How to Get Florida to Enforce Child Support

Florida handles child support services through the Department of Revenue. If your child's other parent defies the child support payment order, apply for services through the Department of Revenue and ask them to locate the parent and enforce the order. Florida Child Support Services may enforce child support orders through both civil and criminal sanctions against the parent.

Instructions

1

Open a case with the Florida Department of Revenue. Apply online for Child Support Services through the Department of Revenue. You can fill out the application online before printing it, or download it and print it to fill out by hand.

2

Elect full service by checking the appropriate box on the cover sheet. Full service gives the Florida Department of Revenue permission to take measures to enforce child support orders as well as locate your child's other parent. List the names of your children on this sheet as well as the other parent's name. Sign and date the form. Provide a current telephone number so that the Florida Department of Revenue can get in touch with you if it has any questions regarding your application.

3

Provide information about yourself on the first page of the application. If you need the Florida Child Support Office to keep your location confidential, check the gray box on the front of the application.

4

Fill out a Parent Information Form. Provide as much information as you know about the child's other parent. If you are the child's guardian but not his parent -- such as a grandparent who has custody -- fill out a separate Parent Information Form for each of the child's parents.You can download extra blank Parent Information Forms from the Department of Revenue site, or print out extra sheets from Adobe Reader before filling out the application by hand.

5

Provide information about your child such as his name, address and date of birth on the Child Information Form. Fill out a separate Child Information Form for each child who is supposed to get support. Indicate that there is already a support order for the child by checking the appropriate box, and do not fill out the rest of the form below the space where it asks if there is a support order. If you have more than one child, fill out a separate Child Information Sheet for each child.

6

Print the application if you filled it out on the computer. Attach a copy of the court order regarding child support, any orders regarding paternity and a copy of the child's birth certificate. Mail form and attachments to the Child Support Office in the county where the other parent lives. If you do not know where the other parent lives, mail the package to the Florida Department of Revenue.

7

Check your mailbox and voicemail for a telephone or written response from the Child Support Office. If the Child Support Office asks you for more information, provide the required information as quickly s possible to expedite the handling of your case.

8

Wait for the Florida Child Support Office to enter the child support order and locate the other parent. Florida does not have a specific time frame for responding to enforcement requests, but the Child Support Office will contact you when it locates the other parent and inform you of what actions it is taking to enforce the child support order. The Child Support Office may garnish the other parent's wages, seize his tax refunds, suspend his driver's license or pursue criminal charges against him.

9

Obtain a payment options form once the Child Support Office enters an order for child support. You can get this form online if the Child Support Office does not send it to you. You may get paid via a special debit card or through direct deposit to your bank account. If you want direct deposit, provide your banking information on the form.

10

Send the payment options form to the Florida Distribution Unit. If you elect to use the debit card, you will receive the card in the mail. You will receive child support payments on the card or in your bank account once a month after the Florida Child Support Office locates the other parent and enforces the payment order.