The Income Withholding Order for Support is served to employers either as a hard copy or electronically. To receive the form electronically, register for the Electronic Income Withholding (e-IWO) process. To learn more about e-IWOs, see the e-IWO FAQs on this page or download the e-IWO Factsheet.

Read it carefully and follow its instructions. You may need to send a copy to the California State Disbursement Unit (physical address, fax, & email below), if your IWO was issued by an attorney or other private party.

                    CA State Disbursement Unit (SDU)
                    PO Box 980218
                    West Sacramento, CA 95798-0218

                    By fax: Attention Outreach at 1-888-587-5471

                    By e-mail: casdu-electronichelpdesk@dcss.ca.gov

You do not need to send a copy if your IWO came from any of the following:

• The California Department of Child Support Services
• A county child support office in California
• Another state’s child support agency

This document provides the necessary information that enables the California State Disbursement Unit (SDU) to open a case and ensure payments are processed accurately. All states are under a federal mandate to create a single, statewide case registry of all child support orders and to centralize payment processing. The SDU is that single entity for child support cases in California.

No. You only need to send a copy when there is a change or you receive a new Income Withholding for Support from an attorney or other private party.

Yes. The Income Withholding for Support is a federally required form and is used in all support cases in all states. The signature of a judicial officer is not required when the order is sent by a child support agency. If the order is not from an agency you should still consider it valid and send a copy to the California State Disbursement Unit (SDU). 

No.  An IWO is issued whenever a child support case is established and the parent with higher earnings or less custody is employed. It is rare for a parent who is employed to be allowed to pay through other means. Employers should not use an Income Withholding for Support as grounds for refusing to hire a person or for taking disciplinary action against an employee, and you could face civil penalties if you do.

Yes. You must comply with income withholding orders from other states. Instructions on the income withholding order will specify where to mail the payment. Please do not send payments ordered by other states to the California State Disbursement Unit.

Call California Child Support at 1-866-901-3212 to find out if there is an error in the number or name, or if this could be a case of mistaken identity.

Cases managed by child support agencies in any state are called “4-D” cases, referring to Title IV-D of the Federal Social Security Act, the law that created Child Support Services agencies. These Income Withholding Orders are issued by the child support agency and do not require a judge’s signature.

California law requires that you only withhold up to 50% of your employee’s net disposable earning each month (this withholding limit varies from state to state). If your employee voluntarily agrees to pay more, he or she should first contact the court or if they have an open case with a local child support agency, that office will work with the employee to make arrangements to pay more.

Except when an IRS tax lien was served prior to the date the child support order was entered, federal and state laws require child support withholding to take priority over all other income attachments. You must withhold the required amount as long as the amount does not exceed 50% of the employee’s net disposable earnings. An Order/Notice for child support has priority against any attachment, execution or other assignment.

No, an IWO form must be used for IWO termination.

• Eliminates receiving IWOs by mail
• Reduces phone calls from child support staff
• Increases accuracy and reliability of data
• Saves time, money and resources at no cost to employers

Yes. Employers can use e-IWO to submit notification of employee terminations and lump sum payments electronically.

There are three options available:

• e-IWO Online: The e-IWO Online is best suited for smaller employers that do not have an internal server, or IT resources. Once registered, the e-IWO will be available for employers to download from the federal Office of Child Support Services Child Support Portal. The e-IWOs must be downloaded and acknowledged by the employer within 3 business days. The estimated implementation of e-IWO Online is 5 to 15 business days.
• No Programing Option: The No-Programming Option is also available for smaller employers, but it requires IT resources for configuring of server and directories. Employers will receive a PDF or Excel document to acknowledge or reject the Income Withholding Order. The format you choose will determine how your company exchanges information with the Child Support Enforcement computer program. The estimated implementation of the No Programming Option is 2 to 4 weeks.
• System-to-System Interface: The System-to-System Interface Option is suited for employers that receive a high volume of IWOs and have the technological resources to support connectivity. Employers process the electronic records and make the appropriate updates to the payroll system based on the IWO. This option is customized based on your company’s needs and software capabilities. This option is recommended for midsize companies and large size corporations with IT resources that can commit to several months of programming. The estimated implementation of the System-to-System Interface is 3 to 5 months.

If your company has limited resources, e-IWO Online is the best choice. With e-IWO Online, employers can register on the federal Office of Child Support Services (OCSS), Child Support Portal as a new user. Employers will begin receiving the e-IWO in 5-15 business days. To register as a New User and enroll in e-IWO Online, visit the OCSS Child Support Portal.

