Quick answer: Utah uses income shares on gross income under the Utah Child Support Act (Utah Code Title 81, Chapter 6, effective September 1, 2024). Each parent’s average monthly gross income, less alimony and child support already ordered and paid and any credit for other children in the home, is added to the other’s; the base combined child support obligation table (§ 81-6-304, orders entered on or after January 1, 2023, up to $100,000 of combined monthly income and six children) gives the total for the number of children, and each parent pays his or her percentage of the combined income. With sole physical custody the parent without custody pays his or her share, but if that parent’s income is $2,450 or less the lesser of the share and the low income table (§ 81-6-305) applies, and the award is never less than $30. With joint physical custody, meaning each parent has 111 or more overnights a year, the parent with fewer overnights has his or her share reduced by 0.27% of the base obligation for each overnight from 111 to 130 and 0.84% for each overnight above 130; if the result is negative the other parent pays. With split custody the two parents’ obligations for the children living with the other are offset. Health insurance premiums for the children, uninsured medical costs and work-related child care are shared equally. The guideline amount is a rebuttable presumption, and the court may not order less than the highest table row above $100,000, where there is no maximum.
How Utah child support works
- Income, the table and the shares. See how Utah calculates child support.
- Sole, joint and split custody. See sole, joint and split custody calculations.
- The low income table, insurance and child care. See the low income table, health insurance and child care.
What this calculator checks
The calculator uses the 221 rows of the base combined table ($1,951 to $100,000) and the 88 rows of the low income table from the statute, follows the calculations of sections 81-6-204 to 81-6-207 for sole, joint and split custody, and was checked against an independent re-implementation. It rounds each figure to the nearest dollar, as the statute requires of worksheets. It does not compute imputed income, deviations or the minimal child care award that the 2026 legislation adds for orders entered or modified after the statute’s start date.
Child support across Utah
The guidelines apply in every district court, from Salt Lake City, West Valley City, Provo, West Jordan, Orem or Sandy, and in cases handled by the Office of Recovery Services. Each party must file a proposed award using the guidelines before the court enters or modifies an order.
Frequently asked questions
How is child support calculated in Utah?
Each parent's gross income is adjusted, the combined amount gives the base obligation in the statutory table for the number of children, and each parent pays his or her percentage of income, adjusted for custody.
How many overnights make joint physical custody in Utah?
111 or more per year for each parent.
What is the minimum child support in Utah?
$30 a month under sole physical custody.
Does Utah use net or gross income for child support?
Gross income, less alimony and child support already ordered and paid and credits for other children in the home.
Is there a maximum child support in Utah?
No. Above $100,000 of combined monthly income the court sets an appropriate amount, not less than the highest level in the table.