Utah Child Support
Estimate for Utah
Utah uses the Income Shares model.
Official schedule: Utah Code § 81-6-304 Base Combined Child Support Obligation Table (eff. 9/1/2024; orders on/after 1/1/2023) (2024)
View calculation breakdown
| Combined parental income | $9,000 |
|---|---|
| Total basic obligation (schedule) | $1,537 |
| Obligor income share | 55.6% |
| Obligor basic obligation | $854 |
| Estimated monthly support | $854 |
How the basic obligation splits between parents
Estimated monthly support by number of children
§ How Utah calculates support
Utah uses the Income Shares model under Utah Code Title 81, Chapter 6 (recodified Sept. 1, 2024 from Title 78B, Chapter 12), based on each parent's ADJUSTED GROSS monthly income. The base obligation tables (§ 81-6-304 for orders on/after Jan. 1, 2023; § 81-6-302 before) and a low-income table (§ 81-6-305, for an obligor gross ≤ $1,951) set the base by combined income and children. Sole custody is >255 overnights to one parent; joint physical custody is each parent ≥111 overnights (a worksheet reduces the base: 0.27%/night for 111–130, 0.84%/night above 130); split custody is multiple children in different homes. Medical and work childcare are shared equally. The minimum base is $30/month (sole). Support ends at 18 or high school (up to 19).
Content verified against official sources on 2026-08-09.
✦ How to open or modify a case in Utah
- Apply for services through the Utah Office of Recovery Services (ORS) online, by mail, or by phone; ORS can issue administrative orders, or file through district/juvenile court.
- Establish parentage if unmarried (Voluntary Declaration of Paternity or court/admin DNA testing).
- Both parents provide income proof (pay stubs, tax returns); the court or ORS determines adjusted gross income and imputes income (40-hour week at federal minimum wage if no work history).
- Use the ORS calculator or Utah Courts worksheets (sole, joint, or split) with the correct statutory table for the order's date.
- Obtain an order from ORS or the court that includes base support, medical support, and childcare; the guideline amount is a rebuttable presumption.
- Request modification: if 3+ years since the last order and the new calculation differs by 10%+, or if under 3 years, show a 15%+ difference with a substantial change in circumstances.
◈ Illustrative examples
Scenario: Parents' combined adjusted gross monthly income is $5,000 with one child. The NCP earns $3,000 (60%) and the CP earns $2,000 (40%). One parent has the child more than 255 overnights (sole custody).
Walk-through: From the § 81-6-304 table, combined income of $5,000 with one child is $816/month. The NCP pays 60% of the base: 0.60 × $816 = $490/month, plus 60% of medical and childcare add-ons (which Utah splits equally).
Takeaway: Utah splits the statutory table base by each parent's percentage of combined adjusted gross income.
Scenario: Same $5,000 combined income and one child, but each parent has 130 overnights per year (joint physical custody).
Walk-through: The joint worksheet reduces the base for overnights above 110: 20 nights × 0.27% = 5.4% off the $816 base, so the adjusted base is about $772, then split by income. At 131+ overnights the rate rises to 0.84% per night. The 111-overnight line is what triggers the joint worksheet.
Takeaway: Reaching 111 overnights per parent shifts to the joint physical custody worksheet and reduces the base obligation.
? Frequently asked questions
↗ Official policy & agency links
Sources verified: https://www.utcourts.gov/howto/divorce/support.html · https://orscsc.dhs.utah.gov/ · https://legalclarity.org/how-much-is-child-support-in-utah-costs-and-factors