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Office of Child Support Services
Child support services
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What this program is
OCSS helps parents and guardians establish and collect child support, so children get the financial and medical support they need.
Who can get it
You qualify if you:
- Are a parent or guardian of a child under 21, and
- Are the child's primary caregiver
Not sure? Apply anyway OCSS will review your situation.
Heads up
- Your child can receive child support until age 21, even if the other parent isn't involved.
- Are you a custodial parent? Once you have a child support order from Family Court, OCSS collects and sends payments to you.
- Are you a noncustodial parent? OCSS provides help finding work or reducing your child support debt.
- What we do
- Establish child support orders. We can help you get a court order even if the other parent can't currently afford to pay.
- Collect child support. Most child support payments come from your paycheck automatically, but you can also pay anytime through the free ACCESS HRA app (no fees and easier than the NYS Child Support website).
- Help for noncustodial parents. Get connected with employment or debt relief programs if you're behind on child support payments.
- Help with related issues. OCSS doesn't handle custody or visitation but can refer you to mediation services and other help.
- If you're receiving cash assistance
- Missing appointments or ignoring child support notices can affect your benefits.
- Your Cash Assistance can be reduced by 25%
- You could lose Medicaid coverage
- You may lose eligibility for some rental assistance programs
- Don't ignore official notices. Call the number on your appointment notice if you need to reschedule.
- Modify your child support order
- Circumstances changed? Two ways to request a modification if your income, employment, or custody changes:
- Option 1: Family Court
- Request through the court directly.
- Option 2: MOTS (Modifying Orders through Stipulation)
- Uses the same guidelines as Family Court
- Both parents must agree
- Usually takes one court hearing to finalize
How to apply
Online
Complete the New York State Online Enrollment form (https://childsupport.ny.gov/enroll):
- Connect to your child support account if you already have one, or create one to get started
- A Child Support representative will contact you with next steps
In person
Submit a child support petition directly to Family Court:
- Download and complete the court petition (https://ww2.nycourts.gov/forms/familycourt/childsupport.shtml)
- File the petition at the Family Court in your borough
By mail
Download and complete the enrollment form (https://otda.ny.gov/programs/applications/5258.pdf).
Mail to:
Office of Child Support Services
PO Box 830
Canal Street Station
New York, NY 10013
Or email it to dcse.cseweb@dfa.state.ny.us
What to bring
Bring the following documents to your interview
- Completed application
- Childs birth certificate
- A recent photo of the other parent is helpful but not required
Get help
- Visit the Child Support Services (http://www1.nyc.gov/site/hra/help/child-support-services.page) website to learn more about available services.
- Visit an OCSS office (https://www1.nyc.gov/site/hra/locations/ocss-locations.page) in your borough or the OCSS Customer Service Walk-in Center to get help in person:
Customer Service Walk-in Center
151 West Broadway, 4th Floor (between Worth and Thomas Streets), New York, NY 10013
Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM (except holidays)
- For more information, call the Child Support Helpline at 888-208-4485 (or 866-875-9975 if you have trouble hearing).
- OCSS offices are open. However, due to the pandemic, OCSS encourages clients to email dcse.cseweb@dfa.state.ny.us to request a customer service phone appointment or get an email response.
- Please provide your name, Child Support case number, a description of your concern(s), phone number, and the best time to reach you. Write Requesting a Customer Service Appointment in the subject line of your email.
- For information on custody and visitation, visit the Family Court website (http://ww2.nycourts.gov/COURTS/nyc/family/faqs_custodyandvisitation.shtml).
Visit the Child Support Services website (https://www.nyc.gov/site/hra/help/child-support-services.page) to learn more about available services.
Visit the Family Court website (https://ww2.nycourts.gov/COURTS/nyc/family/faqs_custodyandvisitation.shtml) for information about custody and visitation.
Sign up for online information sessions (https://www.nyc.gov/assets/hra/downloads/pdf/services/child_support/ocss-training-institute-flyer-en.pdf) on important topics.
Visit the OCSS Customer Service Walk-in Center
151 West Broadway, 4th Floor
(between Worth and Thomas Streets)
New York, NY 10013
Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM (except holidays)
Visit a Family Court office (https://www1.nyc.gov/site/hra/locations/ocss-locations.page) in your borough.
Source and last updated
- Source
- NYC Benefits Platform (kvhd-5fmu) View dataset
- Agency
- NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA)
- Updated
- Source: May 6, 2026 · Synced August 18, 2026
How we verified this
Source record ID: P037en · N/A
WayMakr shows only what this source publishes. Program details are not attached to specific facility listings unless a relationship has been verified.