Visit the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement’s webpage for e-IWO or send an email to eiwomail@acf.hhs.gov

• First, to current support, family support and/or spousal support
• Second, to current monthly health premiums and/or other current medical support
• Third, to payment of ordered support arrears
• Lastly, to any remaining ordered amounts

No. If you cannot send electronic payments, all of your California child support withholdings can be included in a single check. You must include the following information with the payment:

• Employees’ full names
• Employees’ social security numbers
• Court order/case numbers
• Case numbers (as provided by the SDU)
• Amount withheld from each employee
• Date withheld

Federal and state laws require child support withholding to take priority over all other income attachments, except IRS tax liens served before the child support order was filed. You must withhold the required amount as long as the amount does not exceed 50% of the employee’s net earnings.

Call 1-866-901-3212, option 1, and talk with a customer service agent who will provide further instructions. Business hours are from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM Pacific time, Monday to Friday. Be sure to have all pertinent payment information available at the time of the call, including check number, dollar amount, and employee case or participant number.

If you paid through ExpertPay, please call ExpertPay directly at 1-800-403-0879

If you need to place a stop payment request, please contact the State Disbursement Unit prior to contacting your bank, and follow the instructions below:

• Complete the Employer Stop Payment Request
  • Request accessible version
• Submit the form using one of the two options:
  • Call the State Disbursement Unit at (866) 901-3212, Monday-Friday 8:00-5:00 p.m. PST.
  • Submit the form electronically by selecting the “Submit” button on your completed form. When you click “Submit,” you will need to select which email source you would like to use. Then, the document will automatically appear in an e-mail as an attachment. Click send in the email and you will receive an automatic reply by e-mail confirming receipt.

There is no need to keep track of multiple addresses for child support agencies. The chance of lost payments is minimized, and postage costs are reduced with electronic payments.

Multiple payments (payments for more than one employee) can be combined into a single transaction.

For assistance, contact the SDU Customer Help Desk at 1-866-901-3212 option 1.

You can make a payment through ExpertPay. Go to ExpertPay.com or call 1-800-403-0879 for more information.

If you pay your tax or employment obligations to the California Franchise Tax Board or the Employment Development Department by Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT), then by law, you must also remit child support income withholding payments to the SDU by EFT.

Detailed information on ACH credit electronic child support payments can be found in the California State Disbursement Unit EFT Employer Information Guide.

For IV-D cases, correspondence should be sent to the Local Child Support Agency case worker. For Non IV-D cases, correspondence should be sent to whoever is listed in the “Contact Information” section of the IWO you received.

A letter will be sent from California Child Support Services to the Person Ordered to Receive Support, notifying them of the change and explaining that all child support income withholding payments must be sent to the SDU for disbursement.

Payments formerly sent directly to the Person Ordered to Receive Support will need a case number to ensure prompt and accurate processing. To obtain a case number, call the SDU at 1-866-901-3212. The case number must accompany all future payments.

No. You should send all income withholding child support payments to the SDU in compliance with state and federal law. With your payment, also be sure to provide the information related to the income withholding, including the employee name, social security number, amount withheld and case number.  Payments directly to the other parent (or whoever the child support order names as the recipient) will not be credited to your employee’s obligation and they may be considered delinquent.

If you don’t know the case number, you can find out by calling 1-866-901-3212.

No. Even though the order is not made payable to the SDU, you must still send the Income Withholding for Support to the SDU. 

No. To comply with the federal mandate that was established by the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) all employers are required to send their employees child support payments to the SDU.

The SDU will enter the data into the California Child Support Enforcement system. You will then receive a notification from the California  Child Support with the case number for each employee. 

This case number must be included with all payments sent to the SDU for that employee.

No. There is no limit to the number of employees you can enter on the SDU’s ExpertPay website.

Visit the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement’s webpage for e-IWO or send an email to eiwomail@acf.hhs.gov

Yes. Employers may use the bulk upload option in ExpertPay. Go to www.Expertpay.com or call 1-800-403-0879 to learn more.

