Locating non-custodial parents

You have the right to get support for your child. However, you may not know where to find the other parent or your former partner may not acknowledge that he is the parent of your child. The Child Support Program has many tools available to find the non-custodial parent. If he or she is in another state, the Child Support Program can access other state and national databases to help find the parent. It is critical for you to provide as much detailed information as possible as this will speed up the search.

Some of the important things the county offices will ask about the other parent in order to locate him or her are:

  • Full name and other names that may be used
  • Last known address and phone number
  • Last known work address, phone number and the kind of work they do/did
  • Social Security number
  • Birth date
  • Mother’s maiden name
  • Relatives’ names and addresses
  • Whether the parent has any children by another person, and where they live
  • Whether the parent belongs to a union, a social club or sports club or other memberships and activities
  • Whether the parent is in military, and where they are stationed
  • Whether the parent has a driver’s license from New Jersey or another state
  • Whether the parent owns a vehicle, and it is registered in New Jersey
  • The license plate number of the parent’s car
It is important to present any records you may have. Records that are helpful include birth certificates, your child’s birth certificate, the child’s signed parentage certificate, your marriage certificate (if you have one) or divorce papers (if you have them). Any financial information will also help, including bank accounts, copies of stocks, bonds, pension information, tax filings and insurance papers. The more information you can present, the easier it will be to locate the parent. Once he or she is found, the process for child support continues.