To access child support records in Texas, use two sources: the Office of the Attorney General’s Child Support Portal for payment history, case status, and account details, and the district clerk in the county where your order was issued for the underlying court filings. The portal covers what has been paid and when; the courthouse holds the orders themselves.
Setting Up Access to the OAG Portal
The OAG’s Child Support Division runs Texas’s centralized system for tracking payments and case information.1Office of the Attorney General. Child Support in Texas Payments are processed through the State Disbursement Unit (SDU) in San Antonio, and the portal is where those transactions are recorded and viewable.2Office of the Attorney General. Paying and Receiving Child Support
To create an account, go to the Texas Child Support Portal and choose your role: custodial parent, noncustodial parent, or attorney representing a party. You’ll provide your name, email, phone number, and language preference.3Texas Child Support Portal. Create Online Profile After you set login credentials, the OAG verifies your identity and your legal connection to the case before opening access to sensitive details. Only people with that confirmed connection see the case data.
Attorneys registering for portal access must provide documentation of their representation, such as a signed retainer agreement or a court order appointing them.
What You Can See and Download
Once your account is active, you can view transaction details including dates, amounts, and payment statuses. You can also check pending legal actions on the case and update your contact information. If you need the record for a hearing or to settle a disagreement with the other parent, the portal lets you download the payment history as documentation.4Texas Child Support Portal. FAQ
Any payment routed through the SDU is captured automatically. For that to work, a check or money order sent to the SDU must include your 10-digit case number, the cause number from your court order, your name, and the custodial parent’s name. Missing that information is the most common reason a payment fails to post to the right account.4Texas Child Support Portal. FAQ
Getting the Underlying Court Records
The OAG portal shows the money side. The court order itself, along with every pleading, modification, and related filing, lives with the district clerk in the county where the case was heard. Those documents are the legal foundation for anything the OAG collects or enforces.
Suits affecting the parent-child relationship (SAPCRs), enforcement actions, and modifications are all filed in county district courts, and their records are pulled from that clerk’s office. You can request copies in person or, in most counties, through the clerk’s online records system. If you need a certified copy for use in another proceeding, ask the clerk specifically for certification — regular copies won’t carry the seal.
When Payments Don’t Show Up on the Record
Payments handed directly to the other parent — cash, Venmo, checks passed in person — do not appear in the OAG’s records. Only what goes through the SDU is tracked. If you’ve been paying directly and the official record shows you behind, the burden is on you to prove otherwise.
Texas courts have discretion over what counts as sufficient proof. Some accept an affidavit of direct pay. Others require canceled checks, money order receipts, or bank transfer records showing the custodial parent as the recipient. The governing standard is “evidence satisfactory to the court” that you are current. Keep the date, amount, method, and, when possible, a written acknowledgment from the recipient for every direct payment. Without that documentation, a court can treat those payments as if they never happened.
The cleanest fix is to route payments through the SDU going forward. When that isn’t possible, document each transaction the way you would a business expense.
Correcting Errors in Your Records
Misapplied payments, clerical errors in the balance owed, and outdated personal information happen. Texas Government Code Chapter 559 gives you the right to review your records and request corrections.5Texas Attorney General. Child Support Complaint Form
Start by comparing the payment history on the OAG portal to your own records: bank statements, money order receipts, or payroll records showing deductions. If something doesn’t match, file a written complaint with the Child Support Division using Form 1600. Identify the specific error and attach supporting documentation. The OAG investigates and may recalculate amounts or update records based on what it finds.
Don’t sit on a discrepancy. An incorrect balance can trigger wage withholding increases, license suspensions, or credit reporting before you get a chance to correct it. If the OAG’s investigation doesn’t resolve the issue, you can raise it in court during an enforcement hearing.
Records When the Case Crosses State Lines
If one parent lives in Texas and the other lives elsewhere, records are shared between states under the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA). The state that issued the order keeps authority over the overall accounting — how arrears are calculated and whether interest accrues. The state where the paying parent lives handles day-to-day collection and forwards payments to the issuing state’s SDU within two business days of receipt.6Administration for Children and Families (ACF). Action Transmittal: Interstate Child Support Policy
To register a Texas order in another state for enforcement, you’ll need two copies of the order (one certified) along with a certified statement showing any arrearage.6Administration for Children and Families (ACF). Action Transmittal: Interstate Child Support Policy The district clerk in the issuing county produces the certified copies; the arrearage statement comes from the OAG.
The Federal Parent Locator Service is a separate tool used to locate parents across state lines for enforcement. It can return the parent’s name, Social Security number, most recent address, employer information, wages, and health care enrollment, but access is limited to authorized child support agencies and specific legal purposes.7eCFR. 45 CFR 302.35 State Parent Locator Service It is not a public records source.
Who Else Can Access Your Records
Child support records carry sensitive financial and personal data, and access is limited. Federal law requires every state child support agency to maintain safeguards against unauthorized use or disclosure of information related to paternity, support establishment, modification, or enforcement. Those safeguards specifically prohibit releasing location information when a protective order is in effect or when there is reason to believe disclosure could lead to physical or emotional harm.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 654 – State Plan for Child and Spousal Support
The Privacy Act of 1974 adds protection for records held by federal agencies involved in child support enforcement, including the National Directory of New Hires and the Federal Parent Locator Service. Access to those federal databases is restricted to authorized personnel who sign nondisclosure agreements and complete privacy training. Knowingly requesting records under false pretenses is a criminal offense carrying a fine of up to $5,000.9Federal Register. Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records
At the state level, detailed records through the OAG portal or the court clerk are available only to parties with a direct legal connection to the case: parents, legal guardians, and attorneys of record. Employers receive only what they need to process an income withholding order. Other government agencies involved in enforcement or public benefit coordination may see specific data points, not the full case file.
How Long Records Stay Available
Texas courts retain child support enforcement case files — pleadings, orders, payment records, and correspondence — for 10 years after the case is closed.10Texas Judicial Branch. Records Retention Schedule If there’s any chance you’ll need the record after that window, download copies from the OAG portal or request certified copies from the district clerk while the case is still active or within the retention period. Once the file is destroyed under the retention schedule, rebuilding the payment history is extremely difficult.