Interest on Child Support Arrears in North Carolina: Rate, Simple vs. Compound and When It Applies
North Carolina child support interest is the 8% legal rate on a money judgment. Past-due payments are vested but are not docketed or liened until reduced to a judgment, and we found no statute that charges interest before that.
Does North Carolina charge interest on child support arrears?
On a money judgment, yes. The legal rate of interest is 8% a year (G.S. 24-1), and in an action other than contract a money judgment, except costs, bears interest from the date of entry until it is satisfied at the legal rate (G.S. 24-5(b)). The statutes we read do not say that unpaid installments draw interest before they are reduced to a judgment, so the North Carolina arrears calculator adds interest only on the judgment amount you enter.
How do North Carolina arrears become a judgment?
Past-due periodic payments may by motion in the cause or by a separate action be reduced to judgment, which is a lien as other judgments and may include provisions for periodic payments (50-13.4(f)(8)). A vested payment otherwise has the force of a judgment for full faith and credit but is not entered on the judgment docket or a lien on real estate (50-13.10(b)).
How is North Carolina judgment interest calculated?
As simple interest at the rate you enter on the judgment amount for the months since it was entered.
| Judgment case at 8% simple | Interest | Total on the judgment |
|---|---|---|
| $6,000 judgment, 12 months | $480.00 | $6,480.00 |
| $12,000 judgment, 24 months | $1,920.00 | $13,920.00 |
| $18,000 judgment, 36 months | $4,320.00 | $22,320.00 |
These are illustrations, not your balance.
Does interest apply to child support owed to the State?
Ask the agency, because support owed for public assistance is a debt to the State (G.S. 110-135) and can be handled differently from support owed to the other parent.
Is it the same for the State’s debts?
Child support owed to the State for public assistance is a debt to the State (G.S. 110-135), a separate matter from support owed to the other parent. Ask the agency which part of your balance is which.
Where does 8% not apply?
The legal rate statute carves out G.S. 136-113 (condemnation) and the interest statute makes contract-rate exceptions for contract actions (24-5(a)); neither describes a support order. Ask the clerk what rate your judgment states.
Why vested payments matter for interest?
Because a vested payment has the force of a judgment for full faith and credit (50-13.10(b)), but only a judgment actually reduced by motion or action is docketed and liened. Ask the clerk whether yours has been.
Does interest stop if I pay the judgment?
A money judgment bears interest until it is satisfied (24-5(b)), so paying it in full stops further interest. Ask the clerk for a written payoff amount before you pay.
Can a judgment for arrears include a payment plan?
Yes. A judgment for past-due periodic payments may include provisions for periodic payments (50-13.4(f)(8)), which helps you pay over time while interest runs on the judgment.
Where do you get the official North Carolina figure?
From the clerk of superior court or Child Support Services. See whether arrears can be changed and file to modify if your circumstances changed.
Frequently asked questions
What is the North Carolina interest rate on child support arrears?
The 8% legal rate on a money judgment.
Does North Carolina charge interest before arrears are a judgment?
We found no statute in the sections we read that says so; ask the clerk.
How do North Carolina arrears become a judgment?
By motion in the cause or a separate action to reduce past-due payments to judgment.
Is North Carolina judgment interest compounded?
The statute states a rate per year; the calculator uses simple interest.
Where can I check my North Carolina child support balance?
With the clerk of superior court or Child Support Services.
Official sources
- G.S. 50-13.10: past due support vested
- G.S. 50-13.4: enforcement remedies
- G.S. 24-1: legal rate
- G.S. 24-5: interest on judgments
- G.S. 50-13.12: forfeiture of licensing privileges
- G.S. 110-142: license definitions
- G.S. 110-136.6: amount to be withheld
- G.S. 110-143: passport denial
- 15 U.S.C. 1673: restriction on garnishment
- 42 U.S.C. 652(k): denial of passports
A local family law attorney can review your situation — many offer a free consultation.
This is general information, not legal advice. It is based on the cited North Carolina statutes, rules and court opinions, and every case turns on its own facts. Confirm how the law applies to your situation with a licensed North Carolina attorney.