How Do I Collect Unpaid Child Support in Washington?

When the other parent stops paying, the money owed to your child does not vanish, and Washington gives you real tools to collect it. Knowing which remedies exist, and who can help you use them, is the first step toward getting the support your child is owed.

The Debt Does Not Expire on Its Own

Start with the reassuring reality. A Washington support order stays enforceable for a long time. Under RCW 26.18.050, the superior court keeps continuing jurisdiction over a support case even after a contempt proceeding, so the obligation to pay does not lapse while enforcement is pending. Past-due support, known as arrears, remains a collectible obligation, and the passage of time alone does not wipe it out. That gives you room to pursue collection even if the other parent has been behind for a while.

Wage Withholding: The Most Common Remedy

The single most effective collection tool in Washington is taking support directly from the paying parent's paycheck. There are two routes to it.

The first is a mandatory wage assignment obtained through the court. Under RCW 26.18.070, a parent owed support may petition or move for a mandatory wage assignment when the paying parent is subject to a support order that allows immediate income withholding, or is more than 15 days past due in an amount equal to or greater than one month's obligation. The petition must include a sworn statement laying out the facts, a description of the order, the amount past due, and the paying parent's employer, and in most cases notice must have gone to the paying parent at least 15 days in advance.

The second, and often faster, route runs through the state. Washington's Division of Child Support, part of the Department of Social and Health Services and operating under chapter 26.23 RCW, can issue its own income withholding order. RCW 26.23.060 authorizes the Division to issue an income withholding order when the support order contains a notice that support may be collected by withholding, or after service of a notice with an income-withholding provision. Once that order is served on an employer, RCW 26.23.060(3) requires the employer to immediately begin a mandatory payroll deduction, and RCW 26.23.060(7) directs the employer to remit the withheld amounts to the Washington State Support Registry within seven working days of payday. A support withholding order also jumps the line: RCW 26.23.060(4) gives it priority over any other wage assignment, garnishment, or attachment. There is a limit, though. The deduction cannot exceed 50 percent of the parent's disposable earnings under RCW 26.23.060(3)(a).

License Suspension for Parents Who Fall Far Behind

Washington backs up its support orders with a powerful pressure point: the ability to suspend licenses. Under RCW 74.20A.320, the Division of Child Support may notify a parent that it intends to certify them to the Department of Licensing and other licensing entities as not in compliance with a support order. If the parent does not respond within the statutory window by paying, requesting a hearing, agreeing to a payment schedule, or filing to modify the order, the licensing entities may suspend or refuse to renew the parent's licenses. That reach extends to driver's licenses, professional and occupational licenses, and fishing and hunting licenses under chapter 77.32 RCW. For many parents, the prospect of losing a driver's license or a professional credential is a strong motivator to resolve arrears.

Contempt: Bringing the Court's Authority to Bear

When a parent simply refuses to pay, contempt is available. RCW 26.18.050 allows a party or the state to initiate a contempt action when an obligor fails to comply with a support order. The court may issue an order to show cause requiring the parent to appear and explain the nonpayment, and if the show-cause order warned of it, the court may issue a bench warrant when the parent fails to appear. Importantly, RCW 26.18.050(4) shifts the burden: a parent who claims an inability to pay must establish that he or she exercised due diligence in seeking employment, conserving assets, or otherwise becoming able to comply. That standard makes it hard for a parent to hide behind a claim of poverty while making no effort to pay.

Working With the Division of Child Support

For many Snohomish County parents, the practical starting point is opening a case with the Division of Child Support. Because the Division operates under chapter 26.23 RCW and can issue income withholding orders under RCW 26.23.060 and pursue license actions under RCW 74.20A.320, it can carry much of the collection burden on your behalf. The state also participates in tax refund interception and other administrative remedies through its broader enforcement authority, though the specific mechanics of federal tax offset are governed by federal program rules rather than a single Washington statute, so it is best to confirm the current process with the Division or your attorney rather than assume a fixed procedure. What is clear in Washington statute is the combination of court-based wage assignment, Division income withholding, license suspension, and contempt, and those alone give a determined parent substantial leverage.

Choosing the Right Tool

Collection is rarely one-size-fits-all. A parent with a steady employer is a natural fit for wage withholding, while a self-employed or evasive parent may call for contempt or license action. Layering remedies is often the most effective approach, and sequencing them correctly matters.

If your child is owed support that is not being paid, you do not have to figure out the enforcement maze alone. The Law Office of Chad Foster helps Snohomish County parents choose and pursue the right collection remedies, from wage assignments to contempt. Reach out to talk through what the other parent owes and how to start recovering it.