Child support: license suspensions

The law limits license denial, withholding, and suspension for people with very low incomes while child-support cases remain enforceable.

What the law does ​

• Bars the Department of Child Support Services from sending qualifying low-income obligors to the Department of Motor Vehicles for noncommercial driver’s-license denial, withholding, or suspension.
• Requires relief from denial, withholding, or suspension of other covered licenses when a qualifying obligor provides income proof to the local child support agency.
• Sets the qualifying threshold at annual income at or below 70% of the median income for a one-person household in the obligor’s county.
• Allows the Department of Child Support Services to implement the changes through a child support services letter or similar instruction.
• Makes the changes operative January 1, 2027, or later if the California Child Support Enforcement System is not yet automated to implement them.

Who it affects ​

• Child-support obligors whose income is at or below the county-based threshold.
• Local child support agencies handling proof of income and license-relief requests.
• The Department of Motor Vehicles and other state licensing entities.

Context ​

The law does not limit agreements for license relief with local child support agencies or judicial review of their decisions.