You can enroll to submit payments using an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) credit through the Automated Clearing House (ACH)

You can make ACH debit payments or credit card payments through Expertpay.com, or call 1-800-403-0879

To use the Electronic Funds Transfer process to submit your payments, you will need to follow the below four steps:

1. Complete an enrollment form and submit it to the State Disbursement Unit (SDU):

• • By fax:    1-888-587-5471
  • By mail:

                   CA State Disbursement Unit 
                   PO Box 981326, West Sacramento, CA
                   95798-1326

       2. Review the EFT Employer Information Guide provided by the SDU and work with your financial institution

       3. Create a test file for review by the SDU

       4. Initiate payments after you receive the authorization letter from the SDU

To avoid your ACH debit child support payment(s) from being rejected, contact your bank and provide them with the DCSS Company Identification Number (Company ID) below:

Company ID: 1946001347 
Company Name: SDU CHILD SUPPT 
Company Entry Description: CAEPWEB

Verify with your bank that the ACH debit block has been removed from your account before making your payment.

Beginning July 20, 2020, you will need to register at ExpertPay website to make ACH debit or credit card payments . Please go to www.expertpay.com and under the Employer Section, select Register Now.

Yes, you can schedule recurring and future dated payments on ExpertPay. Please visit ExpertPay.com or call 1-800-403-0879 for more information.

Yes. You can create a template that stores the information, which you can modify if necessary.

Yes, you may use a credit/debit card where the card-issuing bank is outside the United States through ExpertPay. Review your cardholder agreement to determine fees that you may incur from your bank.

Employers cannot make payments through automated phone line through ExpertPay.

Child support payments should be made payable to “CA State Disbursement Unit,” and mailed to:

CA State Disbursement Unit (SDU)
PO Box 989067
West Sacramento, CA 95798-9067

See our Reporting Special Circumstances page

Yes, independent contractor income can be withheld to pay child support through an Income Withholding Order. For more information, please review the Employer Handbook.

An employer may check the lump sum box in addition to either the “original” or “amended” IWO box, but the lump sum box may not be used for recurring lump sums.

Yes, employers can report termination of employment by entering a “Y” in the Employment Termination Indicator field (field DED09* of the NACHA file). Do not enter “Y” in this field if your employee is on temporary leave or disability. Please see the Employer EFT Guide for more detailed information and instructions.

Withholding stops when the employer is notified to stop by the child support agency handling the case. Current support typically stops when the child is 19, or is 18 and has graduated from high school, whichever occurs first. However, there may be more than one child and often back child support is owed as well.  You should continue to comply with the Income Withholding Order and National Medical Support Notice until you receive notice from the agency.

You have a duty to report any of the above to the agency that sent you the Income Withholding Order. This is true whether the employee quits or is terminated. When the employee stops working for you, notify the child support office no later than the date of the next payment. You must also provide the employee’s last known address and, if known, the name and address of your former employee’s new employer.

Income withholding is the first resort for child support collections, and does not infer any failure to pay on the part of the parent.  California law states that an employer SHALL NOT use an Income Withholding Order as grounds for refusing to hire a person or for taking disciplinary action against an employee.  If you do, your could face civil penalties.

• Confirm that the employee is eligible for group health insurance benefits
• Forward instructions to enroll to the designated plan administrator within 20 business days
• After the plan administrator has completed enrollment, the Health Insurance Information form must be completed and returned to the issuing child support agency along with any ID cards, booklets, and summary plan descriptions
• Any interruption of health insurance benefits must be reported to the issuing local child support agency as soon as possible

No. All states are required to use the National Medical Support Notice to enforce health care coverage and your company may receive the National Medical Support Notice from another state.

Federal and state laws require that the National Medical Support Notice be sent to the employer within two business days of receipt of the new employer information when child support case match information is received from the National Directory of New Hires, or, within 15 calendar days if the information is from any other source.

Within 20 days of the date on the National Medical Support Notice, you the employer should complete Part A If the employee is eligible for health care coverage, keep Part A and forward Part B to the health care plan administrator, who completes Part B. Once enrollment is complete, the plan administrator must notify the issuing child support agency and you the employer so premium deductions, if required, can begin.

The entire process must be completed within 40 days of the date on the National Medical Support Notice.

Determining the best way to handle multiple orders can sometimes be complicated. If you have specific questions about the medical withholding notice and/or regular income withholding, you should contact the issuing child support agency.

The National Medical Support Notice is a qualified medical child support order; therefore, the employee does not have a choice.  In order to object, the employee must contact the issuing child support agency as instructed in the notice he or she received. You must still comply with the National Medical Support Notice regardless of whether an objection has been made.

By law, the National Medical Support Notice requires your company’s insurer to enroll the children in health care coverage at any time.

(See 42 USC 1396g-1(a) and the California Family Code §3751.5(b)(1). If the employee is not enrolled in a plan that is accessible by dependents and one is offered, the employee must change plans and enroll the dependents if it is reasonable in cost.

