Is child support mandatory in Oregon?

Child support is a money award for one or more parents that provides food, shelter, clothing and health care to dependent children. A legal or administrative agency in Oregon can place a child support award on a parent to require payment of child support. Oregon's public policy is to ensure that children are taken care of by their parents.

Sometimes parents who are not in a relationship agree to child support payments without legal action. It is only under a child support order signed by a judge or staff member of the Oregon Child Support Program that a parent's obligation to pay is enforceable. Although having legal or administrative child support orders is not mandatory, child support is mandatory if there is an order.