If both parents agree, they can sign an Acknowledgment of Paternity, commonly offered at the hospital when a baby is born. If the father is unsure or disputes parentage, the OAG can arrange genetic testing and ask a court to establish paternity. Once paternity is legally established, the court can order child support, medical support and, through a separate suit, conservatorship and possession. Until then, the father has no enforceable duty or rights regarding the child, so resolving this step early prevents delays later.

The OAG has several tools. It can order income withholding from an employer, place liens on property, intercept federal tax refunds, report arrears to credit bureaus, and seek suspension of certain licenses. It can also ask a court to hold the parent in contempt, which may lead to fines or jail time. Tell your local office as soon as payments stop, and give any new employer or address you know. Quick information helps staff act before the missed amount grows.

Under Texas law, support generally continues until the child turns 18 or finishes high school, whichever happens later, with limits set by statute. It can continue longer for an adult child with a disability who needs substantial care. Support also ends if the child marries, dies or is otherwise emancipated. Unpaid amounts do not disappear when the order ends. Past-due support, called arrears, remains owed and the state can keep collecting it. Check your order's wording and ask your office to confirm the end date.

Yes, but only through the court or an approved administrative process, not by agreement alone. Texas law generally allows modification when circumstances have materially and substantially changed, or when three years have passed and the current amount differs from the guideline amount by a set margin. If you already have an OAG case, ask your local office about a review. If it is a private case, you may need to file a motion with a family court. Until a judge signs a new order, the old amount stays due.