Utah child support follows a fixed formula. Add both parents' incomes, look up the total in the state's table, and split that figure by each parent's share of the income. The custody schedule then decides who pays and how much. Here is how each step works under the current law, with worked numbers.
Where the law lives now
Utah moved its child support statutes on Sept. 1, 2024. What used to be Title 78B, Chapter 12 is now Title 81, Chapter 6. The rules mostly carried over, but many websites still cite the old numbers. The guideline tables in use today apply to orders first entered on or after Jan. 1, 2023, and to modifications made since Jan. 1, 2025 of older orders.
Step 1: Each parent's gross income
Gross income is broad. It includes wages, commissions, bonuses, self-employment profit, rents, pensions, alimony from a prior marriage, Social Security, unemployment and workers' compensation. Since May 6, 2026, it also includes Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), which used to be excluded.
A few limits apply:
- Earned income counts up to one full-time, 40-hour job. Overtime counts only if the parent consistently worked it before the original order.
- Self-employment income is gross receipts minus necessary business expenses, which can differ from the number on a tax return.
- Means-tested benefits do not count: SSI, SNAP, Medicaid, housing subsidies and FEP cash assistance.
If a parent is unemployed or underemployed by choice, the court can impute income based on work history, education and local wages. With no recent work history or an unknown occupation, the court may impute federal minimum wage for 40 hours a week. Imputation is not allowed in some situations, such as when a parent is physically or mentally unable to earn minimum wage.
Step 2: Adjusted income and the combined obligation
From gross income, subtract alimony already ordered and actually paid, and child support already ordered, in an earlier case. Alimony being set in the current divorce is not subtracted. Add the two adjusted incomes together and find that total in the base combined child support table, in the column for the number of children.
The table amount covers all the children together, not each child. A lower-income table protects parents with very small incomes, and the minimum award in a sole custody case is $30 a month.
Step 3: The custody worksheet
Which worksheet applies depends on overnights.
| Schedule | Worksheet | How the award is figured |
|---|---|---|
| Sole physical custody (other parent has 109 or fewer overnights a year, or doesn't share the children's expenses beyond support) | Sole custody | The noncustodial parent pays their income share of the table amount |
| Joint physical custody (each parent has more than 30% of overnights and both pay child expenses) | Joint custody | The parent with fewer overnights pays their share, minus a discount for every overnight above 110 |
| Split custody (each parent has at least one child full time) | Split custody | Each parent's share is figured for the children the other parent has; the two amounts are netted |
The joint custody discount comes from Utah Code 81-6-206. Each overnight from 111 through 130 takes off 0.27% of the table amount. Each overnight above 130 takes off 0.84%. The discount grows quickly once a parent passes 130 nights.
Worked examples
Assume Parent A earns $4,000 a month and Parent B earns $2,000. Their combined $6,000 falls in the table row for $5,901–$6,000: $745 for one child, $1,290 for two. Parent A earns two-thirds of the combined income.
| Schedule | 1 child | 2 children |
|---|---|---|
| Sole custody with Parent B | A pays about $497 | A pays $860 |
| Joint custody, Parent A has 146 overnights | — | A pays about $617 |
| Equal 50/50 schedule | — | A pays about $227 |
In the joint example, Parent A's $860 share drops by $243: 20 overnights between 111 and 130 (20 × 0.27% × $1,290) plus 16 overnights above 130 (16 × 0.84% × $1,290). On an equal schedule, the statute treats the lower-earning parent as having 183 overnights, so the higher earner still pays something, and the amount shrinks toward zero as the two incomes get closer. A 50/50 schedule does not end child support; it changes the formula. See Is Utah a 50/50 custody state?
Costs added on top of the base award
- Health insurance. Parents split the children's share of the premium equally, not by income.
- Uninsured medical and dental costs. Co-pays, deductibles and other unreimbursed costs are split 50/50. A parent who pays has to give the other parent proof within 30 days.
- Work-related child care. Split equally.
- New on Jan. 1, 2027: a minimal child care award. For orders entered or modified from 2027 on, the paying parent also owes a set child care amount from a new table, by combined income and the child's age. For a child under 2 it ranges from $225 to $450 a month. It does not apply when the low-income table does, it can be set to zero if no child care will be needed, and it ends when the child turns 13.
During extended parent time set by court order or written agreement, such as a summer stretch, support for that period drops 50% per child if the child is with the paying parent at least 25 of any 30 consecutive days, or 25% for at least 12 of 30. Regular weekends and holidays don't count, and this adjustment does not apply to joint custody calculations.
How long child support lasts
Support runs until the child turns 18 or graduates from high school in the normal year of graduation, whichever comes later. When an older child ages out, support for the remaining children adjusts automatically, without going back to court, using the table and incomes from the last order. It does not simply subtract one child's share. If the order deviated from the guidelines or doesn't list incomes, it stays in place until modified. Support for an adult child who is incapacitated can continue.
Changing a child support order
Either parent can ask to modify support after a substantial change, such as a 30% change in a parent's income or a change in custody. The court adjusts the award only if the new amount differs from the current one by 15% or more and the change is not temporary. If the order is at least three years old, no substantial change is needed, and a 10% difference is enough. A new child support table on its own is not grounds to modify.
Using the official calculator
The Office of Recovery Services calculator gives an estimate, and the court or ORS sets the final amount. Have both parents' gross incomes, any support or alimony already paid, the number of children in each home, overnights, insurance premiums and child care costs ready.
The calculator is only as good as the numbers that go in. Disputes over imputed income, self-employment income and overnight counts are where most child support cases are actually decided. Our Utah child support attorneys can review your numbers before you file or respond. Call 385-955-3533 or contact us.
Common questions
How is child support calculated in Utah?
Both parents' adjusted gross incomes are added together and looked up in the state table. Each parent owes their income share of that amount, adjusted for the custody schedule, insurance and child care.
How many overnights do I need for joint custody child support in Utah?
More than 30% of the year, and both parents must contribute to the children's expenses. In practice that means 110 or more overnights; the joint worksheet's discount starts at the 111th.
Does 50/50 custody mean no child support in Utah?
Not unless both parents earn about the same. On an equal schedule, the higher earner usually still pays a reduced amount.
What is the minimum child support in Utah?
$30 a month in a sole custody case, even under the low-income table. A joint custody calculation has no minimum and can come out lower, even to zero.
Does child support stop at 18 in Utah?
It continues until the child turns 18 or graduates from high school in the normal year, whichever is later.
Can child support be changed in Utah?
Yes. A substantial change with a 15% difference in the award, or a 10% difference if the order is at least three years old.
Sources
Have questions about your situation?
This article is general information, not legal advice. For guidance on your specific matter, schedule a free consultation with our team.