Arizona Child Support Office
Updated August 2026
Arizona's Division of Child Support Services (DCSS), part of the Department of Economic Security (DES), runs child support statewide through its AZCARES case system.
Phone
602-252-4045Official Website
Official Site ↗Mailing Address
Department of Economic Security – Division of Child Support Services
P.O. Box 40458
Phoenix, AZ 85067
Case Account
Manage Your Case ↗Payments
Make a Payment ↗About the Department of Economic Security – Division of Child Support Services
DCSS is Arizona's IV-D agency, administered statewide through DES rather than by county. It locates noncustodial parents, establishes paternity and support orders, and collects and enforces payments once a case is open.
Case management runs through the AZCARES online portal, which replaced older paper-based processes and lets both parents track a case, view payment history, and update information without visiting an office.
Arizona uses the Income Shares model to calculate support. See how this compares to other states →
Arizona's default child support termination age is 18. See the full rules, including high school and disability extensions →
Circumstances change — see how to request a modification in Arizona →
How to Apply for Child Support in Arizona
A parent or caretaker of a child can apply for DCSS services through the AZCARES portal. Families already receiving TANF or Medicaid in Arizona are typically referred for services automatically.
The application asks for identifying information for both parents and the child, along with any existing custody or support documentation. If paternity hasn't been established, DCSS handles that before a support order can be set through the courts or Arizona's administrative process.
How to Collect Child Support Payments in Arizona
Arizona collects most support through income withholding once an order is active, with payments processed through the state's payment gateway and disbursed to the receiving parent by direct deposit or debit card.
Parents can log in to AZCARES to check payment history and case status at any time, and payments can also be made online through the state's official payment gateway for parents not on standard wage withholding.
Missed Payments & Enforcement
When a parent falls behind, DCSS can intercept state and federal tax refunds, suspend licenses, and report the debt to credit bureaus.
As in every state, federal law allows a passport to be denied or revoked once past-due support exceeds $2,500. DCSS's site also includes a page for reporting suspected fraud tied to a case.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for Arizona child support services? +
Through the AZCARES online portal at mychildsupport.azdes.gov. Families already receiving TANF or Medicaid in Arizona are typically referred for services automatically.
Does Arizona child support work through counties? +
No. DCSS is a state-run division of the Department of Economic Security, with case management handled centrally through the AZCARES online system rather than county offices.
How do I make a payment if I don’t have wage withholding set up? +
You can pay directly through Arizona's official online payment gateway. Once income withholding is in place with an employer, that becomes the standard collection method going forward.
Helpful Resources
Calculator & Guidelines
See how Arizona calculates the current amount, and how it compares to other states.
Learn more →When Support Ends
Arizona's default termination age, plus how high school, disability, or college can extend it.
Learn more →Modify an Order
What counts as a substantial change and how to request a modification in Arizona.
Learn more →Interstate Cases
How UIFSA determines jurisdiction when the other parent lives outside Arizona.
Learn more →This page is your Arizona starting point
Contact information above covers what the Department of Economic Security – Division of Child Support Services handles directly, but the guideline model, termination age, and modification rules that decide your amount live on the dedicated pages linked here. And if the other parent lives outside Arizona, interstate rules — not Arizona's own procedures — determine which state has authority.
Nearby State Child Support Offices
Rules, portals, and enforcement tools change at the state line. If a case involves parents in more than one state, start with each state's own office — interstate cases are handled through direct cooperation between the agencies involved.