North Carolina child support guidelines
North Carolina uses an income-shares guideline — support is based on both parents’ incomes and the custody arrangement. This page explains the rules and links the official state worksheets; it doesn’t compute your amount.
How the North Carolina formula works
The guideline (set by the Conference of Chief District Court Judges; the 2023 schedule is presumptive through 2026) works in steps:
- Combine both parents’ gross incomes;
- Find the basic obligation on the schedule for that income and the number of children;
- Choose the worksheet — A (primary custody, one parent has 243+ nights), B (shared, the other parent has 123+ overnights), or C (split custody);
- Allocate proportionally and add health insurance and childcare.
The three worksheets are the reason a custody schedule can change a North Carolina number sharply: crossing the 123-overnight line moves a case from Worksheet A to the shared-custody B, which credits the paying parent for direct spending during their time.
The self-support reserve and modifying an order
North Carolina protects a low-earning parent with a self-support reserve — about $1,299 a month (drawn from the federal poverty level) — below which the order is reduced to a minimum rather than the full scheduled share. To change an existing order, either parent can use the three-year review (no substantial change required) if recalculating with current incomes differs by 15% or more; between reviews, a substantial change in circumstances is needed. A parent found voluntarily unemployed or underemployed can have income imputed based on earning capacity.
Use the official worksheets
North Carolina Child Support Services (NC DHHS) publishes the guidelines and Worksheets A, B, and C (linked above). Use them for an estimate; this page only explains the model. The court that issues your order has final authority.
For a real case
The guideline amount is presumed correct but can be adjusted for the reasonable needs of the child. For advice on your situation, consult a North Carolina family-law attorney.
Reviewed by Aqil Abbas Khan, Founder & Editor of ToolsNexus
This page is general information, not legal advice. Child support in North Carolina is set by North Carolina’s official guidelines, and the amount in any real case is determined by the court or the state child-support agency using the official worksheet — not by this page. Guideline figures, schedules, and adjustments change over time and depend on facts specific to your situation (each parent’s income, parenting time, health-insurance and childcare costs, and other factors a court may consider). Use the official North Carolina calculator for an actual estimate, and consult a licensed family-law attorney in North Carolina for advice about your circumstances. ToolsNexus is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation.
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Frequently asked questions
- How is child support calculated in North Carolina?
- North Carolina uses an income-shares model set by the Conference of Chief District Court Judges. It combines both parents' gross incomes, finds the basic obligation on the schedule for the number of children, and allocates it by income share — using Worksheet A, B, or C depending on the custody arrangement. The 2023 guidelines are the presumptive schedule through 2026.
- Which worksheet applies to my case?
- Worksheet A is for primary custody (the child lives with one parent more than 243 nights a year). Worksheet B is for shared custody (the other parent has at least 123 overnights). Worksheet C is for split custody, where each parent has primary custody of at least one child.
- Is there a low-income floor in North Carolina?
- Yes. The guidelines include a self-support reserve — about $1,299 a month (set from the federal poverty level) — so a low-earning parent keeps enough for a minimum standard of living. A parent whose income is near that level pays a reduced or minimum amount rather than the full scheduled share.
- When can a North Carolina order be modified?
- Either parent can request a review every three years without proving a substantial change, and the order is modified if recalculating with current incomes produces a figure that differs by 15% or more. Between reviews, a substantial change in circumstances is required. Courts can also impute income to a parent who is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed.
- Where do I get an official estimate?
- Use the North Carolina Child Support Services guidelines and worksheets linked on this page. This page explains the model but does not compute an amount, and it is not legal advice.