Table of Contents
In Richland County South Carolina, there are two basic governmental entities in charge of ensuring that child support is ordered and that ordered child support payments are made: the South Carolina Department of Social Services and the Richland County Family Court. The South Carolina Department of Social Services is responsible for helping custodial parents get child support payments from the non-custodial parent when there was no marriage and can even assist in things like establishing paternity. The Richland County Family Court accepts child support payments and is ultimately responsible for enforcing child support orders.
With a population of 409,549, Richland County is the second-most populous county in South Carolina. Columbia, which is the state capital, is also the Richland county seat. The cities, villages, communities, or towns located in Richland County include: Cayce, Columbia, Forest Acres, Arcadia Lakes, Blythewood, Eastover, Irmo, Dentsville, Gadsden, Hopkins, Lake Murray of Richland, St. Andrews, Woodfield, Arthurtown, Ballentine, Boyden Arbor, Capitol View, Eau Claire, Harbison, Hilton, Horrell Hill, Killian, Kingville, Leesburg, Lykes, Mountain Brook, Olympia, Pontiac, Riverside, Spring Hill, State Park, Wateree, Windsor Estates, White Rock, Fairwold Acres, Dutch Fork, Fort Jackson, Intown, Lower Richland, Northeast Richland, and Upper Richland.
Applying for child support is not mandatory in most cases. Married parents who are getting divorced generally have child support orders in their divorce orders, but judges may allow divorces to occur without child support orders. Non-married parents may not have existing child support orders and may make arrangements to pay support outside of the legal system. However, if you want help with obtaining child support, the South Carolina Department of Social Services Child Support Division can assist you with that application. Moreover, if you have applied for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), then you will automatically apply for child support from a non-custodial parent.
The regional office servicing Richland County is the Columbia Regional Office. However, it is important to keep in mind that the regional office servicing a case is based upon the location of the parents. If both parents reside in South Carolina, then the non-custodial parent’s county-of-residence determines which regional office to contact. If the non-custodial parent resides outside of South Carolina, then the custodial parent’s county-of-residence determines the regional office.
Columbia Regional Office
Child Support Services
Columbia Regional Office
P.O. Box 1270
Columbia, SC 29202-1270
Phone: 803.898.9282
Fax: 803.898.9465
Physical address
3150 Harden Street Extension
Columbia, SC 29203-6856
Central Inquiry Unit
Child Support Services Division
Central Inquiry Unit
P.O. Box 1469
Columbia, SC 29202-1469
Phone: 1.800.768.5858 FREE
Financial Services Branch
Child Support Services Division
Financial Services Branch
P.O. Box 1469
Columbia, SC 29202-1469
Phone: 1.800.768.5858 FREE
Other Regional Offices:
Florence Regional Office
Child Support Services
P.O. Box 1071
Florence, SC 29501-1071
Phone: 843.661.4750
Fax: 843.413.6512 or 6513
Physical adddress
2120 W. Jody Rd – Suite D
Florence, SC 29501-2008
Charleston Regional Office
Child Support Services
P.O. Box 150012
North Charleston, SC 29415-5012
Phone: 843.953.9700
Fax: 843.953.9155
Physical adddress
3346 Rivers Avenue – Suite E
North Charleston, SC 29405-5715
Greenville Regional Office
Child Support Services
P.O. Box 17799
Greenville, SC 29607-8799
Phone: 864.282.4650
Fax: 864.282.4634
Physical address
714 N. Pleasantburg Drive – Suite 200
Greenville, SC 29607-1640
While the Department of Social Services handles obtaining child support orders and enforcing them, the Richland County Family Court actually handles accepting payments and keeping track of those payments. The cashier’s office is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:45am to 5:00pm; Wednesday hours are from 8:45am to 1:00pm. Payments must be made in cash, by money order, or by cashier’s check. Their contact information is:
Richland Family Court
1701 Main Street
1st Floor West Wing
Columbia, SC 29201
Mailing Address:
Richland County Family Court
PO Box 192
Columbia, SC 29202
Phone: (803) 576-3320
Fax: (803) 576-3347
Automated Payment Inquiry: (803) 576-3333
Determining the appropriate Richland County agency to help you with child support inquiries or concerns depends on the nature of those concerns. If you need help obtaining child support, establishing paternity, or enforcing an existing child support order, then the South Carolina Department of Social Services is the appropriate agency to assist you. If you need to pay child support or inquire about child support payments, then the Richland County Family Court is the appropriate state agency for you.