Every child needs financial and emotional support from both parents. Child support is money a parent is court-ordered to pay to their child's other parent or caregiver for the support of the child. County child support offices can help get an order for support, establish parentage, enforce an existing order, collect payments and more.
Child support services are available to:
- Parents of minor children, if one parent does not live with the child
- Parents who pay child support through court-ordered income withholding
- People who have court-ordered, physical custody of a minor child
- People who receive public assistance for a minor child who lives in their home.
Services provided
The Dakota County Child Support Agency and Dakota County Attorney's Office work together to provide a variety of services to make sure that a child receives support.
Services provided include:
- Locating parents
- Establishing parentage
- Establishing a court order for child support
- Enforcing an existing child support order, including working with other states when one parent does not live in Minnesota
- Collecting and processing payments
- Changing an existing child support order
Services provided do not include:
- Giving legal advice
- Divorces
- Parenting time and custody
- Collecting unpaid bills or debts not related to child support obligations
For more information
For more information on child support services, go to Minnesota Department of Human Services website.
If you have an open child support case, you will receive a personal identification number (PIN) to register for Minnesota Child Support Online. You will need to create your own user ID and password. You can also contact your worker through Minnesota Child Support Online.
For information on ways to make payments, frequently asked questions, resources and more, view the 
Child Support Welcome Packet.
Submit documents
- Email your worker directly or email childsupport@co.dakota.mn.us. This email address is not for case questions.
- Fax to 651-554-5936.
- Deliver to the drop box outside of the front of the Northern Service Center, 1 Mendota Road W., West St. Paul, MN 55118
- Mail to the Northern Service Center, 1 Mendota Road W., Suite 240, West St. Paul, MN 55118
- Scan at a self-service scanning station at any Dakota County Library location.