West Virginia Child Support Office

BCSE is West Virginia's IV-D agency, run as a single statewide bureau rather than through independent county agencies. It locates noncustodial parents, establishes paternity, sets support orders, and collects and enforces payments once a case is active.

Parents can check case and payment information using a Social Security number and PIN through the state's Support Payment Information system, without needing to create a separate account.

A parent or caretaker of a child can apply for West Virginia child support services by contacting BCSE's Customer Service Unit. Families already receiving WV WORKS (West Virginia's TANF program) or Medicaid are typically referred for services automatically.

The application requires identifying information for both parents and the child, along with any existing custody or support paperwork. BCSE then works to establish paternity if needed and get a support order in place.

West Virginia collects most support through income withholding once an order is active, disbursed to the receiving parent by direct deposit or debit card.

Payments can be made online through the SMART West Virginia Child Support Payment Center, or mailed to a separate P.O. Box from the Charleston office.

BCSE can intercept tax refunds, suspend licenses, and report arrears to credit bureaus when a parent falls behind on payments.

As in every state, federal law allows a passport to be denied or revoked once past-due support exceeds $2,500.