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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>74827</law_id><section_number>63.2-1924</section_number><catch_line>Withholding from income; default of administrative or judicial support order; notices required; priorities; orders from other states</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>63.2-1926</reference><reference>63.2-1929</reference><reference>63.2-1930</reference><reference>63.2-1943</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="63.2">Welfare (Social Services)</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="V">Administrative Child Support</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="19">Child Support Enforcement</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="5">Income Withholding</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> As part of every <span class="dictionary">administrative support order</span> directing a <span class="dictionary">noncustodial parent</span> to pay <span class="dictionary">child</span> or <span class="dictionary">child</span> and spousal support or by separate order at any time thereafter, provision shall be made for withholding from the <span class="dictionary">income</span> of the <span class="dictionary">noncustodial parent</span> the amount of the withholding order plus an amount to be applied toward <span class="dictionary">liquidation</span> of arrearages if the <span class="dictionary">noncustodial parent</span> fails to make payments in an amount equal to the support payable for one month. The total amount withheld shall not exceed the maximum amount permitted under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Maximum portion of disposable earnings subject to garnishment" href="/34-29/">34-29</a>. <a id="paragraph-268850" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/63.2-1924/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Upon <span class="dictionary">default</span> of an administrative or judicial support order, the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> shall serve notice on the <span class="dictionary">noncustodial parent</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">employer</span> of the delinquency in accordance with the provisions of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Manner of serving process upon natural persons" href="/8.01-296/">8.01-296</a>, <a class="law" title="Acceptance of service of process" href="/8.01-327/">8.01-327</a> or <a class="law" title="Service of process or notice; service on Secretary of Commonwealth" href="/8.01-329/">8.01-329</a> or by certified mail or <span class="dictionary">electronic means</span>, including facsimile transmission, for delivery to the <span class="dictionary">noncustodial parent</span>. The notice shall inform the <span class="dictionary">noncustodial parent</span> (i) of the amount that will be withheld, (ii) that the withholding applies to any current or subsequent period of <span class="dictionary">employment</span>, (iii) of the right to contest but that the only basis for contesting the withholding is a <span class="dictionary">mistake of fact</span>, (iv) that a written request to contest the withholding must be made to the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> within 10 days of receipt of the notice, (v) of the actions that will be taken by the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> if a request to contest is noted, which shall include the opportunity to present his objections, which shall be limited to a <span class="dictionary">mistake of fact</span>, to the administrative <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> officer at a <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> held pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Administrative hearing on notice of debt; withholdings; orders to withhold and deliver property to debtor; set-off debt collection" href="/63.2-1942/">63.2-1942</a>, (vi) that a determination on the contest will be made no later than 45 days from the date of service of such notice, and (vii) that payment of overdue support upon receipt of the required notice shall not be a bar to the implementation of withholding. <a id="paragraph-268851" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/63.2-1924/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The <span class="dictionary">noncustodial parent</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">employer</span> shall be issued by first-class or certified mail or by <span class="dictionary">electronic means</span>, including facsimile transmission, an <span class="dictionary">administrative order</span> for withholding of <span class="dictionary">income</span> that shall conform to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Information required in income deduction order" href="/20-79.3/">20-79.3</a>. The rights and responsibilities of an <span class="dictionary">employer</span> with respect to such <span class="dictionary">orders</span> are set out in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Information required in income deduction order" href="/20-79.3/">20-79.3</a>. <a id="paragraph-268852" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/63.2-1924/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> The <span class="dictionary">Department</span> shall have the authority in the issuance of an <span class="dictionary">administrative order</span> under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Information required in income deduction order" href="/20-79.3/">20-79.3</a>, based on an existing <span class="dictionary">court order</span>, to convert the terms of payment to conform with the <span class="dictionary">obligor</span>&#x2019;s pay period interval. The <span class="dictionary">Department</span> shall utilize the conversion formula established by the Committee on District <span class="dictionary">Courts</span>. <a id="paragraph-268853" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/63.2-1924/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> <span class="dictionary">Administrative orders</span> for withholding from <span class="dictionary">income</span> shall be promptly terminated or modified by the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> when (i) the obligation to support has been satisfied and arrearages have been paid, (ii) the whereabouts of the <span class="dictionary">child</span> or <span class="dictionary">child</span> and <span class="dictionary">custodial parent</span> become unknown, or (iii) modification is appropriate because of a change in the amount of the obligation. <a id="paragraph-268854" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/63.2-1924/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> If a court of competent <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> or the agency operating pursuant to an approved state plan under Sections 452 and 454 of the Social Security Act, as amended, in any state, territory of the United States or the District of Columbia has ordered a person to pay <span class="dictionary">child</span> or <span class="dictionary">child</span> and spousal support, upon notice and <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> as provided in this section, the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> shall <span class="dictionary">issue</span> an order, conforming to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Information required in income deduction order" href="/20-79.3/">20-79.3</a>, to the <span class="dictionary">noncustodial parent</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">employer</span> in this Commonwealth to withhold from the <span class="dictionary">income</span> of the <span class="dictionary">noncustodial parent</span> pursuant to a <span class="dictionary">foreign support order</span> in the same manner as provided in this section for <span class="dictionary">administrative orders</span> originating in this Commonwealth. Similar orders of the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> may be enforced in a similar manner in such other state, territory or district. <a id="paragraph-268855" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/63.2-1924/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1985, c. 488, &#xA7; 63.1-250.3; 1986, c. 594; 1987, cc. 640, 658, 706; 1988, c. 906; 1990, c. 896; 1995, c. 714; 1997, cc. 648, 663; 1998, c. 727; 2002, c. 747; 2003, c. 469; 2015, c. 52; 2016, c. 29.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
