Enforcing Child Support Across State Lines: The UIFSA Framework

The Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA) allows California child support orders to be enforced in every other state. When a paying parent moves out of California, the order doesn’t lose its force.

How Interstate Enforcement Works

California DCSS can transmit a certified copy of the order to the other state’s enforcement agency for registration and enforcement. The other state then treats the California order as if it were a local order — and can use all of its own enforcement tools (income withholding, license suspension, tax intercept) to collect. Custodial parents can also register the California order directly in the other state themselves.

California retains jurisdiction to modify as long as one party remains here. A paying parent who moves to another state does not automatically get to seek modification in that new state. California’s order remains valid and California courts retain modification jurisdiction as long as the custodial parent or child lives in California. This prevents paying parents from forum-shopping for more favorable support laws.

The California Child Support Recovery System gives custodial parents the exact tools and templates to enforce support orders, calculate arrears, and use every enforcement mechanism available. Request your free evaluation here.