You should consider the union the plan administrator and forward Part B of the National Medical Support Notice to the union, unless you have checked numbers 1, 2, or 3 in Part A.

Medi-Cal is not considered a substitute for private health care coverage. You must still comply with the medical withholding order.

Your responsibilities under the National Medical Support Notice are not affected by the child’s enrollment in the other parent’s health care plan. Continue with enrollment until you receive an order terminating the National Medical Support Notice.

Your employee is under court order to supply medical insurance coverage for the children through employment. Enrolling the child is only half the obligation. In order for both you and your employee to be in compliance, it is necessary for this information to be noted in the issuing child support agency file, and for the information to be forwarded to the person receiving support.

Complete National Medical Support Notice, Employer Response (Part A), number 5, and return it to the issuing child support agency within 20 business days. Please specify the cost amounts for health insurance benefits.

No. If your company does not offer this coverage to any of its employees, you are not obligated to provide it for this purpose. Within 20 business days of the date of the National Medical Support Notice, check number 2 of the Employer Response (Part A) and return it by mail to the issuing child support agency shown on the National Medical Support Notice.

Depending on the insurance provider, there may be a “guest membership enrollment” available, and the coverage may extend to another state. After verifying the ZIP Code of the children’s residence with the issuing child support agency, contact the insurance provider to arrange this coverage.

An National Medical Support Notice will provide detailed instructions on how to prioritize between cash and medical support. In some cases you may receive a subsequent notice that the person receiving support has elected to receive health care coverage over cash support, but unless so notified, cash support always has priority over health care premiums. Contact the issuing child support agency for assistance on how to calculate the cash support withholding and health care coverage premium. 

If the employee doesn’t earn enough to cover the cash child support amount and health care coverage premium, you should complete the Employer Response (Part A), number 5 and return it to the issuing child support agency. If necessary, you should also notify the plan administrator to remove the dependents from coverage.

If medical coverage is available and your organization fails to enroll and send in coverage and materials, the court may find you in contempt and the resulting penalties can include a fine. In addition, any employer who willfully fails to comply with the National Medical Support Notice is liable for the amount incurred in health care services that would otherwise have been covered.

The National Medical Support Notice requires you apply withheld wages to the cost of health care coverage according to your company’s usual policy.

The withholding order for health care coverage remains in effect until the employer is notified by the issuing local child support agency or receives a court order regarding any changes. However, even if the withholding order for health care coverage is dismissed, the employee may still elect to continue coverage.

Yes, the issuing local child support agency will forward the letter to the support recipient’s last known address. You may view each state’s information regarding income and health care coverage withholding on the US Health & Human Services website.

The Parent Ordered to Pay Support may decline health insurance for themselves, but they must still provide it for their children. The employee does not have to be involved in the enrollment process. On the signature line of the enrollment forms, simply write “per court order – copy attached.”

The employee may need to enroll in health coverage or change plans in order to make the employee’s children eligible for health coverage.

Contact the local child support agency and verify that the children live out-of-state. If so, check to see if your health insurance provider extends coverage to out-of-state residents. If so, the dependent children should be enrolled.

If health care coverage is not “accessible” to children living outside California, check item #2 of the NMSN Employer Response (Part A) and return it to the local child support agency. 

The employer must comply with the NMSN until receipt of a court order or a notice from the local child support agency indicating coverage may be terminated.

Medi-Cal is not considered a substitute for private health care coverage. The employer must comply with the NMSN or other court order.

When an employee with a child support or medical support obligation leaves your company or is terminated, notify the issuing local child support agency within 10 business days of any lapse in health insurance coverage for the minor child(ren). Provide the termination date and employee’s last known address. If you know the name and/or address of the employee’s new employer, please provide this as well. This information should be submitted to the local child support agency on the Termination of Benefits/Employment Notice (DCSS 0114) which will be included in the NMSN packet.

Child support/medical support income withholding orders remain in effect until further notice, so the employer should keep the income withholding order and the NMSN, in the event the employee returns to work. Also, if the employee returns to work, the employer must report the employee as a new hire, to the Employment Development Department.

The local child support agency and the California State Disbursement Unit (SDU) receive information on active child support cases from several databases. If you receive what appear to be duplicate documents, please contact the local child support agency to have the duplicate files deleted.

If you receive a National Medical Support Notice terminating coverage for an employee’s dependent(s), then you must discontinue health insurance for the named dependent(s).

The employee may voluntarily continue to provide health insurance coverage for any qualifying dependent(s).