Central Authority Payment Service

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status

No forms / supporting documents in this ICR. Check IC Document Collections.

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
279341	Foreign Authorities Form Form	New
279340	State Contact Form Form	New

ICR Details

OMB Control No:	ICR Reference No: 202603-0970-004
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No:
Agency/Subagency: HHS/ACF	Agency Tracking No: OCSE
Title: Central Authority Payment Service
Type of Information Collection: New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 03/10/2026

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved
Responses	59	0
Time Burden (Hours)	6	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

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Abstract: A growing number of foreign countries will not accept checks for child support payments. This trend is problematic for state child support agencies (CSAs) because establishing international electronic payment systems or sending individual wires and international Automated Clearing House (ACH) transfers for each case are burdensome and costly alternatives. To address the changes in international payment requirements, the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) developed the Central Authority Payment Service (CAP) to facilitate electronic child support payments to foreign authorities. This service helps states keep the costs and administrative burden of processing international payments low, increases the speed and efficiency of payments, and ensures the applicable foreign authority receives child support payments. OCSE plans to expand CAP to process payments from foreign authorities to the United States. Until then, this information collection pertains to sending child support payments from enrolled CSAs in the United States to enrolled foreign authorities. The information collected for CAP is necessary for OCSE to securely and efficiently transmit child support payments to a foreign authority to correctly distribute the funds to custodial parents in that country. The information collection activities are authorized by 42 U.S.C. 652(a)(7), which requires OCSE to provide technical assistance to states to help establish effective systems for collecting child and spousal support; 42 U.S.C. 652(n), which requires OCSE to ensure compliance with any multilateral child support convention to which the United States is a party; and 42 U.S.C. 659a(c)(3), which designates OCSE as the U.S. Central Authority responsible for facilitating child support enforcement cases involving residents of the U.S. and residents of foreign reciprocating countries and for providing oversight, assistance, and coordination, as necessary and appropriate.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 42 USC 652(n) Name of Law: Child Support and Establishment of Paternity
   US Code: 42 USC 659a(c)(3) Name of Law: International support enforcement
   US Code: 42 USC 652(a)(7) Name of Law: Child Support and Establishment of Paternity
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	90 FR 45385	09/22/2025
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	91 FR 11554	03/10/2026
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 2

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Foreign Authorities Form	2	CAP Service Foreign Authority Contact Form
State Contact Form	1	CAP State Contact Form

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	59	0	0	59	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	6	0	0	6	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: This is a new information collection request.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $1,163,145

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(i) Why the information is being collected;

(ii) Use of information;

(iii) Burden estimate;

(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);

(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and

(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.

Certification Date: 03/10/2026

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