Child Support

The Child Support Unit, under a cooperative agreement with the Department of Social Services, Family Support Division:

  • Enforces child support orders
  • Establishes paternity, child support, and medical support orders
  • Seeks reimbursement of public assistance benefits paid by the State of Missouri

Child support services are provided by the Family Support Division without cost to all Missouri residents, and are provided automatically to custodial parents who receive particular kinds of public assistance benefits.

The Family Support Division is the initial agency for handling all cases. Only when the Family Support Division is unable to adequately resolve a child support matter is the case referred to the appropriate prosecuting attorney's office.

The Child Support Unit of the Prosecuting Attorney's Office only works cases referred by the Family Support Division. This office has no authority to act without a proper case referral.

Contact Information

A custodial parent who lives in Missouri and desires child support services should contact the Family Support Division Office in the county where he/she resides. The Family Support Division Office for St. Charles County may be reached by calling 636-940-3100 or visiting 3737 Harry S Truman Blvd., St. Charles, MO 63301. View a map.

Nonresident custodial parents may also request services by contacting the Family Support Division main headquarters in Jefferson City, Missouri.

  • Child Support Customer Service Call Center: 866-313-9960
  • Child Support General Information: 800-859-7999
  • Child Support Payment Information (Missouri Automated Child Support System (MACSS) - case number required): 800-225-0530
  • Employer Information: 800-585-9234
  1. Enforcing Orders
  2. Establishing Orders
  3. Seeking Reimbursement

Enforcement of child support orders may be by criminal or civil process, and non-custodial parents may be pursued both in- and out-of-state. Upon receiving a referral for enforcement, this office mails an enforcement questionnaire (PDF) to the custodial parent, which must be completed and returned.

Criminal Enforcement

In the State of Missouri, it is a crime for a parent to knowingly fail to provide, without good cause, adequate support, which such parent is legally obligated to provide for his or her child or stepchild who is not otherwise emancipated by operation of law. View the statute.

Charges
This crime, known as "criminal nonsupport," may be charged as a Class A misdemeanor or a Class D felony, depending on the circumstances of the case. Every criminal nonsupport case is individually reviewed and assessed by a prosecutor to determine the most appropriate charge or charges to be filed.

The maximum sentence for a Class A misdemeanor is 1 year in the county jail and a $1,000 fine. The maximum sentence for a Class D felony is 4 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections and a $5,000 fine.

If a child support prosecutor determines criminal charges are appropriate, the custodial parent will receive additional information or documents from this office, some of which may require the custodial parent's signature. The custodial parent's participation in court hearings, depositions, or a trial is often required.

Civil Enforcement

Under limited circumstances, this office pursues enforcement of child support orders via civil contempt actions. Civil contempt is not a statutory remedy for enforcing a child support order.

If a child support prosecutor determines civil contempt proceedings are appropriate, the custodial parent will receive additional information or documents from this office, some of which may require the custodial parent's signature. The custodial parent's participation in court hearings may be required.