Reviewed August 2026
Child Support in Arizona
Arizona calculates child support under the income shares model. The Arizona Supreme Court adopted the model through administrative orders. Courts apply it under A.R.S. § 25-320. The model combines both parents' incomes into one support obligation. It then splits that obligation between the households based on each parent's share of the combined income. The current guidelines took effect January 1, 2022, and were revised later that year. Arizona courts must review the schedule every four years. Superior courts across Arizona hear child support cases. This applies whether the case comes up in a divorce, a paternity action, or a standalone petition. Parents can also get help through the Department of Economic Security's Division of Child Support Services. This is Arizona's IV-D agency. It can establish, collect, and enforce support obligations.
Virdix's document-preparation product currently prepares divorce paperwork for California and Florida cases. This page explains how child support works under Arizona law for people researching before they file. It is not legal advice, and Virdix does not prepare or file Arizona paperwork. See how Virdix works for California divorces.
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The income shares guidelines
Arizona's guidelines are built on the model developed by the Child Support Guidelines Project of the National Center for State Courts. The model combines both parents' gross incomes to find a total support obligation on a schedule. It then splits that amount according to each parent's proportional share of the combined income. The Arizona Supreme Court adopts and periodically updates the guidelines through administrative orders. Each update incorporates findings from a third-party economic review, part of the required four-year cycle. The court system publishes an online child support calculator that follows the current guidelines. Parents can use it to estimate an amount before filing.
Applying through DES/DCSS
The Department of Economic Security's Division of Child Support Services is Arizona's IV-D agency. It runs the federally required child support program statewide. A parent can apply for DCSS services whether they are owed support or paying it. DCSS can help establish paternity, set up a new order, or collect and enforce an order that already exists. DCSS represents the state in these matters. It does not act as either parent's private attorney.
Who hears an Arizona child support case
Arizona superior courts decide child support cases. Courts are organized by county. A case can arise from a dissolution of marriage, legal separation, paternity action, or standalone petition under Title 25 of the Arizona Revised Statutes. The court can also order support retroactive to the date a case was filed. In some circumstances it can go back further, reaching the date the parents began living apart, up to three years before filing, under A.R.S. § 25-320.
Modifying an existing order
Under A.R.S. § 25-327, a court can modify or terminate a support order only on a showing of changed circumstances that are substantial and continuing. Adding or losing the availability of health insurance coverage for the child can itself count as this kind of change. A modification generally takes effect on the first day of the month after the other parent receives notice of the request. A court can set a different effective date for good cause, but no earlier than the filing date.
Enforcement tools
DCSS can pursue income withholding directly from a paying parent's wages and intercept state and federal tax refunds. It can also seek suspension of a driver's or professional license for a parent significantly behind on payments. A.R.S. § 25-320 itself references additional enforcement provisions built into Arizona's child support statute. A parent who fails to comply with a court order can also be held in contempt. Unpaid arrears continue to accrue and remain enforceable, even after a court reduces them to a specific amount.
Sources: A.R.S. § 25-320 (child support; factors; enforcement), A.R.S. § 25-327 (modification and termination), Arizona Judicial Branch, Arizona Child Support Guidelines, Arizona Judicial Branch, Child Support Calculator information
Not independently confirmed
- Exact current URL of the DES Division of Child Support Services application page (des.az.gov returned a bot-detection block during verification)
- Whether DCSS has independent administrative order-establishment authority separate from the superior court
Child Support in Arizona: frequently asked questions
Does Arizona use the income shares model for child support?+
Yes. Arizona's guidelines, adopted under A.R.S. § 25-320 and periodic Arizona Supreme Court administrative orders, follow the income shares model. Both parents' incomes go into a combined obligation on a schedule. That obligation is then divided between the parents based on each one's share of that combined income.
How do I apply for child support services in Arizona?+
You apply through the Department of Economic Security's Division of Child Support Services, Arizona's IV-D agency. DCSS can help establish paternity, set up a new support order, or collect and enforce an order that already exists. This applies to a parent owed support and to a parent who pays it.
What court hears child support cases in Arizona?+
Arizona superior courts, organized by county, decide child support matters as part of a divorce, legal separation, paternity case, or standalone petition. The court applies the income shares guidelines. In some situations it can order support retroactive to the filing date or to when the parents began living apart.
When can I get my Arizona child support order modified?+
A.R.S. § 25-327 allows modification only on a showing of changed circumstances that are substantial and continuing. This includes a significant income change or a change in the availability of health insurance for the child. A modification usually takes effect the month after the other parent gets notice of the request.
Is there an official Arizona child support calculator?+
Yes. The Arizona Judicial Branch publishes an online child support calculator built around the current income shares guidelines through its self-service center. Parents can use it to estimate a support amount before filing or requesting a modification.
What happens if a parent stops paying child support in Arizona?+
DCSS can pursue income withholding, intercept state and federal tax refunds, and seek suspension of a driver's or professional license for a parent significantly behind. A parent can also be held in contempt of court, and unpaid arrears remain legally enforceable.
This page is general information about child support in Arizona, not legal advice for your situation. Laws, fees, and procedures change over time; confirm current details with Arizona's own courts before relying on anything here. Virdix is not a law firm and is not licensed to practice law in Arizona. Virdix does not prepare or file Arizona divorce paperwork. It is not a substitute for an attorney licensed in Arizona.
More Arizona divorce guides
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