North Dakota child support guidelines
North Dakota is a percentage-of-income state that works from a guideline schedule rather than a single headline percentage. This page explains the approach and links the official state resources — it doesn’t compute your figure.
A schedule, not one percentage
North Dakota’s guidelines (N.D. Admin. Code Ch. 75-02-04.1) tie the paying parent’s net income and the number of children to a support amount through a published schedule. So instead of “X% of income,” the obligation is looked up for your net-income level. As income rises, the scheduled amount rises, but not as a single flat rate.
Because the schedule and the net-income definition are detailed and revised on the state’s own cycle, this page doesn’t reproduce the figures — the official worksheet above is the reliable source.
Equal parenting, the self-support allowance, and modification
North Dakota handles equal residential responsibility with an offset: each parent’s obligation is figured separately, the lesser is subtracted from the greater, and the higher obligor pays the difference (the offset pauses in any month the child’s support rights are assigned to a public-assistance agency). A self-support allowance — about $1,255/month for 2026, tied to the federal poverty level — is reserved first, so only income above it is available for support. Support runs to 18 or high-school graduation, not past 19, and only while the child lives with the parent owed support. A recalculation differing by about $75/month or more supports modification.
Adjustments and a real estimate
Use the official North Dakota resources linked above for the current worksheet, and consult a North Dakota family-law attorney for a real case.
Reviewed by Aqil Abbas Khan, Founder & Editor of ToolsNexus
This page is general information, not legal advice. Child support in North Dakota is set by North Dakota’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 Dakota calculator for an actual estimate, and consult a licensed family-law attorney in North Dakota 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 Dakota?
- North Dakota uses a percentage-of-income model based on the paying parent's net income. Rather than a single flat percentage, the state guidelines (N.D. Admin. Code Ch. 75-02-04.1) use a schedule that maps net income and the number of children to a support amount.
- What counts as net income in North Dakota?
- North Dakota starts from gross income from most sources and subtracts specified deductions to reach net income for guideline purposes. The definition is detailed — it is not the same as your paycheck take-home — so the official worksheet is the reliable way to compute it.
- What happens when parents share time equally?
- When parents have equal residential responsibility, North Dakota calculates each parent’s obligation separately, subtracts the lesser from the greater, and the parent with the greater obligation pays the difference. This offset is for payment purposes and stops for any month the child’s support rights are assigned to a public-assistance agency.
- Is there a self-support floor, and until what age is support paid?
- Yes. A self-support allowance — about $1,255 a month for 2026, tied to the federal poverty level — is set aside first, and only income above it is available for support. Support continues to age 18 or high-school graduation, whichever is later, but not past 19, and only while the child lives with the parent owed support. A recalculation differing by about $75 a month or more supports modification.
- Where do I get an official estimate?
- Use the North Dakota self-help and child-support resources linked on this page, which provide the current guideline worksheet, and consult a North Dakota family-law attorney for advice on a real case.