Tex. Fam. Code § 154.241-154.243

TEXAS FAMILY CODE Chapter 154, Subchapter E — LOCAL CHILD SUPPORT REGISTRY CHAPTER 154 • CHILD SUPPORT Subchapter E: LOCAL CHILD SUPPORT REGISTRY Sec. 154.241. LOCAL REGISTRY. (a) A local registry shall receive a court-ordered child support payment or a payment otherwise authorized by law and shall forward the payment, as appropriate, to the Title IV-D agency, local domestic relations office, or obligee within two working days after the date the local registry receives the payment. (b) A local registry may not require an obligor, obligee, or other party or entity to furnish a certified copy of a court order as a condition of processing child support payments and shall accept as sufficient authority to process the payments a photocopy, facsimile copy, or conformed copy of the court's order. (c) A local registry shall include with each payment it forwards to the Title IV-D agency the date it received the payment and the withholding date furnished by the employer. (d) A local registry shall accept child support payments made by personal check, money order, or cashier's check. A local registry may refuse payment by personal check if a pattern of abuse regarding the use of personal checks has been established. Abuse includes checks drawn on insufficient funds, abusive or offensive language written on the check, intentional mutilation of the instrument, or other actions that delay or disrupt the registry's operation. (e) Subject to Section 154.004, at the request of an obligee, a local registry shall redirect and forward a child support payment to an address and in care of a person or entity designated by the obligee. A local registry may require that the obligee's request be in writing or be made on a form provided by the local registry for that purpose, but may not charge a fee for receiving the request or redirecting the payments as requested. (f) A lo uest be in writing or be made on a form provided by the local registry for that purpose, but may not charge a fee for receiving the request or redirecting the payments as requested. (f) A local registry may accept child support payments made by credit card, debit card, or automatic teller machine card. (g) Notwithstanding any other law, a private entity may perform the duties and functions of a local registry under this section either under a contract with a county commissioners court or domestic relations office executed under Section 204.002 or under an appointment by a court. Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 20, Sec. 1, eff. April 20, 1995. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 751, Sec. 42, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 645, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 740 (H.B. 2668), Sec. 2, eff. June 17, 2005. Sec. 154.242. PAYMENT OR TRANSFER OF CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS BY ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER. (a) A child support payment may be made by electronic funds transfer to: (1) the Title IV-D agency; (2) a local registry if the registry agrees to accept electronic payment; or (3) the state disbursement unit. (b) A local registry may transmit child support payments to the Title IV-D agency by electronic funds transfer. Unless support payments are required to be made to the state disbursement unit, an obligor may make payments, with the approval of the court entering the order, directly to the bank account of the obligee by electronic transfer and provide verification of the deposit to the local registry. A local registry in a county that makes deposits into personal bank accounts by electronic funds transfer as of April 1, 1995, may transmit a child support payment to an obligee by electronic funds transfer if the obligee maintains a bank account and provides the local registry with the necessary bank account information to co ansmit a child support payment to an obligee by electronic funds transfer if the obligee maintains a bank account and provides the local registry with the necessary bank account information to complete electronic payment. Source: Texas Legislature Online (89th Leg., 2nd Called Sess., 2025) Page 1 --- TEXAS FAMILY CODE Chapter 154, Subchapter E — LOCAL CHILD SUPPORT REGISTRY Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 20, Sec. 1, eff. April 20, 1995. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 597, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1996; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 702, Sec. 2, eff. Jan. 1, 1998; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1053, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 556, Sec. 10, eff. Sept. 1, 1999. Sec. 154.243. PRODUCTION OF CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENT RECORD. The Title IV-D agency, a local registry, or the state disbursement unit may comply with a subpoena or other order directing the production of a child support payment record by sending a certified copy of the record or an affidavit regarding the payment record to the court that directed production of the record. Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 20, Sec. 1, eff. April 20, 1995. Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 556, Sec. 10, eff. Sept. 1, 1999. Source: Texas Legislature Online (89th Leg., 2nd Called Sess., 2025) Page 2