Illinois State Disbursement Unit (SDU)

Illinois State Disbursement Unit
P.O. Box 5400
Carol Stream, IL 60197-5400

To access your specific case information, you will need your Social Security number and the date of birth of a child in the case. If you do not have an active child support case with the department and would like one, a customer service representative will be able to answer your questions and take your application. Please call 1-800-447-4278, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Fridays or 9 a.m. until noon on Saturdays (except state holidays).

$36 Annual Support Service Fee 

There is a $36.00 annual Support Service Fee that is assessed by Illinois State law on all Child Support cases for the administration of child support payment records which is payable to the Circuit Clerk’s office. Payment of your $36 annual Support Service Fee can be made with a separate check payable to Circuit Clerk. The Circuit Clerk accepts personal checks and credit cards for Support Service Fee payments. Be sure to include your case number and Support Service Fee on the face of your check and mail to:

 Click here to pay your support service fee online

The Circuit Clerk will send an annual notice of Support Service Fees due.  Failure to pay will result in balance due being sent to a collection agency and turned over to the IL Comptroller's Local Debt Recovery Program for withholding from state tax refunds.

Child Support Payable to the Circuit Court 

The Circuit Clerk’s Office only processes Child Support payments that are directed by Court Order to go through the Circuit Clerk’s Office. These cases must have a Supplemental Support Order, but NOT have an Order for Income Withholding for Support. They also must NOT have any involvement with the Illinois Department of Healthcare & Family Services. If the parties have received state assistance, and/or there is an Order for Income Withholding, these payments MUST be sent to the State Disbursement Unit.

If your Child Support is ordered through the Circuit Clerk’s Office, you should use the following guidelines for your payments:

Always include the name of the person responsible for making the payment and your court case number on the face of your check.

The Circuit Clerk’s office does NOT accept personal checks for Child Support payments. Payment should be made with a money order, cashier’s check or certified check. Cash payment for Child Support payable through the Circuit Clerk’s Office is accepted in Room 136 at the McHenry County Government Center. Send your Child Support payment to:

Address Changes 

It is the responsibility of the Child Support recipient to notify the Circuit Clerk’s Office of any change in your address. This notification must be made in writing on a Change of Address form, which can be printed below. The Circuit Clerk’s Office must be notified of your address change whether you receive your payments through the Illinois State Disbursement Unit (SDU) or through the Circuit Clerk’s Office. The Circuit Clerk will notify the SDU of your new address. If a Child Support recipient receives Public Aid, ONLY the Illinois Department of Healthcare & Family Services can change the address to which your Child Support check is sent. Please notify the SDU of your new address either by calling (877)225-7077 to request an address change form or go to www.ilsdu.com.

• Change of Address Form [PDF]

Child Support Information Requests 

The Circuit Clerk in each county is responsible for maintaining a history of the Child Support paid on each case in their county. The Circuit Clerk keeps a record of every payment made for Child Support. These records reflect both the date and the amount of the payment. This includes payments that are made to the State Disbursement Unit. A record of the Child Support you have received or paid can be obtained from the Circuit Clerk’s Office. There is a fee of $6.00 to print a Child Support History. Requests for a Child Support History report should be made in person in Room 136 on the first floor of the McHenry County Government Center. You may also mail a written request for your Child Support History. Mail a check for the $6.00 fee, a self-addressed, stamped envelope, along with your case number and the specific dates you would like included on the report to:

Child Support Enforcement 

The Illinois Department of Healthcare & Family Services offers free child support enforcement services to Illinois families.  To get more information visit their website at www.childsupportillinois.com The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office can represent residents of McHenry County to attempt to collect Child Support arrearages. There are specific guidelines that the State’s Attorney’s Office must follow before they can intervene in a case to attempt to collect Child Support. The three main guidelines are listed below:

1. The person receiving the Child Support MUST live in McHenry County (If the person seeking the Child Support does NOT live in McHenry County, contact the State’s Attorney’s Office in your County of residence).
   
   
2. The person paying the Child Support MUST live in the State of Illinois (If the person paying the Child Support lives in another state, contact the Illinois Attorney General’s Office for collection).
   
   Office of the Illinois Attorney General
   Northern Illinois Regional Office
   Zeke Giorgi Center
   200 South Wyman St., Suite 307
   Rockford, IL 61101
   (815) 967-3883
   
   
3. The person receiving Child Support must NOT be receiving Public Aid or have received Public Aid in the past (If the Illinois Department of Healthcare & Family Services is involved, contact the Illinois Attorney General’s Office for collection).
   
   Office of the Illinois Attorney General
   Northern Illinois Regional Office
   Zeke Giorgi Center
   200 South Wyman St., Suite 307
   Rockford, IL 61101
   (815) 967-3883