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Oklahoma child support: the statutory schedule, parenting time adjustment, and a worked example

Oklahoma prints its child support schedule inside the statute, 43 O.S. 119, and computes every order as a share of both parents' combined gross income. A parent with at least 121 overnights a year can ask for a parenting time adjustment, and the multiplier used shrinks as the overnights grow.

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At a glance

ModelIncome shares on combined adjusted gross monthly income (43 O.S. 118D)
Schedule43 O.S. 119, $50 rows up to $15,000 combined a month; above that the court adds an amount
Parenting time121+ overnights: factor 2 (121 to 131), 1.75 (132 to 143) or 1.5 (144+), then a cross-credit
Health insuranceReasonable in cost if the parent's share of the premium is no more than 5% of gross income
Support endsAge 18, or high school graduation or age 20 (whichever first) for a full-time student
ModificationMaterial change in circumstances; effective the month after the motion is filed
Interest on arrears2% a year

Gross income, deductions and the schedule

Oklahoma starts from gross income, not take-home pay. The court uses whichever is most equitable: current monthly income (plus overtime the court finds appropriate), the average for the time actually worked last year, or an imputed figure. For imputation it looks at wages in the parent's field and area, education and experience, whether the parent is willfully underemployed, and as a floor, minimum wage for at least 25 hours a week. Military housing and subsistence allowances count as income.

Each parent's gross income can be reduced for support paid under other orders and for qualifying other children living in the home more than half the time: 75% of a hypothetical order for those children, figured on a deduction worksheet. The two adjusted incomes are added, the schedule gives the combined base obligation, and each parent owes the same percentage of it as their share of the combined income. The statute says this applies whether the custody label is sole or joint.

The schedule itself was last amended in 2000. The Legislature's judiciary committees must review the guidelines and schedule at least every four years, but a change to the schedule alone is not grounds to modify an existing order.

Worked example: Oklahoma

  1. Parent A grosses $6,000 a month and Parent B $4,000; with no deductions, combined adjusted gross income is $10,000.
  2. In the 43 O.S. 119 schedule, the $10,000 row shows $1,537 for two children. The top row, $15,000, shows $1,961.
  3. Parent A contributes 60% of the combined income, so Parent A's base obligation is $922 a month and Parent B's is $615.
  4. If the children live with Parent B and Parent A has fewer than 121 overnights, Parent A pays $922 a month, roughly $11,064 a year, before child care and the insurance premium are added in the same proportion.

This is an estimate, not legal advice. Figures are rounded to the dollar and leave out the insurance, childcare, and other adjustments your case may have. Try your own numbers in CoreParent's calculator, then confirm with the state's official calculator.

The 121-overnight parenting time adjustment

Under 118E, a parent granted at least 121 overnights per twelve months (averaged across the children if the time differs) is presumptively entitled to an adjustment. The combined obligation is multiplied by 2 for 121 to 131 overnights, 1.75 for 132 to 143, and 1.5 for 144 or more. Each parent's income share of that larger figure is multiplied by the other parent's share of overnights, and the two amounts are offset.

With 130 overnights, Parent A falls in the factor-2 band and pays about $750 a month instead of $922. At an even split the factor is 1.5 and the difference is about $231. The statute adds two limits: the result can never be more than the parent would owe without the adjustment, and a parent with more than 205 overnights is never ordered to pay under this section.

The adjustment is presumptive, not mandatory: it can be rebutted if the extra time does not actually raise that parent's spending on the children. Not using the overnights it was based on is a material change, and the court can turn the shortfall into a support judgment and suspend the adjustment for twelve months.

Medical support and child care

The children's health insurance premium is divided by income share, and coverage is reasonable in cost when the covering parent's share of the premium is no more than 5% of that parent's gross income. If coverage is not available at a reasonable cost, the court can order cash medical support capped at 5% of the obligor's gross monthly income. Reasonable medical, dental, orthodontic and similar costs not covered are also split by income.

Actual annualized child care needed for either parent to work, look for work, or attend school or training is added to the base order and split the same way. A parent in the DHS child care subsidy program uses the family copayment as the cost, and any change in child care cost must be reported to the paying parent within 45 days.

Low incomes and deviations

The schedule bottoms out at $50 a month for any number of children at combined incomes under $650. A court may deviate from the guideline amount when it is in the child's best interest, but never in a way that seriously impairs the receiving parent's ability to keep minimally adequate housing, food and clothing for the children.

How long support lasts

Support runs to 18. A child regularly enrolled full time in high school, another means of high school education, or an alternative program keeps support until graduation or age 20, whichever comes first, with no extra hearing needed. When the last child ages out, current support ends automatically, but an order for several children does not drop by itself when one child turns 18; that is a material change to bring to court.

Modification and incarceration

Orders can be modified for a material change in circumstances, such as a change in a parent's income, the child's needs, child care or insurance costs. A modification takes effect the first day of the month after the motion is filed and is never retroactive before that. Parents can also agree to exchange income, insurance and child care information once a year, with a response due within 45 days.

A parent incarcerated for 180 or more consecutive days is presumed unable to pay, and the obligation is abated from the month after entry, then resumes 90 days after release. The abatement does not apply when the offense involved nonpayment of support or the child or other parent was the victim.

Enforcement

Oklahoma Human Services Child Support Services establishes and enforces orders and publishes the official computation form and calculator. Past-due support draws 2% interest a year, and new orders include immediate income withholding unless the court finds good cause or the parents agree otherwise.

Documents you will need

Oklahoma child support FAQ

How is child support calculated in Oklahoma?

Add both parents' adjusted gross monthly incomes, find the combined obligation in the 43 O.S. 119 schedule, and divide it by each parent's share of income. Child care and the insurance premium are added in the same proportion.

How many overnights change child support in Oklahoma?

121 a year. From there a multiplier of 2, 1.75 or 1.5 applies depending on the band, and the parents' obligations are cross-credited. In our example, 130 overnights lowers the payment to about $750.

What happens above $15,000 a month in Oklahoma?

Support is computed at $15,000, which for two children is $1,961, and the court adds whatever additional amount it determines.

Does Oklahoma child support stop at 18?

Not for a full-time high school student. Support continues until graduation or age 20, whichever comes first.

Is there interest on unpaid child support in Oklahoma?

Yes, 2% a year on court-ordered past-due support, from the date each payment became delinquent.

Next steps

Sources

Verified against these official sources in October 2026:

Child support in every other state

All states

This is general educational information, not legal advice, and official figures change. Last verified: October 2026. Consult a licensed family-law attorney in Oklahoma.