When a parent ordered to pay child support (the obligor) fails to make the payments (is in arrears), the Office of the Attorney General in your state may take one or more actions to enforce the child support obligation. These enforcement actions may include court action (civil and criminal contempt charges); suspension of the obligor’s driver’s license; reporting the delinquency to credit reporting agencies; denial or suspension of the obligor’s passport privileges; and liens on properties, bank accounts, life insurance plans, retirement plans, personal injury claims, and other assets.

In West Virginia, when a parent fails to pay court-ordered child support, the state's Bureau for Child Support Enforcement (BCSE), under the Department of Health and Human Resources, can take several enforcement actions. These may include filing civil or criminal contempt charges, which could lead to fines or imprisonment for the non-paying parent (the obligor). The BCSE can also suspend the obligor's driver's license, professional licenses, and recreational licenses. Additionally, the BCSE has the authority to report the overdue child support to credit bureaus, which can affect the obligor's credit rating. Passport denial is another enforcement tool; the obligor's passport can be denied or restricted if the child support arrearage reaches a certain threshold. The BCSE can place liens on the obligor's property, bank accounts, and other assets, including life insurance policies, retirement plans, and personal injury claims, to secure payment of the child support owed. These actions are intended to compel compliance with child support orders and ensure that children receive the financial support they are entitled to.